I am addicted to Mad Men. The first few episodes though I found myself yelling at the men’s chauvinist behavior and encouraging the women to stop biting their tongues (”Tell him to kiss off!”). If I had been an adult during that era I’d like to think I’d have been a bra burner, or maybe just have had the courage to deliver a proper tongue lashing to a sexist fool. I’d love to travel back in time and tell a handful of them where they can stick their 11 a.m. Scotch.

But I am mad about Mad Men. I love the show. Now my yells are at the end of each episode – “More! More!” It’s brilliantly written, the costumes and coiffed hair are fabulous, and the cocktails (swilled with reckless abandon) I believe are creating a stir (pardon the bartending pun) amongst the vintage beverage-loving set. I include myself in that category.

To celebrate another episode (yes, it indeed is worth celebrating) we mixed up some Don and Betty favorites. For him, an Old Fashioned, for her a Gimlet. Did you know the Old Fashioned was the first drink to be called a cocktail?  And the Gimlet was named after a naval surgeon, Gimlette, who encouraged his sailors to drink the concoction to prevent scurvy. Tough medicine! Both are counted amongst the six basic cocktails.

Here’s to the Drapers, and here are the recipes:

Photo: thebittenword.com

Others as mad as I about Mad Men:

The Food Librarian: Mad Med Dutch Cinnamon Apple Cake from 1963 New York Times
Ezra Pound Cake: Mad Men Premiere Party Menu
Brokelyn: Scary food from the Mad Men era

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It’s not surprising that a food renaissance should naturally bring with it a drink renaissance. For several years now, a bar or restaurant’s signature cocktail has become more than an over-priced martini with a fancy name at the top of the drink list,  a bar’s signature cocktail is  now as important as the day’s menu specials and just as creative. Today’s liquid infusions are methodical recipes crafted by professionals. Just like chefs experimenting with reductions, bartenders/mixologists are creating just as much of a stir when it comes to developing flavors.

At 5:50 and again at 8:00 p.m. tonight at the Sorrento Hotel, Ryan Magarian, one of America’s top mixologists  will be measuring, mixing and shaking things up for a very lucky audience of 12 for an ongoing cocktail class series aptly called Drinking Lessons, a Night School event inspired by Seattle artist Michael Hebb. If you can’t fly or drive into Seattle to sit at Sorrento’s 100-year old bar and watch and learn from the nation’s best cocktail creators, you can follow each Night School bartender at www.foodista.com/nightschool and see photos, interviews and get recipes in real-time via Foodista.

If you are planning to be in the Seattle area and want to get your hands onto some Night School tickets, email the Sorrento at nightschool@hotelsorrento.com

Above Photo: Mixologist Ryan Margarian

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Oh, do we have some cool things about to happen here in Seattle! An exciting new artsy-literary-food-cocktail series called Night School will kick off next Tuesday, August 18, at The Sorrento Hotel. Night School is a collaboration between The Sorrento, Michael Hebb, an array of intellectuals, artists, writers, filmmakers, mixologists, chefs and the leading cultural institutions in the Northwest.

The Sorrento opened in 1909, just before the Alaska Yukon Pacific Exposition, a world’s fair that was held in Seattle to highlight the development of the Northwest. It was the first and most luxurious boutique hotel in the Northwest – the place where the well-heeled came to stay. People gathered in the opulent mahogany-paneled Fireside Room to hear music, poetry and conversations.

The series begins with Drinking Lessons, a Night School event. Twice a month the Sorrento Hotel will be hosting one of the countries leading liquor savants and dedicating the bar at the Hunt Club to an investigation of the American cocktail. Invitations have been extended to members of a small group of extraordinary bartenders, mixologists, and distillers that are re-shaping the American cocktail. Many have called this new school of mixology a “revolution” – regardless of terminology something very interesting is afoot and we are putting ourselves smack dab in the middle of the action. Twelve Drinking Lesson guests can expect an animated two-hour lesson in the preparation and history of three distinct cocktails.

In an effort to not only imbibe, but also to document the new American cocktail, Night School is partnering with Foodista. We will have staff on hand at all Drinking Lesson events to document the recipes, transcribe them to the web in real time, and create a web-based event out of the proceedings so that people around the globe can take part in the intimate experience at the bar. More information to come at foodista.com/nightschool.

First up at the bar is Ryan Magarian, President Liquid Relations/Co-Founder Aviation Gin. In his years “behind the stick” and on the consulting front, Ryan has received a nomination as Best Bartender in the city of Portland (Citysearch; 2000), was named Best Bartender in Seattle (Seattle Magazine; 2002), received a coveted Tastemaker Award (Food and Wine Magazine; 2004) and, most recently, was tapped as Seattle’s Best Mixologist (Seattle Weekly; 2005).  Ryan’s recipes have garnered notice in the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Food and Wine, Bon Appetit, People Magazine, US Weekly, Men’s’ Health, Wallpaper, Food Arts, Fit Pregnancy, The LA Times, The San Francisco Chronicle…Come see him Monday, August 18, at 5:30pm and 8pm. Email nightschool@hotelsorrento.com for reservations, or follow along live on the Web!

More cool stuff to come!

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It’s Friday and you know what that means. It means we get to kick back, put our feet up, and pat ourselves on the back for doing such a fine job all week. What better way to celebrate your goodness (and take a well-deserved load off) than to sip a lovely cocktail in your sunny backyard. I’ve got the drink for you (the yard is up to you). It’s a delicious Lemon Lavender Martini.

What inspired me was the beautiful lavender bushes in our yard. I looked longingly at them one evening, knowing that soon I would have to cut them back, and commented on how they looked pretty enough to eat (or drink!) So we cut off a bunch of stems and made a lavender infused simple syrup. With our simple syrup we mixed in vodka, a splash of fresh lemon juice, and gave it a shake with ice. Adjust the syrup citrus ratio according to taste.

