It’s December, and preparations for Christmas and New Year are in full swing. The season of parties and corporate events has begun. And it’s important to be prepared not only for the celebration itself, but also for its possible consequences.
The Bloody Mary is traditionally considered a hangover cure. That’s probably why it’s such a popular brunch cocktail in America. And getting rid of the after-effects of a wild New Year’s Eve is absolutely essential. It’s no coincidence that World Bloody Mary Day falls on January 1st. The main thing is not to get carried away and turn a hangover cure into a new drinking binge.
The cocktail appeared on the bar scene in the 1920s, and—as often happens—several people claim to be its creator.
The main contender is the comedian George Jessel. In his biography, he claimed that he invented the cocktail in 1927 in Palm Beach while looking for a hangover remedy. After celebrating a softball tournament victory, he spent the whole night at La Maze’s bar drinking champagne. In the morning, he realized he had another meeting in just a couple of hours and needed to cure his headache quickly. Bartender Charles found a dusty bottle of some unfamiliar liquid under the counter—vodka, which at that time was not yet widely known in America—and suggested trying it. Jessel took the risk, asked for tomato juice to mask the smell, added lemon juice and Tabasco, and admired the “healing” result. The cocktail immediately appeared on La Maze’s menu. And vodka finally found its use.
Another contender is the French bartender Fernand Petiot, who made two somewhat contradictory claims. According to the first, he created the cocktail much earlier than Jessel, in 1921, while working at a New York bar in Paris. However, there is no confirmation of this claim, unlike the second one. After moving from Europe to New York, he worked at the King Cole Room in the St. Regis Hotel. In 1934, he tried Jessel’s vodka-and-tomato-juice mix and upgraded it by adding salt, black and cayenne pepper, lemon juice, and Worcestershire sauce—giving the cocktail the modern taste we know today.
The exact composition of a Bloody Mary is quite flexible and depends on the bartender’s—or the drinker’s—personal taste.
The classic IBA recipe includes lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, Tabasco, black pepper, and celery salt.
However, anyone can add whatever they like. The main rule is to use only high-quality ingredients, especially the vodka and the tomato juice. Neither vodka nor tomato juice masks the flavor of the other, so choose components whose taste you genuinely enjoy on their own.
The garnish offers even more room for creativity than the drink itself. Since the 1950s, the traditional accompaniment has been a celery stalk. According to the classic IBA recipe, the garnish should be a celery stalk and a lemon wedge. Very often you’ll also see pickles and olives, and sometimes cheese cubes, bacon, sausages, shrimp—anything, really, depending on imagination and what’s available in the kitchen. In some cases, you can practically get an entire lunch served with your cocktail. Very convenient.
Serving the cocktail with or without ice is entirely up to you. If you choose to use ice, pick large, good-quality cubes (not store-bought bagged ice). They melt slowly, won’t dilute the drink, and won’t spoil the flavor.
In Russia and Poland, a two-layered Bloody Mary is common: vodka is carefully layered on top of the tomato juice. You drink the vodka first, and then the “snack” that follows.
Who actually named the cocktail—and why—remains unclear, apart from the obvious observation that it looks “bloody.”
The most popular theory is that it was named after Queen Mary I of England, known as “Bloody Mary” for her attempt to restore the Catholic Church in England. This explanation is usually attributed to Fernand Petiot. Another story claims he named the cocktail after a waitress named Mary who worked at a bar called the Bucket of Blood. Jessel, however, said he named the drink after Mary Warburton, who was present at the cocktail’s “birth” and spilled some on her white evening dress.
There is also a theory that no Mary was involved at all, and “Bloody Mary” simply came from a mispronunciation of the name Vladimir—referring to Vladimir Smirnov of the Smirnoff vodka family.
Over the decades, countless variations of the Bloody Mary have appeared.
Asian Mary – with wasabi, ginger, and soy souse
Bloody Bull – with beef bouillon
Bull Shot – in this case, beef bouillon completely replaces tomato juice
Bloody Caesar – with Clamato Juice (tomato juice with clam’s bouillon) – the Canadian answer to Bloody Mary.
Bloody Joseph – with Scotch whiskey
Bloody Maria – with Tequila
Bloody Maru – with Sake
Cubanita – with rum
Red Snapper – with gin
And also
Bloody Shame aka Virgin Maria –without alcohol.
I’m sure I’ve missed a few, but the point is clear: you have plenty of options for the first day of the New Year.
And classic IBA recipe.
Ingredients:
-1 1/2 oz/45 ml Vodka
-3 oz/90 ml Tomato Juice
-1/2 oz/15 ml Fresh Lemon Juice
-2-3 dashes of Worcestershire Sauce
-Tabasco, Celery Salt, Black Pepper up to taste
Process:
Stir gently all the ingredients in a mixing glass with ice, and pour into the glass.
Garnish – Celery stalk and Lemon wedge.
Drinkware:
Rock glass or Highball glass if served with ice.
Perfect New Year for everyone!
Visit my online store for a unique poster featuring this cocktail, along with many other beautiful cocktails and other wine-related subjects.
It’s the perfect way to add a touch of sophistication to your kitchen or bar. Click here to shop now!
