Those mimosas that have appeared on weekend brunch tables for years? So yesterday.
It's the bloody mary that's taking over the morning party hours. And it couldn't be more fun — and tasty — what with all the variations of this longtime standard. Or with all the extras that garnish the glass.
No need to save it for the occasional restaurant splurge. (You know where this is headed, right?)
You can do this at home. Yep. Your kitchen can be party central.
Of course, you can serve a single variation of the classic drink, deck it out with some flashy accoutrements, and everyone will be happy.
Or you can let your guests have options to make the drink themselves — and garnish accordingly — and those same folks will be even happier.
There are no rules to making a good bloody mary, but there are elements for the home barkeeper to have on hand for a do-it-yourself gathering.
• The bloody mary mix. Homemade (see our recipes) or a commercial variety. Better yet, have several options. For a real treat, make fresh tomato juice at the height of summer, when tomatoes are at their prime, for the best ever bloody mary. As with all cooking, the better the ingredients, the better the final product.
• The garnishes. Many of us swoon over the multiple options of a buffet table. A display of garnishes for the bloody mary is no different. Offer a mix of flavors and shapes. Many traditional garnishes lean toward the pickled variety (olives, pickled green beans or asparagus), so balance them out with more savory or at least non-vinegary flavors (cheese, meat, red or yellow bell peppers, shrimp).
And, of course, there are the extreme garnishes, should you be inspired: waffles, hard-cooked eggs, fried chicken and even sliders.
As for those meat sticks on the market, consider using good quality cured meat and cutting them into shapes for the skewers. Your guests will thank you.
• Skewers. The garnishes need to go somewhere! Wooden skewers, long and short, are available in most supermarkets. The long ones make it easier to balance the garnishes in the glass, especially if there are a lot of them.
• Ice cubes. Must have. This is a drink that calls for ice.
• Salt and fresh lime juice. Guests can coat the top of their glasses with salt, as you would a margarita. Have fresh lime juice on a plate to dip the top of the glass. Have salt options on another plate. Go with kosher or sea salt, or create a flavored blend (half salt and half celery salt mixed together, or half salt and half chipotle chile powder, or other variations).
• Booze. Vodka is the standard, but bourbon, aquavit, mezcal and gin are among the ingredients found in variations of the drink. Flavored varieties of vodka suit this array of options for the make-your-own drinks.
That's it. Bring on the celery sticks.
A little background
The history of the bloody mary begins in the 1920s with Fernand Petiot at Harry's New York Bar in Paris, when it wasn't much more than vodka, tomato juice, salt and pepper.
He brought the recipe with him to New York after Prohibition, but it wasn't until the mid-1950s that the drink gained popularity in the U.S. By this time Worcestershire sauce, Tabasco and horseradish had been added to the mix, along with celery ribs and olives for garnishes.
Then there's the Midwestern aspect of the drink. The bloody mary is often served with a chaser of beer in Minnesota and Wisconsin, which has a variety of names, including snit and beer back. The reason for this addition is lost to history, although there is much wild speculation. But all agree, it's a Midwestern thing.
When Daniel del Prado, executive chef at Burch restaurant in Minneapolis, was in Oregon, a bloody mary with a snit of beer was called the Midwestern.
These days, it could be called a North.
Twitter: @StribTaste
CLASSIC BLOODY MARY
Makes about 6 cups.
Note: The classic and tomatillo bloody marys are the two most popular variations at Burch restaurant in Minneapolis, says executive chef Daniel del Prado. At the restaurant, the juice, ice and 1 1/2 ounces vodka are shaken before being added to a pint glass with a salty rim.
• 1 1/4 quarts (5 c.) tomato juice
• 2 tbsp. plus 2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
• 6 tbsp. dill pickle juice
• 2 garlic cloves
• 2 tbsp. Tabasco hot sauce
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/2 tsp. dill seeds
• 1/2 tsp. black pepper
• 1 1/2 tsp. freshly grated horseradish
• Celery salt
• Kosher salt
• Fresh lime juice
• Ice cubes
• Vodka (see Note)
Directions
Combine tomato juice, Worcestershire, pickle juice, garlic, Tabasco, 1 teaspoon salt, dill seeds, pepper and horseradish in a blender and process until smooth.
For a salty rim on the glass: Combine 1 part celery salt to 1 part kosher salt, and place on a plate. Pour lime juice on another plate. Dip top of glass first in lime juice and then in the celery salt mixture. Add ice to the glass and carefully pour the bloody mary mix and vodka into the glass. Add a skewer of garnishes to the glass.
Nutrition information per 1½ cups, without alcohol or garnish:
Calories67Fat0 gSodium1,460 mg
Carbohydrates16 gSaturated fat0 gCalcium55 mg
Protein3 gCholesterol0 mgDietary fiber2 g
Diabetic exchanges per serving: 3 vegetable.
TOMATILLO BLOODY MARY
Makes about 6 cups.
Note: This is the most popular bloody mary at Burch. When servers walk through the restaurant with this vivid green drink, everyone wants one, says executive chef Daniel del Prado. At the restaurant, the juice, ice and 1 1/2 ounces vodka are shaken before being added to a pint glass with a salty rim.
