Most things that we eat or drink today have an origin, a history and an evolution. Just as with fashion, things come into and go out of style without so much as a warning. Then there are those things that enter quietly, take up residence and settle in. We might try to dress them up or make them fussy but inevitably, we go back to the original because it was already perfected the first time. A Bloody Mary is just such one of those things. Even though it was the second try that really cemented it into history, many bartenders would agree that this recipe is on par with what they would consider to be the “classic” style.
“CLASSIC BLOODY MARY” Chez Stacey Style
I make each glass to order so the ingredients are per drink. You can garnish this several ways and most people might favor pickled vegetables, but I find the crisp, pure quality of the raw vegetable to wonderfully balance the salty. I often use low sodium Knudsen vegetable juice in order to cut the sodium from 600-900 grams per serving down to 50 grams. Some would argue that this takes us away from the “classic” realm, but I say “live long and prosper” (thanks Spock), and the taste honestly doesn’t suffer.
INGREDIENTS
1 drink glass (approximately 8 oz.)
Ice to fill the glass
3 oz good-quality vodka (it really does make a difference; I typically use Kettle One)
1 long-pour Worcestershire sauce (approximately 1 TB)
1 tsp prepared horseradish sauce (I swear by Bubbies)
2 dashes celery salt
3-6 dashes Tobasco (depending on your preference of spice)
Fresh ground pepper to taste
Tomato (or veggie) juice, enough to fill the glass
1 lemon wedge
Garnish: 1 celery stalk, sliced carrot stick (or both), kosher salt
PREPARE
Fill each glass with ice.
Pour in the vodka. Rather than measure, I usually pour to a count of 1, 2, 3… (sometimes 4).
Add the rest of the ingredients except the garnish, ending with the tomato juice and then lemon (which should be squeezed and dropped into the glass).
Pour the contents of the glass (1 glass at a time) into a martini shaker, shake well; Ka thunk, ka thunk, ka thunk, thunk, ka thunk (hold it high, hold it proud).
Wipe the rim of each glass with a lemon wedge and press it into a small plate of kosher salt.
Pour the Bloody Mary into the glass, repeat with all the other servings.
Garnish as you desire. I desire my garnish to be crisp, fresh and shaped like a carrot (as do Buddy and Ginger; celery is not to their liking).
Now it must be said, that while this Bloody Mary is a classic, it has had many variations and additions that also work well but make it another drink altogether, kind of like a grilled cheese sandwich. I love grilled cheese sandwiches dressed with a little mustard and truffle but a purist would require only regular bread, spread with a soft butter and layered with good quality cheese (as Tom insists on informing me, now that I have mentioned the truffle, yet again).
I think a Bloody Mary would partner well with a classic (or even not-so classic) grilled cheese. I recommend checking out Indira’s wealth of advice and ways for deviations from the classic grilled cheese sandwich, here. Or, if you are up for a twisted take, check out what Prudy has to say about the grilled cheese here.
In fact, this combination (classic, modified or twisted), would serve the partygoers well after a few hours of carrying on over at Angie’s Fiesta Friday, so I am taking this along. In fact, lucky us, Indira and Prudy wil be co/hosting along with our ever-present hostess, Angie. Indira brought her grilled cheese last week, but there will be plenty of wonderful food that you will want to add to your repertoire. When you wake up in the morning, you can pull out my ramblings about this classic Bloody Mary and whip yourself up a little “hair of the dog(s)”.
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eclecticoddsnsods said:
Not had a bloody Mary in years that beings back memories
Stacey Bender said:
You know what they say?…”There’s no time like the present”…shake one up.
eclecticoddsnsods said:
Hehe
indusinternationalkitchen said:
The only time I ever tried a bloody Mary before it wasn’t that great – it was made with ready made mix…uugh.! But your recipe looks great Stacey…will try it sometime! I am sure I will love the spicy kick.:)
Stacey Bender said:
Well then, you have never had a Bloody Mary. Scratch is the “only way to go”. I sometimes make my own juice too. Highly recommend. Cheers.
indusinternationalkitchen said:
OK this definitely needs a second try and this time I should try your authentic recipe! 🙂
Stacey Bender said:
You may just be surprised. Pretty healthy too (except for the vodka).
cookingwithauntjuju.com said:
Your recipe sounds delicious and spicy which is the way I like it! I use some of the mix and make tabasco-spiked ice cubes 🙂
Stacey Bender said:
Now that’s a clever idea; don’t mistakenly put them in your gin & tonic though.
cookingwithauntjuju.com said:
I combine 1 cup tomato juice with some lemon and lime juices and a little Tabasco to taste. The ice cubes are red so I doubt if I would ever put them in the wrong drink 🙂
Stacey Bender said:
Ah, good to know. This is very clever; thus the drink does not get diluted with the melting ice. Thanks for the tip.
cookingwithauntjuju.com said:
You are welcome – it makes enough for 1 tray of ice cubes 🙂
The Healthy Epicurean said:
I love spicy bloody mary – the spicier the better 😉
Stacey Bender said:
I like ’em spicy but do hit a limit. You are “Bossy” though so “spicy follows suit. Cheers to the weekend (clink).
simplyvegetarian777 said:
Just my kinda glass ;).
