Bloody Mary
A spicy, tart vodka cocktail with tomato juice, citrus and a touch of hot sauce.
Ingredients
- Vodka45 ml
- Lemon juice, freshly squeezed15 ml
- Tomato juice, preferably fresh or high quality150 ml
- Icefill the glass
- Worcestershire sauce3 dashes
- Tabasco, or another hot sauce to taste3 dashes
- Horseradish1 tsp
- Celery salt1 pinch
- Black pepper, to taste1 pinch
- Celery, for garnish (optional)1 stick
- Lemon, for garnish (optional)1 wedge
Method
- Moisten the rim with a lemon or lime wedge and dip it in celery salt for a flavourful edge.
- Fill the glass three-quarters full with ice cubes.
- Briefly shake the vodka, tomato juice, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, hot sauce and celery salt with ice — not too vigorously, as tomato juice foams easily.
- Strain into the prepared glass over fresh ice and stir briefly.
- Garnish with a celery stick and a lemon or lime wedge.
About this drink
Bloody Mary reportedly emerged at Harry’s New York Bar in Paris in the 1920s, where bartender Fernand Petiot first mixed vodka with tomato juice for American expatriates. It has since evolved into a brunch classic, with every bartender offering a personal spice blend of Worcestershire sauce, hot sauce and horseradish. It is as much a ritual as a drink, best enjoyed slowly with a wide assortment of garnishes.
Questions and answers
Can you make a Bloody Mary without vodka?
Leave out the spirit for a Virgin Mary, or swap the vodka for tequila for a Bloody Maria with an earthy, agave-spiced edge. The tomato-juice mixture itself stays the same.
Can you prepare Bloody Mary mix for brunch?
It is actually an advantage: combine the tomato juice, lemon, Worcestershire sauce, horseradish and spices in advance, then leave it in the fridge for a couple of hours so the flavours can come together. Shake with ice and vodka just before serving.
