"There is an enduring appeal to the images of the Twenties, added to by Boardwalk Empire, of this boozy, frolicking sexual awakening that has value right now," says Bryant Simon, a professor of history at Temple University.
Who isn't ready to mix a strong drink, don some fringe, turn up the jazz, and flirt? "There is something about the formality, illicitness, and exclusiveness that are popular," says Simon.
In other words: It represents glamour and wanton fun, two things easily channeled into any New Year's soiree.
With local bartenders perfecting classic cocktails, chefs creating Twenties era-inspired menus, and actual nearby haunts, like Knife & Fork, New York's 21 Club, and Delaware's Green Room at Hotel du Pont, inspiration is everywhere.
Set the table
Borgata executive chef Ron Ross hit the Atlantic City archives, poring over menus from hotels of the era, to create his "Nosh Like Nucky" menu, which runs at the hotel's Metropolitan restaurant on Sundays when the show is on. (Enoch "Nucky" Johnson is the real-life-inspired character that Steve Buscemi plays on the HBO show.)
"Transportation was not big, so a lot of the food came from nearby farms," Ross says. "The food then was pretty basic. In some cases, it makes you realize how overdone food is these days."
It may have been basic by our standards, but party menus were elegant and upscale. Ross found Frenched lamb chops to be a staple on most menus. The Waldorf salad, created at the famed Manhattan hotel, was an often-requested dish. Other French-leaning dishes such as cream of celery soup and chicken à la reine were popular.
