Bloody Mary
I love a slow weekend morning that moves from leisurely coffee drinking to an early afternoon Bloody Mary. A brunch cocktail feels incredibly indulgent. An average rainy day can become almost celebratory. Like sure, you might not be thrilled about everything in life right now but this beverage is sure hitting the spot! My mom and I were playing around with homemade Bloody Mary recipes a few weekends ago and found a recipe from Kathy Casey that we enjoyed with a few adjustments. It’s hard to figure out the perfect balance of horseradish, tomato juice, worcestershire sauce, and seasonings. Our issue with store bought mixes is that they can often be too thick, too bland, or too salty. Don’t get me wrong, a premade mix will get the job done but if you’ve got the time, a homemade cocktail is worth the effort. Kathy Casey calls for balsamic vinegar in her recipe and I think that’s the secret to balancing the spice of the horseradish. Depending on how spicy you like your Bloody Mary, the recipe is also really good with a chile vodka. As for garnishments, the choice is yours! Cheers to making the weekend special!
Bloody Mary Mix (Serves 4) adapted from Kathy Casey
Ingredients:
17 ounces tomato juice
1 TBS freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 TBS worcestershire sauce
1 1/2 TBS balsamic vinegar
1 tsp prepared horseradish
1 tsp hot sauce, like tabasco
1/2 teaspoon celery salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Method:
In a glass pitcher, mix ingredients and stir well. Cover and refrigerate.
To make individual cocktails:
2 oz vodka
Bloody Mary Mix
Garnishments such as stuffed olives, pickled vegetables like asparagus or green beans, celery stick, skewered cherry tomatoes, and a lime or lemon wedge.
Method:
If a salted rim is desired, prepare rocks glass by rubbing the rim of the glass with a lime or lemon wedge. Dip the glass in kosher salt or a mixture of black pepper and celery salt.
For each cocktail, fill rocks glass with ice. Add 2 oz vodka. Fill the glass with the Bloody Mary mix and stir. Garnish as desired. I enjoy a few skewered olives or pickled asparagus.
