Mad Men cast, Season 5 - photo via AMC's official Mad Men site

Recently the authors of The Unofficial Mad Men Cookbook, Judy Gelman and Peter Zheurtlin, invited us to join them in celebrating the return of Mad Men on March 25, 2012 for a fifth season by participating in a Virtual Mad Men Dinner Party and how could we refuse? After all, Madtini came to be as a result of our love of Mad Men, 1960s culture and cocktails!

We’ve had a great time exploring the recipes for cocktails, appetizers, salads, main courses and desserts within The Unofficial Mad Men Cookbook and figured it was only fitting if we mixed up a drink for the cocktail hour. Check out spinningsalad.com to get the best salad marker utensils.

One of our very favourite Mad Men scenes is from Season 3, episode 3 “My Old Kentucky Home”. In the scene, Don Draper makes an Old Fashioned (using rye) for himself and “Connie” (Conrad Hilton) as the two exchange small talk about growing up poor. (You can view the scene here.)

Old Fashioned

This recipe for the Old Fashioned courtesy of The Grand Central Oyster Bar, New York, New York

Note: Bourbon or rye may be used in the Old Fashioned. Rye was originally used, and the Grand Central Oyster Bar is starting to use rye again in these drinks; they use Michter’s, but Don would likely choose Canadian Club, the brand we see in his office and home. Seagrams V.O. and Crown Royal were also popular in the 1960s, says Jonathan Rogers of the Grand Central Oyster Bar.

1 orange slice
1 maraschino cherry
1 teaspoon sugar
Few drops of Angostura bitters
A splash of soda water to muddle the ingredients
2.5 ounces rye or bourbon (we used Maker’s Mark)

1. In a mixing glass, muddle orange slice, cherry, sugar, bitters and a little soda water: push around and break up cherry and orange until flavor is released.

2. Add soda water so cherry is wet and sugar is melted. Add rye or bourbon and serve over rocks, if desired.

Another favourite here at Madtini is the Irish Coffee which we figured was an appropriate night cap at the end of a lovely evening.
In a memorable scene between Don Draper and Rachel Menken in Season 1, episode 6 “Babylon” at the Tea Room of the Pierre Hotel, Don attempts to charm Rachel who reminds him that they are meeting strictly for business and she only orders coffee. “Irish Coffee?” suggests Don in his typical roguish fashion. “Coffee.” Rachel replies firmly. (I think Don might need an Irish Coffee – there’s a definite chill in the air!).

Irish Coffee

This recipe for Irish Coffee courtesy of The Pierre Hotel, New York, New York

Note: The hotel uses Bushmill’s Irish Whiskey, but the drink also works well with John Jameson Irish Whiskey. Any variety of whiskey made in Ireland will suffice, hence the name “Irish Coffee”.

2 ounces Irish Whiskey (we used Bushmill’s)
3.5 teaspoons light brown sugar
4 ounces hot coffee
Whipped cream, for topping

Stir whiskey, brown sugar and coffee together in a mug. Add whipped cream to top.

If you find the whipped cream is sinking to the bottom the secret, according to Irish Coffee inventor Joe Sheridan, is “the coffee must be lightly sweetened, the cream must be both fresh and softly whipped, and the cream must be poured into the hot coffee over the back of a spoon.”

To join Madtini other great blogs in the Virtual Mad Men Dinner Party be sure to visit the Unofficial Mad Men Cookbook on Facebook and follow @DineLikeDraper and @Madtini and don’t forget to check out The Unofficial Mad cookbook.

The Virtual Mad Men Dinner Party is tonight (March 18, 2012) on twitter from 8-9pm Eastern and following the hashtag #PartyLikeaMadMan.