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The Classic Cocktails of Mad Men

YumSugar — Fri, 02 Oct 2009 05:50:58 -0700

Are you hooked on Mad Men, the Emmy-winning AMC series about ~~drinking~~ advertising in the early 1960s? If so, then you know that the show can easily put you in the mood for a cocktail, with its three-martini lunches and meetings over bloody Marys. It's a great showcase for classic libations, so before the next episode airs on Sunday, mix up one of these eight great drinks featured on the show.
Photo Courtesy AMC

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Do You Enjoy Nightcaps?

YumSugar — Tue, 18 Aug 2009 10:15:18 -0700

On Sunday night I sat down to watch the season premiere of Mad Men with complete elation. The show is a wonderful glimpse into the 1960s, not only society and fashion, but also food! On this episode, Don (aka Bill), Salvatore (aka Sam), and a couple of cute stewardesses finished their fine dining experience with nightcaps. Nightcaps are essentially an after dinner drink, like a brandy or Irish cream. While I am not a huge brandy drinker, I love to finish a rich dinner with a dessert wine like port. Do you occasionally indulge with a nightcap? If so, what is your drink of choice?

Photo courtesy of AMC

Food Section Sampler - Aug. 12, 2009

YumSugar — Wed, 12 Aug 2009 12:50:22 -0700

To stay competitive, grocers are training butchers to offer more cooking know-how. - Wall Street Journal
For '60s advertising drama Mad Men, it's all about nailing the art of the bar. - New York Times
6 barely legal delicacies that are worth a special seeking-out. - Chicago Tribune
The White House objects to a food-reform campaign that mentions the president's daughters. - Washington Post
Get the most bang for your Cabernet buck right now with Washington labels. - San Francisco Chronicle
Even with his third Bouchon opening, Thomas Keller hasn't changed his perfectionist ways. - Los Angeles Times
Foodie reality TV's past winners: Where are they now? - USA Today
One lobsterman hopes to keep his business viable by selling direct to customers. - Boston Globe

Happy Hour: Tom Collins

YumSugar — Mon, 04 Aug 2008 14:00:55 -0700

In a memorable scene from last night's episode of AMC's Mad Men, advertising copywriter (and main character) Don Draper, who's known to drink on the job, instructs his 6-year-old daughter Sally how to prepare a Tom Collins for guests.

This gin sour drink, first created in the late 1800s, was a popular Summer sipper in the '50s and '60s, when it was known as "the king of cooling drinks." While it's currently fallen out of favor, perhaps the scene makes a suggestion that it's time to bring back this maraschino-topped crowd-pleaser. To get the classic recipe, read more.

Tom Collins
From Chow

Ingredients

2 ounces gin
1 ounce fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon superfine sugar or Simple Syrup
4 ounces cold club soda
Slice of orange and a maraschino cherry

Directions

Shake gin, lemon juice, and sugar with ice, then pour into a chilled collins glass filled with ice.
Add club soda and garnish with orange slice and maraschino cherry.

Makes 1 cocktail.

Print recipe with images | without images

Source

What's Yummy This Week - YumSugar Weekly Recap

YumSugar — Sat, 03 Oct 2009 09:30:03 -0700

Cat Cora offers her expert party planning tips, plus delicious recipes for beef brisket sandwiches and barbecued beans.
Speaking of parties, plan your own football tailgate bash.
We're going macaroni and cheese crazy, starting with this three-cheese mac attack.
Say Happy Halloween with a pumpkin bread cakewich.
It's a wrap! Rolling your own Spring rolls is simple.
Ravenswood winemaker Joel Peterson shares his wisdom.
Finally, tune in to Mad Men this Sunday with a classic cocktail.

Must Read: Sips & Apps

partysugar — Tue, 08 Sep 2009 08:00:14 -0700

Thanks to shows like Mad Men, it's clear that the ritual of the cocktail hour - a time in the late afternoon where potent drinks are sipped and savory snacks are nibbled - is poised to make a comeback. A recent book, Sips & Apps ($19.95) by Kathy Casey, further promotes the idea by providing happy homemakers with a plethora of modern and classic cocktails, and a handful of incredibly tasty-sounding bar snacks. To learn more about this bartending guide keep reading.

