Cooking Lesson #454: Zippy Bloody Mary Mix

…from the California Happy Hour Bar

How you doin’? As the weather starts to warm up, we start to think about out outdoor brunches and barbecues. Nothing goes better with these home entertainment activities than a Blood Mary cocktail.
 
The creation of the Bloody Mary dates back to the 1920’s and is often credited to Fernand Petiot while a young bartender at Harry's New York Bar in Paris. However, it appears he simply spiced up an existing and well-established combination of vodka and tomato juice while working at the St. Regis Hotel, New York City during the 1940s.
 
The real secret to a great (not just good) Blood Mary is the mix… so much more than simple tomato or V-8 juice. It involves a mélange of ingredients that are complementary to each other as well as a great assortment of garnishes—you can never have too many toppers for a great Blood Mary.
 
What does a Blood Mary do for a hangover?  If you really want to feel better after a long night of drinking, maybe try a Virgin Mary on for size made with this mix. The non-booze ingredients of a Bloody Mary deliver up electrolytes, water, Vitamins A and C, and Vitamin B6, all of which might just help with a hangover.
 
Prep time:  15 minutes
Yield:  32-ounces
 
Ingredients 
1 tablespoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon fine grind black pepper
1/4 teaspoon celery salt
2 tablespoons sweet and sour mix
1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1/2 teaspoon Rose’s lime juice
2 tablespoons red Burgundy
2 dashes Tabasco sauce
1 to 2 teaspoons prepared horseradish (more, for a stiffer kick)
32 ounces tomato juice
 
Directions

1. Combine all the ingredients in a large pitcher and stir well.
2. Cover and store refrigerated until ready to use.

ChefSecret:  A bartender’s secret to a great Blood Mary is not only the Blood Mary Mix (see above), but the garnishes. You can simply garnish with a stalk of celery and a lime or lemon wedge, or you can go all and rim the glass with celery salt and load it up with cheese cubes, olives, peppers and even skewered shrimp (Shipwreck Mary, Lesson #73) and make a meal of it.

Quip of the Day: “Legend says that if you stand in front of the mirror in your bedroom at 3am and scream Bloody Mary then your spouse will appear, throw sandals at you and tell you to shut the hell up and go to sleep.”
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