A little hair of the dog...

After a night out on the town, I’m typically a little worse for wear the next day (oops, did I say that?).  Some people take Tylenol, some people eat greasy food, but I solve my hangover problem with a deliciously prepared Bloody Mary. Sunday brunch tends to be a tradition in my group of friends and so I’ve had the luxury of sampling a wide variety of Bloody Mary creations (mixes, garnishes, spices, etc).  In the end, I’ve discovered that everyone likes their Bloody their own way and that my homemade version is the best!

There are some basics that are universal to the drink, but beyond those, it’s a season-to-taste free-for-all.  Here’s my top-secret advice:

Take a decent vodka (if it’s not very good, run it through a Brita filter).  Fill up a tall or short glass (personally I’ve been enjoying it in a low ball glass) with ice cubes and pour a quarter to a third of the ice-filled glass with vodka (depending on the previous night). It’s important to know that the more ice cubes in the glass the better. They are essential for diluting the tomato juice to the perfect liquid consistency. 

Start with a tomato base.  Personally, I like Mrs. T’s spicy Bloody Mix to get me started (just the right amount of base spice and kick), but V8 or plain old Tomato Juice works just as well. I add a healthy dab of horseradish (I use hot kosher horseradish with grated horseradish roots) and stir. You want those white chucks evenly dispersed. Move on to a teaspoon of Worcestershire sauce to contribute a vinegary sweet bite that smoothes out the taste.  After that, incrementally add up to a teaspoon of Habanero Sauce or Tabasco sauce (but be careful) it will add the kick that’ll inject the Bloody taste deep into the nether regions of your brain.

Third, is the texture portion of the Bloody.  This is where people season their Bloody with various amounts of ground pepper, Old Bay, and celery salt.  My super secret ingredient is the Angostura Bloody Mary Seasoning made of salt, vinegar, onion, garlic, red pepper flavor, celery flavoring, and lemon flavor. I promise you, it is a great investment and takes the Bloody experience to a whole new level.
 

The only way to achieve this to perfection is using the the time-honored process of stirring and test-tasting after each bold addition of flavor.  Everyone has different comfort levels with spice – personally, I like to crank it up a notch or two.

Finally, you can’t have a Bloody without green olives and a pickle.  They are essential! Large green olives are the best and at least three or four to garnish will guarantee your Bloody experience is the divine reprieve you desire (and deserve!). Enjoy!