October 2010: Mad Men

Elizabeth hosted her first cooking club and did it up Mad Men style. For those not watching one of the very best shows on television right now, the series is about a New York advertising agency in the early 1960's. Elizabeth decorated her apartment in doilies and baby's breath and would have made Betty Draper proud.

The table was set with lead crystal and fine china. The napkins were even folded.


There were only four of us in attendance, as Bonnie, Tina, and Christina were unavailable. We missed them, but we took advantage and not one single dish was even remotely vegan.


Michele did drinks and made Manhattans.

[As an aside, either there was something unknown going on in Golden Gate Park or there was some kind of accident because what should normally be a 45 minute drive from the peninsula turned into a 2.5 hour drive. Luckily, Michele and Ashley avoided the worst of it, but I (Janet) got slammed. I was about to turn around and go home but 1) I couldn't turn around, and 2) I had $25 worth of shrimp in the car. The rest of the ladies were great sports and waited patiently and drank more Manhattans.]

Dinner was an amazing 1960's style feast. We resisted the impulse to serve jello salad and pigs in a blanket and every dish was perfect.

First course (Janet) was shrimp with homemade cocktail sauce.

Main course (Elizabeth) was Roast with potatoes and carrots.

Side (Ashley) was creme fraiche scalloped potatoes.

Dessert (Janet) was cheater cheesecake with Redi-whip and maraschino cherries.

Big thanks to Elizabeth for taking black and white photos and opening her home to one of the best themes to date.