A Bloody Mary (or Caesar if your Canadian) is the ultimate brunch cocktail – along with Eggs Benedict it’s the perfect addition to any Sunday morning.
When I was in graduate school in New Jersey there was would be called now a “dive bar” that served the perfect lunch… greasy hamburgers and the best Bloody Mary… it was heaven. I never got the Bloody Mary recipe but I’ve tried for about 40 years to recreate it and finally think I got pretty close.
Most sources point to Harry’s New York Bar in Paris, where bartender Fernand Petiot reportedly originated this tomato cocktail. The name is also associated with a number of historical figures – particularly Queen Mary I of England. Some drink aficionados believe the inspiration for the name was Hollywood star Mary Pickford. Others trace the name to a waitress named Mary who worked at a Chicago bar called the Bucket of Blood.
There are a number of variations on the original:
Bloody Beer – Beer is used in place of the vodka
Bloody Bull – Beef broth or bouillon is added to a basic Bloody Mary
Bloody Caesar – Clam juice is added to a basic Bloody Mary
Bloody Derby – Bourbon is used in place of the vodka
Bloody Eight – V8 juice is used in place of plain tomato juice
Bloody Maria – Tequila is used in place of the vodka
Bloody Molly – Guinness is used in place of the vodka
Bloody Ninja – Sake is used in place of the vodka
Bull Shot – Beef broth is used in place of tomato juice
Chelada – Mexican beer is used in place of the vodka
Red Snapper – Gin is used in place of the vodka
Whiskey Mary – Whiskey is used in place of the vodka
This is my Bloody Mary recipe:
- 2 ounces vodka (it doesn’t need to be an expensive brand)
- 1/2 cup (4 ounces) tomato juice, V8 or Clamato
- 1/2 teaspoon hot sauce (Frank’s Red Hot or Crystal are my preferences)
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce (Lee and Perrins is a good choice)
- 1/2 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked coarse kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon horseradish
- Old Bay seasoning
- Green onion, for garnish
- Lime or lemon wedges, for garnish
- Combine the vodka, tomato juice, hot sauce, Worchester sauce, lemon juice, salt, pepper and horseradish. Pour back and forth between two mixing glasses.
- Rim a highball or hurricane glass with Old Bay or coarse salt and fill with ice. Strain the cocktail into the glass.
- Garnish with a green onion and a lime wedge. (Pickled okra or asparagus are nice.)
- Other garnish suggestions: pickled jalapeños, pickled beans, pepperoni stick, smoked cheese wedges, black or green olives, cucumber wedges, grape tomatoes pearl onions.
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