How the Women of Mad Men Really Feel About Cooking

Ok, so my obsession with Mad Men has been exposed.  With only one episode left after tonight, I am as wrought as the cast as to whether there will be another season.  Maybe what is so compelling to me is that they're not afraid to show you that nobody's perfect in the series.  All of them have faults, just like we all do- some are just worse than others.  It makes the series more real and believable with a little history and nostalgia to help underpin the story line.  From a cooking perspective, it didn't take me long to ascertain the cooking skills of the Mad Men divas. Beyond obsession? Maybe. However, there are some take aways here.  First, let's look at each of them:



Betty's Around the World Dinner



Betty Draper has a classic style, yet opts to take the easy way out.  Doesn't want to ruin the manicure - What?? In all fairness, she probably had a mother who took care of all the meal preparation which is why she never developed an interest.  However, she did show come creativity when she prepared the Around the World dinner to help Don with the Heineken ad campaign.  Ok, I'll give her that.  Season 5 introduced junk food (who remembers Bugels?) and packaged food.  Boxed stuffing for Thanksgiving?! Really?? These helped busy moms but did not enhance creativity and was not the most healthy choice.  Hence, the introduction of Weight Watchers as a response to January's post-partum weight gain.  Again, not much creativity here.

Meghan Draper being French, was exposed to more cultural food and imparts her taste into her new marriage.  Prior to marrying Meghan, Don had to go to Sardi's if he wanted anything exotic.  Beef Borginogne can certainly turn a man's head (I know)! She also pays more attention to make meals and events special and doesn't mind going out of her way which seems to be a nice change of pace for Don.  This is even more interesting, given the fact that she manages to pull it off despite a full time job which doesn't give her much satisfaction.  She's proven her creativity in developing ad campaigns, and now she's proving her creativity in the kitchen.

Trudy Campbell always seems to manage putting an interesting meal on the table for her up and coming husband, Pete.  Too bad he's too consumed with clawing his way to the top that he could care less. Whether it was inbred in her from her well-to-do family or whether she learned it herself, is anybody's guess.  Either way, she is the epitome of prim and proper and it shows in all that she says and does- particularly those ladies' lunches.  Now a stay at home mom living in the country, she has the time and inclination to plan and prepare the perfect dinner party for Pete's co-workers, Don and Kenny and their wives.  Many women in that situation would crack under the pressure, but Trudy carried herself with style and grace through it all- too bad Pete doesn't appreciate it.

Then there's:


Joan's Crown Roas Dinner

 Joan Harris very elegant and exhibited the same as she prepared a crown roast dinner for her then fiance and their friends.  Unfortunately, she is overly occupied with her job, Roger, her failing marriage and the new baby for any of that now.

Midge's funky style was kitchy and whimsical- A spontaneous woman, she had the ability to come up with as many hits as she did misses in the kitchen.  With never a shortage of drinks and drugs, who cared?

Peggy Olsen is too busy getting ahead at work by trying to prove that she's one of the guys that the mere thought of cooking never even crosses her mind. Her mother taught her how to cook and it showed when she flubbed the Cool Whip rehearsal. I feel sorry for whomever she may someday marry.

What I've Learned from the Divas of Mad Men

• Keep it simple, yet elegant
• Don't sweat the small stuff
• Be flexible because you never know when someone will show up unexpectedly
• Don't be afraid to be adventurous and try new things
• Have plenty of drinks on hand
• Always look your best, because if the meal fails, at least you'll look good and they won't notice