Stacey Bender said:
Ditto that.
illcookyouwash said:
Great classic recipe! I love the little additions to the instructions like the sound of the ice 🙂 Thanks for bringing something to FF that the rest of us can wash our meals down with!
ChgoJohn said:
Yes to the Worcestershire sauce; yes to the horseradish; and, yes to the Tobasco (go heavy). Yes, make mine a double, please.
Stacey Bender said:
Yes, yes, yes, a double it shall be, extra spicy. Cheers.
Amanda said:
Yum. Perfect for brunch!!
Stacey Bender said:
Hi Amanda – That’s what I say…thanks.
chefjulianna said:
Mmmm this looks like a great recipe for a Bloody Mary! Perfect for the upcoming bbq season!
Stacey Bender said:
Thanks. BBQ season, huh? (Must be above 10C, eh? – Sorry, that was Tom.) So, as in you would serve it with a thick ribeye? Or perhaps a slab of ribs? That does sound good come to think of it. I like mine for brunch, but notice that a lot of Canadians drink them at dinner. Do you put clam juice in yours (Bloody Caesar)? There is a place in Vancouver, BC, that makes great ones, nice spot on the water.
chefjulianna said:
We would have these on the deck before the BBQ. My husband is in charge of them and he makes them without the clam juice I think. Do you know the name of the place in Vanouver? Is it in the English Bay area? We have a lot of water in the VA area 🙂
Stacey Bender said:
Sounds perfect. The restaurant is called Provence Marinaside. It is in Yaletown. It is heavily garnished so drinks like an appetizer. Do you live in Vancouver?
Lois said:
This recipe was just too tempting. We had to fix them to enjoy while reading the Sunday newspaper today. We find that Louisiana Hot Sauce has a cleaner flavor and no aftertaste like Tabasco, however. The horseradish gives just the right punch and the reduced sodium makes it perfect. Cheers!
Stacey Bender said:
I thought maybe you would…
I know you prefer the other to Tabasco and I tried it but still prefer Tabasco (only in Bloody Mary though).
Patty Nguyen said:
I love that you kept the carrot tops on, Stacey! How refreshing!
Stacey Bender said:
Carrots are delicious in Bloody Mary especially when fresh enough to come with a top.
Butter, Basil and Breadcrumbs said:
What ChicagoJohn said… but I’d like a stick of pepperoni in mine too!! <3 This is beautiful..
Butter, Basil and Breadcrumbs said:
Shoot…and in my excitement I hit the post comment way too fast!! I wanted to say that it was the perfect drink to bring to Fiesta Friday…thank you so much for sharing this Stacey!! I haven’t had a bloody mary in years…and it’s high time I get back into the swing of things!! Awesome post!!
Stacey Bender said:
Thanks quick draw. You were an awesome co-host. Did you get some time to relax and just have fun?
Stacey Bender said:
Too funny, that is actually a novel idea. Leave it to you…
The Novice Gardener said:
I used to hate tomato juice until Bloody Mary came along…uhm…when I was…uhm…21, I swear. She showed me how good tomato juice could be. This makes my mouth water, seriously. Darn, no tomato juice in the house!
Stacey Bender said:
I wasn’t too keen on it either; seems that Bloody Mary is a good persuader. We already know you aren’t a jay walker so …sure, 21 it is.
Thanks Angie and hope you had fun in your garden this weekend.
Kaila511 said:
I must admit that I don’t know how most drinks are made (even though I’m 22), so I love to see posts about the classics too! This looks delicious. Thanks for bringing it to the fiesta 🙂
Stacey Bender said:
Well, classics are the best place to start. They never go out of style. My favorite drink is a plain ‘ol gin & tonic. Best way to make a good drink is to use good quality ingredients. So glad you stopped by.
Ngan R. said:
I love a nice, spicy Bloody Mary. It’s my go to for brunch, over mimosas, even when I don’t have a hangover. 🙂 Hope you’re having a good week, Stacey!