Mad Men is probably going to win another Emmy this weekend for best drama, and the show has done its part to inspire newfound nostalgia for 60s fashion, furniture, and cocktails. Thermidor (8 Mint Plaza), the new restaurant from the Spork guys (Neil Jorgenson and chef Bruce Binn), aims to bring a mod, mid-sixties aesthetic both to their dishes and their cocktails. Cocktail consultant Brooke Arthur created a list of modified classics, like a Harvey Wallbanger topped with champagne, and a martini riff called the Gentleman Caller.
But we like the simple, refreshing Mai Tai served over crushed ice, which isn't so much a variation on the original as it is a return to the tried-and-true Tiki favorite's originally intended flavors. You won't find any pineapple juice or (god forbid) grenadine in this Mai Tai. This is the kind of tart-sweet, balanced thing that would make Don the Beachcomber proud.
Mai Tai
3/4 oz. Barbancourt 8-year-old rum
3/4 oz. Appleton rum
3/4 oz. fresh lime juice
1/2 oz. orange curacao
1/2 oz. orgeat
Shake with ice at least a dozen times. Pour into a tumbler, toss in spent lime rind, fill over the brim with crushed ice, and garnish with a mint sprig.