While Washingtonians ducked into cozy apartments and neighborhood bars to escape the February chill, the White House was cooking up a spicy Super Bowl watch party.
By Fran Holuba
Singer Marc Anthony performs at the "In Performance at the White House: Fiesta Latina," a concert celebrating Hispanic musical heritage held on the South Lawn, Oct. 13, 2009. (Official White House Photo by Pete Souza)
Marc Anthony and his bride, Jennifer Lopez, were among the 200 invited guests to 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue on Sunday afternoon to watch the Green Bay Packers defeat the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Marc Anthony is no stranger to the Obama White House, having performed on the South Lawn of the White House in October of 2009 for Fiesta Latina, a celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month. Later that same month, President Obama reciprocated the favor with a video message for the Monday Night Football showdown between the Jets and the Miami Dolphins. As a minority owner of the Miami Dolphins, Marc Anthony was a perfect houseguest for the Super Bowl XLV party.
The lucky bunch of politicians, friends and staffers noshed alongside the celebs on some traditional football fare. The menu, according to the Office of the Social Secretary, included:
- Bratwurst
- Kielbasa
- Cheeseburgers
- Deep Dish Pizza
- Buffalo Wings
- German Potato Salad
- Twice Baked Potatoes
- Snyders Potato Chips and Pretzels
- Chips and Dips
- Salad
- Ice Cream
To wash it all down, beer from each of the Super Bowl teams’ home states was served. Hinterland Pale Ale and Amber Ale out of Green Bay, Wisconsin and Yuengling Lager and Light of Pottsville, Pennsylvania.
Pairing American football with a cold brew can hardly be considered a novel idea but this year for Super Bowl XLV, the White House chefs got creative. The White House Honey Ale was brewed using about a pound of honey from the beehive on the South Lawn. This home-brewed treat was just an added bonus for the fortuitous partygoers.
