I am a self proclaimed Bloody Mary connoisseur. It is my go to drink when we go out, always. I tend to just drink wine at home. It's too expensive out, and we have much better wine at home anyway. Occasionally I will go for a Margarita, but only if I know that it will be made from scratch, which is rare. I used to be a waitress and a bartender and I am fully aware that most margaritas, at most bars and restaurants, have them pre-made on a "gun". No thank you. Back to my Bloody Mary addiction. Many bars use a bottle mix for Bloody Mary's, which doesn't bother me as much as the gun margarita, but I prefer one that is made from scratch. I love tomatoes. I could eat them every day - I actually do in the summer when we can get them fresh off the vine. Here in MN a tomato in the winter doesn't even resemble a real one.
I have found the perfect Bloody Mary recipe in our bon appetit subscription a few years ago. It is light and refreshing, it highlights the tomato and it has a kick to it. The ingredients list below is one for a group. I make it for myself most of the time and when I do that I adjust the ingredients to something like this: 1 small can of tomato juice, an ounce or so of vodka, a half a lemon and lime, a couple of dashes of balsamic vinegar, a sprinkle of curry powder and a dash of salt and pepper. (Sorry, it's not very scientific, just make it how you want!)
The vodka discussion. A lot of folks don't think it matters what vodka you put in a Bloody Mary because you can't taste it anyway. I disagree. Actually, it can make or break a good Bloody. Cheap vodkas have a cringe worthy effect to them. A good vodka is smooth and it heightens the flavor of the bloody. I also am a firm believer in the fact that cheap vodka = headache. I don't use my top of line vodka, I use that to make martini's, which in my case is Grey Goose - love that stuff. Typically I lean towards Absolute or Smirnoff. Either one fits the bill.
Finally, to have the ultimate Bloody Mary experience you must have a beer back, or sometimes called a snit. I have heard that in other parts of the country it's not typical. I find it's a must. It clears the palate after a sip of Bloody Mary. In my opinion it should be a good craft beer. I like many, but my new favorite is a local one that Daryl got me started on. It's called Surly Furious a beautiful hoppy IPA. Check out their website. I could write an entire entry just on the beer.
Yield: 8
10 cups tomato juice
1 2/3 cup vodka
1/2 cup lemon juice
1/2 lime juice
1/4 balsamic vinegar
2 Tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons
2 teaspoons sea salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
Crushed ice
Celery sticks
I use a citrus juicer for the lemons and limes. It makes the job a lot less tedious. Combine first 6 ingredients in a large pitcher. Whisk 2 teaspoons salt and pepper. Cover and chill and whisk before serving.
Fill glasses with ice and pour mix over. Garnish with celery stick.
I have found the perfect Bloody Mary recipe in our bon appetit subscription a few years ago. It is light and refreshing, it highlights the tomato and it has a kick to it. The ingredients list below is one for a group. I make it for myself most of the time and when I do that I adjust the ingredients to something like this: 1 small can of tomato juice, an ounce or so of vodka, a half a lemon and lime, a couple of dashes of balsamic vinegar, a sprinkle of curry powder and a dash of salt and pepper. (Sorry, it's not very scientific, just make it how you want!)
The vodka discussion. A lot of folks don't think it matters what vodka you put in a Bloody Mary because you can't taste it anyway. I disagree. Actually, it can make or break a good Bloody. Cheap vodkas have a cringe worthy effect to them. A good vodka is smooth and it heightens the flavor of the bloody. I also am a firm believer in the fact that cheap vodka = headache. I don't use my top of line vodka, I use that to make martini's, which in my case is Grey Goose - love that stuff. Typically I lean towards Absolute or Smirnoff. Either one fits the bill.
Finally, to have the ultimate Bloody Mary experience you must have a beer back, or sometimes called a snit. I have heard that in other parts of the country it's not typical. I find it's a must. It clears the palate after a sip of Bloody Mary. In my opinion it should be a good craft beer. I like many, but my new favorite is a local one that Daryl got me started on. It's called Surly Furious a beautiful hoppy IPA. Check out their website. I could write an entire entry just on the beer.
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| Not just for a Bloody Mary! |
Yield: 8
10 cups tomato juice
1 2/3 cup vodka
1/2 cup lemon juice
1/2 lime juice
1/4 balsamic vinegar
2 Tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons
2 teaspoons sea salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
Crushed ice
Celery sticks
I use a citrus juicer for the lemons and limes. It makes the job a lot less tedious. Combine first 6 ingredients in a large pitcher. Whisk 2 teaspoons salt and pepper. Cover and chill and whisk before serving.
Fill glasses with ice and pour mix over. Garnish with celery stick.
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| The ingredients are ready to go! |
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