Bloody Mary (cocktail)

A Bloody Mary with lots of vegetable garnishes.

Bloody Mary

IBA official cocktail
Type	Cocktail
Base spirit	Vodka
Served	On the rocks: poured over ice
Standard garnish	celery, salted glass, lemon wedge
Standard drinkware	Highball glass
IBA specified ingredients†	4.5cl (3 parts) Vodka 9cl (6 parts) Tomato juice 1.5cl (one part) Lemon juice
Preparation	Add dashes of Worchestershire Sauce, Tabasco , salt and pepper into highball glass, then add all ingredients with ice cubes. Stir gently, garnish and serve.
† Bloody Mary recipe at International Bartenders Association

A Bloody Mary is a cocktail containing vodka, tomato juice, and usually other spices or flavorings such as Worcestershire sauce, Tabasco sauce, beef consomme or bouillon, horseradish, celery or celery salt, salt, black pepper, cayenne pepper, and lemon juice.

History

The Bloody Mary's origins is somewhat disputed. One claim states that it was originally created by George Jessel around 1939. The New York Herald Tribune (December 2, 1939) printed what is believed to be the first reference to this drink, along with the original recipe: "George Jessel’s newest pick-me-up which is receiving attention from the town’s paragraphers is called a Bloody Mary: half tomato juice, half vodka."

Nearly 25 years later, Frenchman Fernand "Pete" Petiot claimed to have invented the drink while bartender at Harry's New York Bar in Paris, France in the 1920s. In The New Yorker (July 18, 1964), he said:

“I initiated the Bloody Mary of today,” he told us. “George 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. We serve a hundred to a hundred and fifty Bloody Marys a day here in the King Cole Room and in the other restaurants and the banquet rooms.”

After Prohibition ended in the United States, Petiot became a bartender at the King Cole Room in the St. Regis Hotel in New York City and purportedly introduced the drink to the United States.

A shrimp for garnishment

Onomastics

The epithet "Bloody Mary" is associated with a number of historical and fictional women, most notably Queen Mary I of England (see Bloody Mary (person) for others); however, there is no known connection between the name of the cocktail and any of these people.

The name likely refers to the blood-like colour of the cocktail.

Related products

In 1986, Absolut Vodka launched a flavored vodka, Absolut peppar, that can be used as a base for this drink.

Popular culture

• In South Pacific, the song Bloody Mary refers to the character Bloody Mary, a native trader.
• In the movie The Royal Tenenbaums, Richie Tenenbaum regularly drinks Bloody Marys.
• Mother Jefferson on the television show The Jeffersons regularly drank Bloody Marys.

Preparation and serving

Lots of garnishes

Bloody Marys, and the non-alcoholic Virgin Mary, are frequently served in the morning (as are Mimosas and Screwdrivers), although they are a popular drink later in the day as well.

While there is not much complexity in mixing vodka and tomato juice, more elaborate versions of the drink have become trademarks of the bartenders who make them. A common garnishment is a celery stick when served in a tall glass, often over ice.

Ingredients

• 2 parts vodka
• 3 parts tomato juice
• Ground salt and pepper
• 6 dashes of Worcestershire sauce
• 5 drops Tabasco
• 1 tsp. celery salt
• 1 tsp. horseradish
• Dash of lemon or lime juice
• Dash of orange juice
• May be shaken vigorously or stirred lazily, as desired
• Garnish with a celery stalk; a skewer of olives, pickles, carrots, mushrooms, or other vegetables; or even meat (salami, shrimp, etc.) and cheese (see photos).

Variations

Variations in alcohol

• Virgin Mary, Bloody Shame, or Bloody Virgin - without alcohol
• Red Hammer - In the Northeastern U.S. through the 1950s while vodka was scarce, gin instead of vodka was known as a Bloody Mary ; once vodka became readily available in those regions, the traditional vodka-based Bloody Mary was known as Red Hammer for a time
• Michelada - Mexican beer replacing vodka, usually flavored with a couple of dashes of Worcestershire sauce and Tabasco sauce
• Bloody Geisha - sake replacing vodka
• Bloody Maria - tequila replacing vodka
• Brown Mary or Whiskey Mary - whiskey replacing vodka
• Bloody Bishop - sherry in equal measure to vodka

Variations in mixers

• Bloody Bull - beef bouillon and tomato juice. The drink originated at Brennan's restaurant in New Orleans and is served at Commander's Palace as well as other Brennan Family Restaurants.
• Bull Shot - beef bouillon or beef consomme in place of tomato juice. It may also contain salt, pepper, lemon juice, Tabasco sauce and Worcestershire sauce.
• Caesar, Bloody Caesar, or Clammy Mary - Clamato replacing tomato juice, popular in Canada
• Bloody Eight or Eight Ball - V8 replacing tomato juice, or a mixture, usually equal parts

External links

• Variations of Bloody Mary Recipes
• Bloody Mary at DrinkMixer
• Good Cocktails - Bloody Mary