Bloody Mary

The Bloody Mary is an iconic cocktail with a name shrouded in mystery. Some say it honors Queen Mary I of England, others link it to actress Mary Pickford, or a bartender named Mary from Chicago’s Bucket of Blood Bar.

This cocktail changes ingredients like a chameleon changes colors, so I give little credence to any claim of creation. Instead, it’s re-invented every time it’s made.

The Search for a Great Bloody Mary

There are no two alike and a lifetime of exploration has failed to find more than a few palatable examples. The failures fall into three basic categories, Thin and watery, burning hot and those with one dimensional flavor.

A huge pour of vodka sounds appealing, but makes a thin, alcoholic cocktail. Bartenders compete to see who can make the hottest, fiery drink that quickly leads to burnout and a cry of “no mas”. Flavorless cocktails, with only tomato juice and vodka round out our list of losers.

Poorly conceived drinks like these turned me away from a cocktail I should enjoy, because I love spice and tomatoes. A great Bloody Mary requires balance, so you can enjoy the layered, mouth filling flavors of all the components.

What Makes My Mix Bloody Fabulous

We start with 100% tomato juice, then add V-8 for body and depth of flavor. We build on that with orange juice and grenadine you won’t consciously taste, but your mind will know is there. Next we add our secret Mexican ingredients. Salsa Inglesa and Jugo Sazonador seasoning sauce contribute umami flavor that take this mix to another level. Finally, we add the heat with black pepper, horseradish and hot sauces. I aim for the perfect heat, where you immediately recognize it, but it’s not overpowering. As it lingers in the aftertaste, it persuades you to take another sip.

The Vodka

I created this using Smithworks, because the corn mash yields a soft, smooth distilled spirit.  It’s tempered with clean, clear water from the Boston Mountains and bottled by my local friends at Pernod Ricard. I also used it to enter a Bloody Mary cocktail competition sponsored by Smithworks. You can buy far more expensive vodka, domestic and imported, but you couldn’t beat the value and taste.

Unfortunately due to a monumental failed marketing strategy, Pernod Ricard discontinued this vodka shortly after its introduction.

The Garnish and the Contest Results

When it comes to garnish, some enjoy a virtual salad bar and others prefer a more restrained approach. It’s a matter of personal taste. For the competition, most paid no attention to the taste of the cocktail, but created hilarious dog-piles of meats, cheeses and vegetables.

Contest rules forbid consideration of anyone associated in any way with Pernod Ricard. As the relative of an employee that meant me, so regardless how delicious my entry, I was disqualified. No regrets or complaint, I was simply testing the system.

I can’t help mentioning that this contest was so poorly adjudicated, several wonderful Bloody Mary entries were passed over in favor of one created with beer. For those of you that may not know, a tomato based spicy cocktail using beer is a Michelada.

Making Tim’s Bloody Mary

The Full length Tutorial

The Smithworks Vodka Contest Entry

This is big batch mixology, so recruit some friends and enjoy!

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