Jingle Bells and Bourbon Balls
I have to admit, this is another one of those 
true Bingo stories I should be ashamed to say that I was a part of. Please … be warned that this is something you should never try! It started out harmlessly enough, but I’m afraid it got a little out of hand. Now that all is said and done, we can laugh about it, even though the results could have been more disastrous.
As most of you already know, this Bingo Babe loves to cook. I especially like to cook with a good wine or liquor as my cousins, Donna & Rob in California, are the proud and caring owners of Ringtail Vineyards & Winery. I have been spoiled by some of the best and most delightful wines in the world at their vineyard.
Well, my friend Sophie (not her real name) was looking for a treat that she could take to a Christmas party at her local bingo hall. I won’t even tell you which bingo hall to protect the innocent. She found a recipe for Bourbon Balls in my Gotta Get to Bingo Cookbook. Now, y’all must understand, the purpose of this cookbook is to have a collection of quick and easy recipes at hand to please your family, so you can get out the door to bingo … fast and guilt-free. My husband, Harry, is thrilled to sit at home and watch the game with a little bowl of these “bourbon balls” at his side.
So Sophie whips up a delightful tray of these wonderful chocolate confections using my recipe … on page 38. They looked harmless enough with a little sprinkle of confectioners sugar over the top, and candy canes arranged neatly around the edges of the tray. Sophie proudly set her tray down in the center of the table along with the treats the other ladies had brought. She giggled like she was “cheating the devil” as she whispered to her friends that they were Bourbon Balls. (I must give you fair warning: you should know you are NOT ALLOWED to bring alcohol into a bingo hall.)
Back to the Bourbon Balls … “don’t worry,” one of the ladies said, “alcohol evaporates when you cook it,” as she popped the first bourbon ball into her mouth and rolled her eyes in sheer delight!
Well, here’s the deal Babes… the bourbon is injected into the balls AFTER they are made so the alcohol does not cook off! Sophie admitted the next day, fostering one heck of a hangover, she must have been a little overzealous when she injected each ball with the bourbon, as she had used up over half a bottle of it.
By the first quarter break these usually quiet, well mannered ladies had become increasingly louder and more rambunctious. By the half-time break, daubers were abangin’ and laughter was abounding. It was clear that these lovely southern bells … were simply snockered!
I was sitting two tables away and didn’t want to give their secret away, but the more I asked them to quiet down, the louder they got. They became a bunch of loud, uncontrollable wild women. I could just imagine one of them jumping up on the table to dance for the crowd, who by now, knew something was very amiss.
I was also worried that at the end of the evening they would all get into their cars and try to drive home. I could not let that happen. As much as I didn’t want to ruin their party, I notified one of the floor runners and within moments, the very few remaining bourbon balls on the tray were whisked away and each lady was offered a very strong cup of coffee and some real food. By the end of the evening we made sure they had completely sobered up. Sophie even won a jackpot! Surely this will be one of those stories that Sophie will be hearing about for years to come!
Well better late than never. I had to post these great pictures of the Halloween costume party at my favorite bingo hall. What a fun night! Troy and Sarah of the Bingo Palace in Palatka Florida sure know how to keep us entertained.
