Here's a Drink to Drown Your Sorrows
It was hard enough to say good-bye to the 1960s the first time. Now we have to do it again? Mad Men, that silky smoky show which captivated millions of viewers and inspired me to buy every piece of midcentury barware I found, is coming to a close. Don Draper is free falling through the skyscrapers on Madison Avenue one final season and we are bereft.
"Because mourning is just extended self-pity." Don Draper
We shall miss this show and its meticulous assemblage of costumes, sets, and unknowable irresistible characters. But we won't mourn. Instead we shall drink. An Old Fashioned of course. My own personal mad man (pictured above) makes a good one. Here is his recipe:
Dear Old Dad's Old Fashioned
Kentucky Bourbon
Angostura Bitters
Simple Syrup
Orange
Luxardo Maraschino Cherries
Add two dashes Angostura bitters and a 1/2 teaspoon of simple syrup to a lowball glass.
Pour a hefty serving of bourbon (4 oz.) into a lowball glass.
Add ice.
Stir.
Drop in a slice of orange and a maraschino cherry, preferably a Luxardo cherry. They are ambrosia. Don't muddle them. Let them be suspended in the alcoholic bath.
Voilá.
Vintage Barware Improves the Flavor
Like Don Draper, I peddle nostalgia. This week, I've added a few really cool sets of vintage barware to Finder Not Keeper. I can't resist them. The variety and the quantity never ceases to amaze me. And it wasn't just suburban housewives who collected glassware in every shape and size. Everyone seemed to relish the trappings of a hard-drinking culture. Homes often featured a designated bar that dominated the room. If they lacked a full-fledged bar, a swanky bar cart or a kitted-out cabinet for spirits were common.
Here are some images of my collections. Click on each photo for more information.
Ritzy Betty Draper's Vignette
Typography Tumblers
Culver Carnival Set (does not include tray)
Boozin' for Losin' Vegas Collection
Monogrammed 'W' Highballs in Brass Caddy (so convenient!)
May your bourbon be smooth, your angosturas be bitter, your ice be crunchy, and your cherry be tart. Happy Friday, friend! (All photos by Renn Kuhnen.)
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