Mad About Mad Men
By: Sheri Wetherell
Published: August 26, 2009

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 addicted. 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