A ‘Mad Men’ memorial

Break out the Jell-o mold, fondue pot and punch bowl, and party like it’s 1969 to celebrate – read: mourn – the end of “Mad Men.”

The award-winning TV show portrays the world of Madison Avenue advertising agencies during the 1960s and ’70s, when finger foods and chain smoking were paired with hard liquor – and lots of it.

It was an era of three – or four – martini lunches, old-fashioneds, office liquor cabinets, overt sexism and quick, convenient party foods that often required toothpicks. Think meatballs, cheese balls, Vienna sausages, stuffed mushrooms, pinwheel sandwiches, plenty of cream cheese and bacon-wrapped everything – from olives and chicken livers to grilled pineapple, pickled watermelon, shrimp and scallops.

The final episode airs Sunday night on AMC. So set up a buffet table and serve-yourself bar, and throw your own 1960s-themed viewing party – with a 2015 twist.

“All you really need is the suits and dresses,” said Alexander J. Stajduhar, former “head cocktail nerd” at Santé in downtown Spokane. But, when it comes to the menu, “it doesn’t have to be true to form.”

It can be, he said, “more refined.”

Below, find his modern and creative takes on retro cocktail recipes – as well as a few updated hors d’oeuvres from Spokane restaurants and more.

Cocktails

Stajduhar, 37, isn’t a fan of classic cocktails like the martinis and old-fashioneds that frequently appear on “Mad Men.” “I think they’re played,” he said. “I personally think classic cocktails have had their run. They’re old. They’ve been around. I want to make cocktails no one else is making.” Full disclosure: he’s not a fan of the show, either: “I don’t have cable.” Stajduhar has concocted a few custom libations based on some of his favorite spirits and flavor combinations - and loosely, very loosely, inspired by their classic counterparts.

Grapefruit-Rosemary New-Fashioned

From Alexander J. Stajduhar

“This doesn’t taste like an old-fashioned. There’s no cherry. There’s no orange. It’s fresh. It’s new. It’s different,” Stajduhar said. “It’s a little bit sweet. You get the grapefruit. You get the pepper. The rosemary comes through.” But, he said, “It’s not overly herbaceous. You can’t go wrong with it. It’s a beautiful cocktail.”

1 sugar cube

2 dashes bitters (Any kind will do, but Stajduhar uses housemade bitters with grapefruit peel.)

Leaves from half-sprig fresh rosemary

1 thinly sliced grapefruit wedge

2 ounces rye whiskey (Stajduhar recommends James Oliver.)

1/4 ounce black pepper water (See note)

Splash IPA (Stajduhar prefers Twelve String Batch 201 IPA.)

Place sugar cube in bottom of glass. Add bitters, rosemary and grapefruit and muddle. Fill glass with ice cubes. Add rye and black pepper water, and stir to combine. Top with IPA. Garnish with rosemary sprig and thinly sliced grapefruit wedge. Note: Make black pepper water by infusing black peppercorns into very hot or boiling water and letting them steep. Stajduhar uses 1 cup of hot water and 1/4 cup of black peppercorns.

Note: Stajduhar offers these twists, too: Apples and sage, grapefruit and basil, raspberry and brown sugar.

Extra-Dry Single-Malt Vodka Martini

From Alexander J. Stajduhar

Stajduhar uses Dominion Distillery in Colville for its notes of caramel and barley. “This is not your father’s vodka,” he said. “This is a very rare vodka.” He cautions against using it to make a dirty martini. “It will not taste good.”

2 1/2 ounces single malt vodka

Lemon, for garnish

Fill a shaker with ice cubes. Add vodka. Gently stir, swirl or shake, then strain into glass. Garnish with a twist of lemon.

Nearly Perfect Gentleman

From Alexander J. Stajduhar

This is another, super-citrusy twist on a vodka martini. Stajduhar created this cocktail a couple of months ago while he was experimenting with Dominion Distillery’s single malt vodka. It’s one of his new favorites.

