TV’s Mad Men brings back nostalgic drinks

Named the Best TV Drama Series for a third year in a row at this week’s Emmy Awards, Mad Men is about an advertising agency and lifestyles of 1960s America. Its historical authenticity and visual style have boosted interest in interior design, fashion, beauty, and even cocktails of the era. So much so, there’s a Mad Men Cocktail Culture iPhone app that challenges your skills at making popular cocktails of the ’60s.  So welcome back the likes of Gin Collins, Gimlets, Cosmopolitans and classic martinis (though as far as we’re concerned, this never really went away).

And for the non-alcoholic set, who want to savor the classics, there are homemade sodas – a trend that’s in step with the growing menu trend toward simpler, more natural foods, and a rising interest in locally made.

Canyon Ranch in Miami has been serving up their homemade version since their opening, as well as Michael’s Genuine Food and Drink, which just opened their new outpost in the Cayman Islands. Their ginger-lemongrass, cherry rosemary and strawberry basil sodas uses basil from their nearby vegetable garden. And while it’s not homemade locally, their Captain Eli’s Root Beer is not to be missed.

~Karen Weiner Escalera