Hi, Mad in Crafts (and Mad Men) Fans! I am Courtney from Sweet C’s Designs- a fun little blog dedicated to crafts, photography tips, easy recipes, and more. Thanks so much for inviting me over to your fabulous blog to share some Mad Men Inspired swill for the show’s big opening.
Since I am 34 weeks pregnant, and technically on bedrest, I actually conned my husband into helping me out with this post. Usually he runs far and fast when I start talking blog post help- but when I mentioned Mad Men, I piqued his interest. Hubby’s a bit of a beer snob, so when I asked him to incorporate Heineken into the recipes (remember when Betty falls for the Heineken campaign, and is embarrassed when Don tells her they are his client after she serves it to the Sterling Cooper execs? I just HAD to honor that hilarious moment with these drinks), he balked a little bit- but ended up loving how they turned out. I also mixed up something all of you in my current predicament, or for those who’d like a kick-free sipper during the show.
So grab your Heineken, some mixin’s, the all-important garnish (can it be a 60’s mixed drink without pineapple slices and a maraschino cherry?), a bag of Utz, and let’s get some simple, delicious Mad Men inspired drinks going!
To start things off, we’re showing a twist on a classic- the Bloody Mary. But we’re calling it the Mad For Mary since we aren’t actually using liquor, and substituting Heineken instead. Don might not approve of this less alcoholic version, but I am told by hubby that it was delicious, and would make a nice morning drink without the whole getting drunk in the early hours problem that comes with regular Bloody Marys.
To make this a virgin, just omit the beer! I have also seen juniper soda floating around a few specialty food shops- if you can get your hands on some, that would be a fabulous addition to this drink. Just add about 1/4 a bottle.
For this recipe, I think my husband used just about everything in our fridge. Really!
Fill a cocktail shaker 3/4 full with tomato juice and ice. Dump in 2-3 olives, and a dash of the following: horseradish, Worcestershire sauce, Tabasco, old bay seasoning and celery salt. Shake well. Add the mixing to a glass 1/4 full of beer or juniper soda (you don’t want to shake the beer with the mix- hello carbonation), and lightly stir with a celery spear.
Next up, we took a beverage that somehow had become a staple of tailgating excursions- the Wisconsin Lunchbox- and changed up the beer from Pabst Blue Ribbon to Heineken to make the Sterling Sunrise. This is a bit like a poor man’s mimosa- but with an extra kick. I could definitely see Roger downing a couple of these for breakfast.
Mix 1/2 glass orange juice with 1/2 bottle Heineken, and stir. Add a splash of Amaretto (be careful- a little goes a very long way here). Top with a maraschino cherry, and enjoy.
For those of us looking for a kick-free "mocktail" to enjoy during the premier, I made this lovely little drink that even Sally, Bobby and Baby Gene could enjoy. I took 1/2 glass orange juice, mixed with 1/2 glass pineapple juice and mixed with with a (tiny) splash of almond extract, so it was a bit similar to the Sterling Sunrise. Almond extract is very strong, so trust me when I say you need just the tiniest bit of it in for flavor- but it does add a lovely layer to the drink. Shake with ice, and top with a pineapple ring, cherry or fun tiki-style topper that was all the rage in the 60’s! Thanks so much for having me, I hope you enjoy making some of these bubblier, lighter versions of classic cocktails and the premier of Mad Men! I can’t wait!
Thanks, Courtney, for these fun recipes! Now, take a load off, and concentrate on keeping that baby healthy. 🙂
Now, the rest of you, go and visit Sweet C’s Designs for more great craft ideas, yummy recipes, and fantastic photography tips.
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