2 ounces single malt vodka (Stajduhar uses Dominion Distillery in Colville)

1 ounce sweet vermouth

1/2 ounce dry vermouth

Juice from half-lemon

Thin slice of lemon, for garnish

Fill a shaker with ice cubes. Add vodka, vermouth and lemon juice. Gently stir, swirl or shake, then strain into glass. Garnish with a slice of lemon.

Snacks

Mushroom Mousse

From Chef David Blaine of Central Food in Spokane

2  1/2 pounds mushrooms, roughly chopped

1 cup shallots, roughly chopped

1/2 cup butter

4 cloves garlic

Salt and pepper, to taste

1 tablespoon cheap scotch

1 cup heavy cream

Cook mushrooms and shallots in butter in a sauté pan until liquid is reduced. Add garlic, seasoning and scotch, then set aside.

Pour cream into blender, add mushroom mixture and process until smooth. Store in refrigerator.

Deviled Eggs with Bacon and Maple

From Chef Ryan Stoy of Wandering Table in Spokane

1/2 tablespoon maple syrup

1/2 teaspoon brown sugar

1/2 cup mayonnaise

1/4 cup bacon fat (optional) (See note)

1/2 tablespoon lemon juice

1/2 teaspoon apple cider vinaigrette

1/4 teaspoon liquid smoke flavoring

1/4 tablespoon Dijon mustard

1/4 teaspoon salt

Yolks and whites from 12 hard-boiled eggs, sliced in half, lengthwise

Candied bacon, potato frites and crispy toast, for garnish (optional)

Microwave maple syrup and brown sugar for 30 seconds. While heating, whip remaining ingredients through the egg yolks in a food processor until smooth and light. Drizzle in maple syrup mixture, as desired. Place mixture into piping bag. Pipe yolk mixture into egg white and drizzle with remaining maple syrup mixture. Top with candied bacon, potato frites and crispy toast, if desired.

Note: You can substitute butter for bacon fat, if desired.

Yield: 24

Sparkling Wine Gelatin with Pomegranate Seeds

From Adriana Janovich

4 envelopes unflavored gelatin (1 ounce total)

1 bottle of sparkling wine (such as Prosecco, pink moscato, Champagne, or sparkling rosé, sparkling Riesling or sparkling Gewürztraminer)

2 tablespoons sugar

1 1/2 cups hard cider (such as Blossom Nectar from Tieton Cider Works or Forest Ginger, Cranberry Rosehip or Sparkling

Pear from Finnriver Farm and Cidery)

1 drop red food coloring, if desired

1 to 2 ounces, pomegranate seeds

Place gelatin in a large sauce pan. Pour in sparkling wine and let sit, or bloom, 5 to 10 minutes. Heat mixture on medium heat until just about to boil, stirring constantly to combine. Add sugar and stir until completely dissolved. Remove mixture from heat, let cool to just about room temperature. Add cider and stir. Add food coloring, if desired. Pour mixture into chilled, vintage gelatin molds sprinkled with pomegranate seeds and refrigerate until firm.

To unmold: place molds one at a time in a bowl of warm water for 10 to 20 seconds, taking care not to submerge. Remove from water, shake gently to loosen, turn over onto individual dessert plates.

Note: For a variation, use fresh raspberries instead of pomegranate seeds. Mash ¼ cup fresh, rinsed raspberries with sugar, and add the mixture to the sparkling wine and gelatin on the stovetop. Strain mixture through a fine mesh sieve to remove the seeds before pouring into molds containing two or three berries each. The mashed berries will naturally tint the dessert pink.

Also note: For a sweeter dessert, double the amount of sugar.

Classics from Dorothy Dean

For more than four decades, women of the Inland Northwest knew where to turn for recipes and entertaining tips. Dorothy Dean was a pseudonym for newspaper’s home economics department from 1935 until it was shuttered in 1983.

Here are just a few of her recommendations for party food from the 1960s.