Now there’s some lemon lavender love for you.

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Since summer is officially here, lets have a toast! Another way to celebrate summer herbs besides eating them in your salad is to infuse them into drinks.  I like to make a recipe that is grilled peaches brushed with lavender simple syrup and stuffed with gorgonzola dolce and since we just happen to have extra lavender simple syrup I made some vodka soda drinks adding the leftover lavender simple syrup for added sweetness and flavor and they were delicious! I just had to share it with you all.

Vodka Soda with Lavender Simple Syrup
1/2 c. water
1/2 c. sugar
1 tsp. dried lavender blossoms
ice
4 oz. vodka
12. oz soda water

Combine water and sugar in a small saucepan over high heat and bring to a boil. Add dried lavender, reduce heat to low and simmer for 1 minute. Remove from heat and cool. Into each pint glass, add ice, 2 tablespoons lavender simple syrup, 2 oz. vodka and fill with soda water. Stir. Depending on your sweet scale, you may want more lavender simple syrup.

Cheers!

Photo by Lakobos

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Cobbler schmobbler! There are so many other things to make with blackberries. I know, blackberry season is technically over, but we happened to find a bush hiding quite a few still edible ones. Not quite enough for a pie or cobbler, mind you, but enough to fix up a nice bit of blackberry sauce.

…and mix it with vodka for a tasty martini.

First, you need to make your blackberry sauce, which is delicious not only in cocktails, but in smoothies, yogurt, on pancakes or waffles, you name it.

Blackberry Sauce

1/2 lb blackberries
1 cup water
1/3 cup sugar

Heat the above ingredients in a saucepan on medium-high heat. Mash the berries with a wooden spoon to release all the juices. Stir until all the sugar has dissolved (about 10-15 minutes).

Strain liquid through a fine sieve to remove the seeds, then chill well.

Blackberry Martini

1 part chilled blackberry sauce
1 part vodka
Ice

Put into a shaker with ice and shake well. Strain into a martini glass and there you go.

Wasn’t that easy?

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If you didn’t already know, October is National Breast Cancer Awareness month. Like many others, this disease runs in my family, so I am diligent in not only monitoring my own health, but doing what I can to support and spread the word about opportunities in finding a cure for breast cancer.

Last night we went to Palisade in Seattle’s Elliott Bay Marina to have a cocktail. And on the table we discovered a card announcing “Cause-Mo For the Cure.” In 2004, restaurant managers of Restaurants Unlimited (a company consisting of 58 award-winning restaurants) cooked up the brilliant idea to donate $1 to the Susan G. Komen foundation for every Cosmopolitan cocktail it serves. The “Cosmo” just so happens to be one of my favorite frou-frou drinks so I jumped on the wagon and ordered myself a lavender cosmopolitan (yum!), complete with a pink rubber wrist band.

Help Save the Ta-tas!

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Photo: Phillip

It’s always nice to have a little drinky after a long hard day, isn’t it? Some days call for a shot of tequila, while other days something light will do. My favorite new-to-me light drink is a Pimm’s Cup. This old school drink has long been a swanky beverage in England, often enjoyed at fancy sporting events (champagne being the other drink of choice). In fact, a Pimm’s Cup is to Wimbledon as a Mint Julep is to the Kentucky Derby.

Pimm’s No. 1 was invented in England in 1823 as a health drink. It’s a gin-based beverage that is slightly reddish in color and has subtle spice and citrus flavors. By volume it is only 25% alcohol, so one drink won’t knock you on your keester.

Pimm’s Cup

In a tall glass with ice, mix one part Pimm’s No.1 with three parts lemonade or lemon soda. Serve with a wedge of cucumber and a sprig of mint. If you want to get fancy you can also add slices of lemon, orange and strawberry.

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Barnaby whipped up this refreshing cocktail from the most beautiful crimson tomatoes we found at the farmer’s market. They’re so lovely, their color so perfect, they shine like they’re in a beauty pageant. “Me, me, pick me!” they seem to shout.

And, mmm…mmm…are they juicy! Perfect for flavoring a summer-fresh cocktail.

By using the strained juice of a plump tomato you get the wonderful, tasty essence of the fruit.

Fresh Tomato Martini

2 – 2 1/2 jiggers of fresh tomato water
1- 1 1/2 jiggers of vodka
Ice

In a blender, puree 2 small tomatoes. Strain the pulp through a fine flour sack cloth or cheesecloth into a bowl, tightening the towel to get as much juice as possible.

Fill a martini shaker 3/4 of the way with ice. Add the vodka and the fresh tomato juice, and shake well. Strain over a martini glass and serve immediately.

1 serving.

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I know, I know, the last couple of days I’ve featured some strange foods, and today is no exception. Today I found an interesting article in New York Magazine about a “bacon-infused-bourbon-and-maple-syrup cocktail.” All together now…”EEEEEW!!”

Now don’t get me wrong. I love bacon. Like top-ten-favorite-foods love. I love it wrapped around asparagus, I love BLTs, I love it with eggs and hash browns on a Sunday morning. In fact, because of bacon I could never be a vegetarian. The only time I went off bacon was in the 8th grade when I raised a pig. It didn’t end well, but that’s a whole other story (one that would require a bunch of tissue and a few shots of tequila). But when I stumbled upon the bacon cocktail article I thought, “Who, pray tell, would think to infuse bourbon with maple syrup and bacon?”

Here are three images that come to mind: large masculine men, NASCAR or some extreme sport, lots of chest pounding and a whole bunch of imagination.

Clearly this gives the “Gateway Meat” a whole new meaning!

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