For Female Chefs, the Kitchen Still Feels Like a Man's World

YumSugar — Thu, 15 Jan 2009 05:30:12 -0800

With female personalities like Padma Lakshmi, Giada De Laurentiis, and Cat Cora in the media spotlight, one would think that sexism in the kitchen is a non-issue. However, a provocative article in Time Out magazine argues that even if sex discrimination isn't overt, it's still prevalent. While "Mad Men-style ass-pinching" is no longer de rigueur, Rebecca Flint Marx points out that sex discrimination is clear when you notice (or don't) the amount of recognition that women chefs receive in comparison to their male counterparts.

Only 10 percent of the nation's executive chefs are female, and men vastly outnumber women when it comes to receiving accolades, such as a nomination for Food & Wine's Best New Chef, or a James Beard Foundation Award.

Donatella Arpaia attributes the disparity in the kitchen to women not getting enough publicity. Others blame it on the fact that women tend to work for smaller restaurant groups. Prominent female chefs have certainly complained of getting "passed over and not let into the club."

Yet, many in the industry remain hopeful: In recent years, women have gained ground in sommelier and maître d' positions and resources such as the New York Women's Culinary Alliance and Women Chefs and Restaurateurs exist to promote the advancement of women in the food industry.

Are you surprised to learn that women are still hitting a glass ceiling in a place as merit-based as the kitchen?

Source

Trend Alert: Sherry

partysugar — Wed, 27 Aug 2008 11:15:02 -0700

Back in February I printed out a cocktail recipe from the Seattle Times that featured sherry as an ingredient. Like many recipes I print out, it got buried and forgotten. Until now, recently I've been noticing sherry everywhere. Could it be that the fortified wine usually associated with Spanish old men is set to make a roaring comeback?

According to an article in this month's Saveur magazine, sherry no longer seems outdated. With the renaissance of classic cocktail ingredients (bitters, whiskey, rye, etc.), the popularity of 60s-era drinking on Mad Men, and the food world's current obsession with all things Spanish, it's not surprising that Sherry is popping up on bar menus across the nation. For more on how Sherry is suddenly becoming trendy, read more.

San Francisco's Duggan McDonnell serves a sherry cocktail at his hotspot Cantina and several concoctions at New York's Milk and Honey feature the Spanish wine.

The ladies at the Kitchn point out that Sherry is incredibly versatile and it can be served with any dinner course. Sherry also makes a flavorful cooking wine. Sherry vinegar has been a long-time favorite for salad dressings, but it's pure form is also delicious in appetizers, chicken, and even granitas.

If you're interested in sipping a bottle, Chow recommends a briny La Gitana Manzanilla Sherry, while the folks at Imbibe prefer the brand Lustau.

I plan on making the aforementioned cocktail recipe as soon possible and have started to be more aware of the Spanish wine. How about you? What do you think of this trend? Has Sherry suddenly become more interesting to you?

Source

Off to Market: TV Dinner Tray

YumSugar — Wed, 20 Aug 2008 03:00:25 -0700

I don't know about you, but with new seasons of The Hills and Mad Men, I've been spending a lot of mealtimes in front of the tube. I think it's time I got myself some TV dinner trays to fit in with my couch dining experience. Can you help me find some choice picks? Bookmark the trays in the Yum Market on TeamSugar with the keyword tag TV dinner tray. Happy Hunting!

To learn more about the bookmarking feature please read geeksugar's explanation.

Don't know where to start searching? Check out a list of my favorite online stores when you read more.

Bed Bath & Beyond
CB2
Cooking.com
Crate & Barrel
Ikea
Linens 'n Things
NapaStyle
Pier 1
Plum Party
Pottery Barn
Sur La Table
Target
Restoration Hardware
Williams-Sonoma
Wishing Fish
World Market