Clam Dip, 1966

1 (7-ounce) can minced clams, plus the clam liquor

2 (3-ounce) packages cream cheese

1 tablespoon mayonnaise

1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

Dash garlic salt, if desired

Drain clams and reserve liquor. Mix clams with cream cheese, mayonnaise, Worcestershire sauce and garlic salt, if using. Add clam liquor to give good dipping consistency

Yield: 11/2 cups

Swedish Meatballs, 1969

3/4 pound ground beef

1/4 cup minced onion

1 1/4 teaspoons salt, divided

2 teaspoons sugar, divided

1/2 teaspoon allspice

Dash nutmeg

1 egg, beaten

1 1/4 cups skim milk, divided

3/4 cups soft bread cubes

1 tablespoon butter

2 tablespoons flour

Dash pepper

1/2 teaspoon paprika

Mix ground beef, onion, 1 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon sugar, allspice and nutmeg.

Combine egg, ¼ cup milk and bread; let stand for 5 minutes. Add meat mixture; blend well. Shape into 48 small balls.

Melt butter in skillet over medium heat; add meatballs, turning to brown on all sides. Remove to heated dish. Stir flour, pepper, paprika and remaining salt into skillet; gradually stir in remaining milk and sugar. Cook, stirring, until bubbling and thickened. Spoon over meatballs; serve on wooden picks.

Yield: 48 cocktail-sized meatballs

Cucumber-Sour Cream Salad, 1961

1 package lime gelatin

3/4 cup boiling water

1/4 cup lemon juice

1 teaspoon onion juice

1 cup sour cream

1 cup chopped, unpared cucumber

Greens, for serving

Cucumber slices, for garnish (optional)

Dissolve gelatin in boiling water. Stir in lemon and onion juices; chill until slightly thickened. Stir in sour cream and cucumber. Spoon into 6 individual molds or a 1-quart mold; chill until firm. Unmold on crisp greens; garnish with cucumber slices, if desired.

Yield: 6 servings

Chicken Salad in a Melon Ring, 1963

For the melon ring:

2 packages raspberry gelatin

2 cups boiling water

1 tablespoon lemon juice

2 (10-ounce) packages frozen raspberries, thawed

1 cup watermelon or cantaloupe balls

For the chicken salad:

3 cups diced cooked chicken

1 cup minced celery

2 hard-cooked eggs, chopped

1 teaspoon lemon juice

Salt and pepper

1/4 cup heavy cream

1/2 cup mayonnaise

Curly endive, for garnish

Make the melon ring: Dissolve raspberry gelatin in boiling water. Stir in lemon juice. Cool to warm temperature then stir in thawed raspberries with juice. Chill until slightly thickened; fold in melon balls. Pour into 5-cup ring mold or individual molds. Chill until set.

Make the chicken salad: Toss chicken with celery and egg. Season with lemon juice, salt and pepper. Whip cream; fold into mayonnaise. Blend with chicken mixture. Chill.

Assemble: At serving time, unmold gelatin ring; fill center with chicken salad. Or, arrange on individual plates. Garnish with curly endive.

Yield: 8 servings

Pineapple Punch, 1965

2 (46-ounce) cans pineapple juice, chilled

1 (6-ounce) can frozen orange juice concentrate

1 (6-ounce) can frozen lemonade concentrate

5 cups water

Ice block

1 cup strong tea (optional)

2 tall (2-liter) bottles ginger ale

Orange and pineapple slices, for garnish (optional)

At serving time, pour pineapple juice and frozen juice concentrates diluted with 5 cups of water over ice block in a punch bowl. Stir in tea, if using. Add ginger ale. Garnish with orange and pineapple slices, if desired.

Note: Dorothy Dean didn’t include alcohol in her recipe, but Don Draper would probably want dark, light or coconut rum in his punch. Adjust ginger ale to taste or substitute club soda.

Yield: About 50 amber-colored punch-cup servings.