After the last of the partners has left the office on election eve in 1960, the staff of Sterling Cooper breaks out the booze as they watch the returns of the presidential race on television. It’s a pro-Nixon crowd, and the mood is celebratory. NBC’s computer projections show the odds of a Kennedy victory at twenty-two to one. Liquor appears from all corners of the office—vodka, whiskey, red wine—but the supply quickly dwindles so Ken Cosgrove, Harry Crane, and the others must try to figure out where to get more with the liquor stores closed.
“I have a bottle of absinthe in my office,” says Paul Kinsey, referring to the high-proof spirit that some believe, mistakenly, has dangerous psychoactive qualities.
Joan Holloway offers to open the supply closet, but warns it’s not going to be “the sack of Rome.”
“What do we have too much of?” asks Cosgrove.
“Rum, crème de menthe, and dog biscuits,” replies Joan.
Soon the water cooler is filled with the deep green crème de menthe, a sweet, mint-flavored alcoholic beverage.
We wanted to offer crème de menthe cocktails that would make the staff of Sterling Cooper swoon. After sampling many, we chose two. The first is a refreshing Jade from Playboy’s Host & Bar Book by Thomas Mario (1971) because it delivered on its promise of a cocktail that was minty “but not overpowering.” Although a Stinger, our second selection, is typically made with crème de menthe and brandy, Bacardi provided us with a version made with crème de menthe and rum, the two ingredients intended for human consumption Joan has on hand. Usually, a Stinger is made with white crème de menthe, but use green if you wish; they taste the same.
We’re not sure what else, if anything, the Sterling Cooper staff put in that water cooler, but the sweet concoction surely went a long way toward taking the bitterness out of Nixon’s defeat.
FROM PLAYBOY’S HOST & BAR BOOK BY THOMAS MARIO (PLAYBOY, 1971)
13⁄4 ounces golden rum
1⁄2 teaspoon green crème de menthe
1⁄2 teaspoon orange curaçao
11⁄2 teaspoons lime juice
1 teaspoon sugar
1 slice lime
YIELD: 1 DRINK