Just in time for the 4th – Let’s Eat Outdoors – A Mid-50′s Fever Dream of Cookout Kookiness
Let’s Eat Outdoors – The Yankees had Murderers Row, Notre Dame had the four horseman, Cincinnati had the Big Red Machine. Mere amateurs. Let’s Eat Outdoors has a lineup led by the one and only SPAM with all-meat Hormel Franks batting “clean up.” Also includes guest appearances by Bisquick, Van Camp/s, Dinty Moore and Nescafe. Don’t miss the amazing retro line art and design, a stunning proclamation from the 50′s top style-maker and a seemingly out-of-place recipe from one of America’s first conservationists. Let’s Eat Outdoors is an unqualified masterpiece! Go to “Let’s Eat Outdoors”
The art of the cocktail – mixing drinks in mid-century modern style with Fleischmann’s
Fleischmann’s has a long history in US spirits. They produced the first American-made gin in 1870. By the mid-50s, they were one of the top distillers.
At about that time, the company distributed a small and seemingly simple little booklet entitled “Fleischmann’s Mixer’s Manual.” This handy guide will not only help you mix a better cocktail with tips and numerous recipes, but it will also introduce you to one of the most influential illustrators of the 20th Century.
So take a moment and enjoy some classic cocktails tips and recipes, but be sure to linger over the clean and powerful design of this little gem. Go to Fleischmann’s Mixer’s Manual.
Let’s Eat Outdoors – A Mid-50′s Fever Dream of Cookout Kookiness
Let’s Eat Outdoors – The Yankees had Murderers Row, Notre Dame had the four horseman, Cincinnati had the Big Red Machine. Mere amateurs. Let’s Eat Outdoors has a lineup led by the one and only SPAM with all-meat Hormel Franks batting “clean up.” Also includes guest appearances by Bisquick, Van Camp/s, Dinty Moore and Nescafe. Don’t miss the amazing retro line art and design, a stunning proclamation from the 50′s top style-maker and a seemingly out-of-place recipe from one of America’s first conservationists. Let’s Eat Outdoors is an unqualified masterpiece! Go to “Let’s Eat Outdoors”
Brexit Gin Special Report
Over 30 years ago on a song now mostly heard in TV adverts, The Clash asked the question Should I Stay or Should I Go?
Today Brits are voting on what one side calls “Independence Day” and he other calls “the abject betrayal of our longtime friends and allies in Germany, France, Holland, Spain and other countries with which we have historically fought a never-ending series of wars.”
But one thing all Albions can agree on is that majestic spirit that fueled a once-worldwide empire.
I’ve included a selection of vintage gin recipes below that celebrate the glory and magnificence of Britain.
So, drink up, and vote your conscience (as long as your conscience tells you out, out, OUT!)
Cheers!
The Mint Julep – Is it the “Peeps” of Cocktails?
“A mint julep is not a product of a formula. It is a ceremony and must be performed by a gentleman possessing a true sense of the artistic, a deep reverence for the ingredients and a proper appreciation of the occasion.”
– Lt. Gen. S.B. Buckner, Jr., 1937
On Saturday, we’ll again be treated to the “fastest two minutes in sports” – The Kentucky Derby. And we’ll be celebrating it with a treat that has become synonymous with the race itself – the Mint Julep.
The Mint Julep has a long, and one might even say fabled, history as the sweet and genteel cocktail of horse racing’s most famous event. We’ve included four vintage Mint Julep formulas below for your consideration. But consider this:
Is the Mint Julep the “Peeps” of cocktails?
How to Throw an Authentic Mad Men-Era Cocktail Party – The Inside Skinny
With all the hubbub surrounding the premiere of season 7 of AMC’s Mad Men, we thought it would be a good time to offer some suggestions for throwing an authentic 60s cocktail party. We’re going to concentrate on the drinks and food and we’ll let you make your own choice regarding the required 60s-style hanky-panky.
What follows is TheVodkaParty’s step-by-step guide to being the perfect Mad Men-era host or hostess. We draw heavily from “How to Give a Vodka Party,” which was distributed by Smirnoff at the height of the Mad Men age. It captures the zeitgeist of the time better than pretty much anything else we’ve seen.
Astrud Gilberto and a Bossa Nova Epiphany
For the first three-quarters of my life, there were two songs I held up as the ultimate in cheesy crap. One was “Your Cheatin’ Heart” (which I’ll cover elsewhere) and the other was “The Girl from Ipanema.”
In this blog, I share the amazing story of two girls: one named Astrud and one from Ipanema, plus some astonishing music performance videos from the ’60s…
Beverage Magic – Meet Psyche, White Rock’s Racy “Mascot”
In Greek Mythology, Psyche was a young woman of incandescent beauty who caught the eye of Eros (the testosterone-fueled, Greek version of the Roman god Cupid). As you can probably guess it didn’t end well. But, thankfully, Psyche found a second life as the scantily-clad symbol of White Rock’s line of mineral water and other mixers as you’ll see in this charming promotional pamphlet. Perhaps the most amazing aspect of Beverage Magic are the borderline-NSFW illustrations of the beautiful nymph who works her magic on stir-free highballs and other cocktail recipes. You’ll also find asides on the history of White Rock and the changing, er, face of Psyche over the years. Estimated date of publication: 1942 Go to Beverage Magic
Wine Manners – Discover the Arcane Customs of a Strange and Mysterious Libation
In Wine Manners, piercing blue eyes stare out from a simpler time, a time when “wine with dinner” was a peculiar and foreign idea. You’ll enjoy the glorious front cover artwork followed by a no-nonsense primer on the mysterious world of wine. Plus, you’ll find some interesting dinner recipes and some novel wine-based cocktails. Publication date: Mid-50s. So get ready to mind your Wine Manners now.