Classic Cocktails

 

While we were doing all of that football watching this past weekend, we were definitely enjoying Bloody Marys.  Do you guys like Bloodys?  J.D. didn't like them at all until I forced them on him at too many tailgates.  I LOVE Bloody Marys, especially this time of year when the weather's a bit cooler and they're especially perfect for a noon kick off like our game this past weekend.

Do you have a favorite homemade recipe you love?  If so, we'd love to hear.  I've experimented with a handful of homemade recipes without much luck - nothing tastes much better than our go to store bought mix Zing Zang.  I think I'm nixing the homemade idea, and instead deciding to doctor up the premade mix. 

The history of the Bloody Mary is a bit unclear - a bartender at New York's Club 21 in the 1930s claimed first making the drink, but so did the club regular and comedian George Jessel.  Fernand Petiot also claimed first making the drink in 1921 at the New York bar in the Ritz Carlton, Paris.  I love what Petiot said to the New Yorker Magazine in 1964 describing the drink - "I initiated the Bloody Mary of today," "Jessel said he created it, but it was really nothing but vodka and tomato juice when I took it over. I cover the bottom of the shaker with four large dashes of salt, two dashes of black pepper, two dashes of cayenne pepper, and a layer of Worcestershire sauce; I then add a dash of lemon juice and some cracked ice, put in two ounces of vodka and two ounces of thick tomato juice, shake, strain, and pour."

I love the sound of this method!  I think Zing Zang + Petiot's shaken method is going to by my new go to.  I think mixing the drink in the shaker is key, plus lots of good toppings.  A wedge of lime and pickled okra are my favorites.  Heath loves a dash of hot sauce and splash of beer.  Any other toppings we should add to our list?  I'd love to create a delish Bloody Mary bar at a tailgate sometime!

~Mary Keller

history and Petiot quote via Wikipedia;  image via liquor.com