January 1 is National Bloody Mary Day and that's no accident. New Year's Day, largely seen as a celebration of fresh beginnings, is also very much about recovering from New Year's Eve and, rightly or wrongly, a Bloody Mary is universally regarded as a hangover cure.
Megan Hook agrees, with qualifications. Hook is a second-generation barkeep at Louisville's Outlook Inn and knows a lot about drunks, hangovers and Bloody Marys.
"I think any kind of alcohol helps with hangovers," Hook said, laughing, "but yes, they will. Especially ours."
The Outlook Inn's Bloody Mary has been a Louisville institution since the tavern opened its doors in 1974. Owners Ralph and Linda Bridgers, Hook's parents, introduced the drink on opening day and it has risen to legendary status. Ralph Bridges created the recipe and has never changed it, Hook said, which has endlessly pleased the bar's loyal clientele.
During the annual St. Patrick's Day Parade and Highlands Fest, bartenders can barely keep up with demand, said Hook, the bar's manager. And each Bloody Mary is made from scratch, with no premixing allowed.
"We probably make hundreds," she said. "We even got to the point where we raised the price a little just to deter orders because we're so busy, and people don't care. They're like, 'I'll take 10.' "
Louisville's Against the Grain is a past winner of best Bloody Mary at the Finlandia Bloody Mary contest, held during the Kentucky Derby Festival, and they do things a bit differently.
"One of the main problems that I have when I go out and order Bloody Marys is that I feel like you can't taste the alcohol in them," said Celeste Downey, who created the restaurant's Bloody Mary recipe, "and when you do, it doesn't really add a whole lot as far as flavor characteristics go."
Against the Grain macerates garden vegetables in Finlandia for up to four days. Major Peter's mix is used as a base and it's augmented by a house sauce, the ingredients of which are never disclosed, which means you won't be able to replicate these at home.
"When people ask what's in it," Downey said, "I tell them what's in the mix but not the ratios."
Louisville health officials:New Year's parties could be 'super spread' events
Secrecy and no small amount of confusion is a hallmark of the Bloody Mary, which has several origin stories. The most widely accepted version has French bartender Fernand Petiot, who worked at Harry's New York Bar in Paris, inventing the Bloody Mary in 1921 and then bringing it with him to America, where he worked at New York's King Cole Bar. There, it's called a Red Snapper.
New York's Club 21 also claims ownership courtesy of comedian George Jessel, who decided to mix vodka and tomato juice. Petiot never denied Jessel's story but clarified that Jessel's drink had only two ingredients while his recipe, crucially, added salt, pepper, and Worcestershire sauce.
"You can overthink it," Hook said. "A lot of people mess up because they get too fancy."
If you're feeling a little rough, here are a few recipes that might work in your favor. Good luck, and drink some water.
Editor's note: This article originally appeared in 2016.
Outlook Inn Bloody Mary
Outlook's bartenders wing it a bit, but Hook generally uses two or three shakes of Worcestershire sauce, a few drops of Tabasco, and a couple of dashes of celery salt and pepper. Hook thinks the vodka plays such a minor role in the flavor profile that any reasonably good brand can be used.
- 1.5 oz of your favorite cheap vodka
- Worcestershire sauce
- Celery salt
- Black pepper
- Tabasco sauce
- Squeeze of lime juice
- V8 vegetable juice
- Peperoncino
Take a pint glass filled with ice and start with the vodka. Add seasonings. Top it off with the V8 and pour into a large shaker and go at it. Dump it all back into the glass and top with a peperoncino.
Against the Grain Bloody Mary
Remember, AtG keeps the ratios to themselves so if you want to make this, just consider whatever happens your personal spin.
Finlandia vodka infused with blistered bell peppers, jalapeño, smoked horseradish, peppercorn, coriander, cilantro, and lemon peel
Mix, made with Major Peters, puréed roasted red bell pepper, cayenne pepper, olive brine, Sriracha, house BBQ sauce, and smoked black pepper
Garnish with house pickles and pork belly bites. Shake well with ice, pour over ice.
You may like:Do New Year's resolutions work? How one woman went back to college after 20 years
Red Snapper, King Cole Bar, New York
Nothing fancy here, but the pedigree is certainly solid.
- 1 oz Belvedere vodka
- 2 oz tomato juice
- 1 dash lemon juice
- 2 dashes salt
- 2 dashes black pepper
- 2 dashes cayenne pepper
- 3 dashes Worcestershire sauce
Shake well, strain and serve in a tall glass with ice and a lemon wedge as garnish.
The Publican, Chicago
Esquire picked this as the magazine's favorite Bloody Mary – nay, perfect Bloody Mary – and it's a handful. It requires that you make the mix and let it marinate for one to four days, so this one is for the patient.
- 1 qt. tomato juice
- 1/4 inch horseradish, chopped
- 1/2 anchovy
- 1 tsp. Sriracha
- 1/2 tbsp. Chinese hot mustard
- 1 1/2 tsp. Worcestershire
- 1/2 lime, fresh squeezed
- 1/2 lemon, fresh squeezed
- 1 tbsp. vodka
- dash of black pepper
- dash of sea salt
- dash of celery seeds
Blend that mess until it's smooth, adjusting the heat and saltiness to taste, and marinate in the refrigerator for at least 24 hours, although three days is considered best. It's enough for around six servings. To make the drink, simply pour 2 ounces of vodka into a shaker with ice, add 6 to 8 ounces of mix, shake and pour contents into glass. Garnish as desired.
Source link
