The Vermont-born-and-bred Ken Cosgrove is a vice president for Accounts at Sterling Cooper—the business side of the agency—but he has creative and literary ambitions. He becomes the toast of the office when his short story, “Tapping a Maple on a Cold Vermont Morning,” is published in Atlantic Monthly, and Ken learns during an elevator conversation that Salvatore Romano, Sterling Cooper’s artistic director, really loved the story. “It was beautiful,” says Sal, “and sad.” When Ken, looking for critical feedback, asks Sal to read another story he’s written, “The Gold Violin,” he tells Sal, “I don’t want you to pull any punches; unless you hate it. In which case, don’t tell me. I‘m kind of fragile.”
Sal tells Ken he’s honored and invites him to dinner that Sunday at the small but finely decorated apartment he shares with his wife Kitty. He’ll have read the story by then, Sal promises.
When Ken arrives, a little late (after all, “he’s a bachelor,” Sal tells Kitty), he’s holding a huge bouquet of flowers.
“Kitty,” he says, “you could smell heaven in the street,” referring to the rich marinara simmering on the stove. “I’d like to take credit,” she replies, “but it’s all the maestro.” Sal asks Ken to sample his work, much as Ken has asked Sal to sample his: “Come, come,” says Sal, “taste the sauce. Now tell me what you think. Be honest. I’m fragile.” Sal holds up a wooden sauce spoon so Ken can taste his creation. “Better than a restaurant,” he declares.
Most viewers will have already detected the debonair Sal’s repressed homosexuality, and we are given plenty of evidence here that Sal’s passions are simmering like his marinara. We can see it in the way he gazes coyly at Ken throughout dinner, the manner in which he lights Ken’s cigarette, and in the way he pockets the cigarette lighter Ken leaves behind after heading back to the city. The dinner conversation, which has focused on Sterling Cooper, has left Kitty feeling ignored and sidelined, and she lets Sal know it. But it’s Sal’s subtle infatuation with Ken that’s really gotten under Kitty’s skin; she’s only just beginning to come to the realization that her husband is attracted to men.
Sal’s Spaghetti and Meatballs with Marinara Sauce comes from Leone’s Italian Cookbook by Gene Leone (1967), the son of the famed Mama Leone of the eponymous New York City restaurant. (Former president Dwight D. Eisenhower penned the book’s foreword.) Gene Leone credits Enrico Caruso as “the man most responsible for getting Mother to open her little Italian restaurant. ‘Un piccolo posticino,’ as he called it.” Mama Leone’s sat a mere twenty diners when it opened in 1906. Eventually, Mama Leone’s would seat a breathtaking 1,500, and Gene grew “accustomed to cooking for from four thousand to six thousand people every day.” Guests at Mama Leone’s included Eleanor Roosevelt, Harry Truman, Marlene Dietrich, Rudy Vallee, Rocky Marciano, and one Dr. Aldrich. This last name belongs to Betty Draper’s obstetrician, who was unavailable when she went into labor with her third child because he was celebrating his anniversary in the city at Mama Leone’s (season 3, episode 5; “The Fog”).
ADAPTED FROM LEONE’S ITALIAN COOKBOOK BY GENE LEONE (HARPER & ROW 1967)
NOTE: You may use all ground beef, or combine 1 pound of beef, ½ pound of veal, and ½ ground pork. If using this combination, grind together so the mixture is well blended.
1 slice bread
Milk (about 1⁄8 cup), for soaking bread
2 pounds ground beef (see note above)
2 eggs, beaten
8 fresh parsley sprigs, leaves only, chopped fine
12 chive leaves, chopped fine
1 tablespoon butter, softened and cut into small pieces
6 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese, divided
1 teaspoon salt
Pinch of freshly ground pepper
1⁄4 cup olive oil
1 large onion, peeled and diced
1 small garlic clove, chopped finely
2 cups Marinara Sauce (see recipe opposite)
11⁄2–2 pounds spaghetti, prepared according to package directions
YIELD: 6 SERVINGS
8 large garlic cloves, mashed
16 fresh parsley sprigs, leaves only
6 tablespoons olive oil
4 tablespoons butter
1⁄2 teaspoon salt, or more to taste
1⁄2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
6 cups (3 pounds) canned diced tomatoes
1 tablespoon dried oregano
6 anchovy filets
2 heaping tablespoons tomato paste
YIELD: 5 CUPS