Measures
Sprinkle of plain salt or celery salt
1 lemon wedge
1 lime wedge
2 fluid oz or 50ml of vodka
4 fluid oz or 100ml of tomato juice
2 teaspoons prepared horseradish
2 dashes Tabasco sauce
2 dashes of original Worcestershire sauce
1 pinch ground black pepper
1 pinch smoked paprika
Garnishes
Parsley sprigs
Green olives
Lime wedge
Cocktail tomato
Celery stalk
Glasses
Highball Glasses
Mason Jars
Pint Glass
How to Prepare a Bloody Mary Cocktail
It’s tempting to overcomplicate a Bloody Mary cocktail when the rule is to keep it simple. A basic but great formula is to use fresh tomato juice, vodka, 2 dashes Lea & Perrins Worcestershire sauce, a pinch of aromatic ground black pepper and a sprinkle of salt or celery salt. Stir until ice cold, strain and serve in a highball or pint glass with ice cubes. A more complicated version coats the rim of the glass first with lemon juice which is then rolled in celery salt. Squeeze lemon and lime wedges into a shaker before adding vodka, tomato juice, horseradish, Tabasco, Worcestershire sauce, black pepper and paprika. Shake moderately and strain into the glass. Garnish with a parsley sprig, two speared green olives and a cocktail tomato, a wedge of lime and, occasionally, a celery stalk.
The Bloody Mary Cocktail Story
A French bartender Fernand Petiot claimed to have invented the Bloody Mary in 1921, well before any of the later claims, according to his granddaughter. He was working at the New York Bar in Paris at the time, which later became Harry’s New York Bar, a frequent Paris hangout for Ernest Hemingway and other American expats.
The original cocktail is said to have been created on the spur of the moment, according to the bar’s own traditions, consisting only of vodka and tomato juice. This cocktail was originally referred to as a “Bucket of Blood”. Salt pepper and Worcestershire sauce were soon being added to the cocktail which was sometimes called a Red Hammer.
The drink is said to have got its name from a waitress call Mary who worked at the ‘Bucket of Blood’ bar and her drinks became known as Bloody Marys which tied in nicely with the Queen of Britain with the same name. Its reputation as a restorative beverage contributed to the popularity of the Bloody Mary as a morning and early afternoon hangover cure.