• 6 tomatillos, husked and washed
• 4 medium green tomatoes (or substitute yellow tomatoes), cored
• 4 garlic cloves
• 2 English cucumbers, peeled
• 1/2 c. roughly chopped fresh cilantro (stems included)
• 1/2 c. roughly chopped Italian parsley (stems included)
• 2 serrano chiles, seeded and deveined
• 2 jalapeños, seeded and deveined
• 1/4 c. Worcestershire sauce
• 1/4 c. fresh lemon juice (1 lemon)
• 1/4 c. dill pickle juice
• 1 tbsp. salt
• Chipotle chile powder
• Kosher salt
• Fresh lime juice
• Ice cubes
• Cucumber-infused vodka
• Condiments of choice
Directions
Combine tomatillos, tomatoes, garlic, cucumbers, cilantro, parsley, chiles, jalapeños, Worcestershire, lemon juice, pickle juice and 1 tablespoon salt in a blender and process until smooth.
For a salty rim on the glass: Combine 1 part chipotle chile powder and 1 part kosher salt, and place on a plate. Pour lime juice on another plate. Dip top of glass first in lime juice and then in the chile-salt mixture. Add ice to the glass and carefully pour the bloody mary mix and vodka into the glass. Add a skewer of garnishes to the glass.
Nutrition information per 1½, without alcohol or garnish:
Calories95Fat1 gSodium2,080 mg
Carbohydrates21 gSaturated fat0 gCalcium84 mg
Protein4 gCholesterol0 mgDietary fiber5 g
Diabetic exchanges per serving: 3 vegetable, ½ other carb.
BLACK PEPPER BLOODY MARY
Serves 3.
Note: Anchovy fillets offer a layer of complexity to this drink. No need for any extra hot sauce. Use Tabasco and not another hot sauce, says Emeril Lagasse, who notes it's the vinegar notes in the Tabasco that the recipe needs. From "Essential Emeril."
• 2 oil-packed anchovy fillets
• 2 1/4 tsp. prepared horseradish
• 2 tbsp. minced celery
• 1 tbsp. chopped celery leaves
• 2 tbsp. plus 2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
• 2 1/4 tsp. Tabasco sauce (see Note)
• Juice from 1/2 lemon (about 2 tbsp.)
• 1 3/4 c. tomato juice
• 1 1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 tsp. celery salt
• 1/4 tsp. kosher salt
• Ice cubes
• 6 oz. (3/4 c.) vodka
• Pickled green beans, for serving
• 3 celery hearts, for serving
• 3 thin slices lemon, for serving
Directions
Add the anchovies, horseradish, celery and leaves, Worcestershire, Tabasco and lemon juice to a blender with enough tomato juice to cover the blade. Blend on high for 15 seconds. Add the remaining tomato juice and continue to blend 20 seconds longer. Stir in pepper, celery salt and kosher salt. This mix will keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.
Fill a cocktail shaker with ice; add vodka and bloody mary mix and shake well. Strain over fresh ice in 3 (10-oz.) glasses; serve with a pickled green bean, celery heart and lemon slice.
Nutrition information per serving:
Calories180Fat0 gSodium1,060 mg
Carbohydrates13 gSaturated fat0 gCalcium58 mg
Protein2 gCholesterol1 mgDietary fiber2 g
BLOODY MARY MIX
Makes about 6 cups.
Note: This is one of the offerings at Hell's Kitchen in Minneapolis at its 35-foot bloody mary bar. From "Damn Good Food," by Mitch Omer and Ann Bauer.
• 5 c. tomato juice
• 1/3 c. fresh lemon juice
• 5 tsp. lemon pepper
• 5 tsp. celery salt
• 5 tsp. Sweetened Ginger Purée (see recipe)
• 4 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
• 3 tsp. Tabasco sauce
• 2 tsp. horseradish
Directions
Mix all ingredients together in a large stainless steel, glass or ceramic bowl. Place in a container with a tightfitting lid. Will keep refrigerated for up to 1 week. Stir well before serving.
Nutrition information per 1½ cup, without alcohol or garnish:
Calories88Fat1 gSodium3,210 mg
Carbohydrates22 gSaturated fat0 gCalcium68 mg
Protein3 gCholesterol0 mgDietary fiber2 g
Diabetic exchanges per serving: 3 vegetable, ½ other carb.
SWEETENED GINGER PURÉE
Makes about 2 cups.
Note: From "Damn Good Food," by Mitch Omer and Ann Bauer.
• 2 c. grated fresh ginger
• 1 c. sugar
• Juice from 1 lemon
Directions
Place ginger, sugar and lemon juice in a small saucepan over medium heat. Heat until nearly all moisture has evaporated. Remove from heat and let cool to room temperature.
Place in a food processor fitted with a steel chopping blade, and purée until smooth, 3 to 5 seconds.
Put ginger purée in a stainless steel, glass or ceramic container with a tightfitting lid and refrigerate. Will keep for up to 1 month.