Is There Love In That Glass?

The Bloody Mary. This eye opener is no stranger to those who love brunch or who have enjoyed a night out, just a bit too much. Search Bloody Mary on the internet and Wikipedia gives an account of history and origins of the cocktail, in addition to many references to Chicago. Which leads me to the question … why do so many bartenders in Chicago make a terrible Bloody Mary? Answer: there’s no love in the glass!

So, what brought on the instant irritation of not making a classic cocktail in a proper fashion? Well it started with iced tea. Iced tea? Yes, iced tea!!! The hubby and I were enjoying one of our usual Mondays with coffee, tea, reading and writing at a coffee shop in our neighborhood. While waiting for the hubby’s coffee to be made I was handed my iced tea, with a few cubes of ice floating at the top and a slightly cool at best beverage. Enter annoyance here! Clearly the individual “making” and serving the tea is not in fact a tea drinker, this is obvious. Hello, iced tea should in fact be ICED! So, I dump out part of the tea and ask for more ice, which I receive in addition to this comment: ‘Oh, the tea was just made so it’s still hot’. Yes, I realize that, but why in fact did you wait until there was no tea, to make a new batch? In addition, how about using one of those fancy coolers with electricity and having the tea not be hot for the individuals who DON’T WANT HOT OR LUKE WARM TEA! Anyways, you get the point, no love for the iced tea.

Being somewhat annoyed I sit down with the new Bon Appétit magazine to help cool off and relax. Usually I have a few sections of the magazine that are my favorite, but with this being the restaurant issue I’m loving every bit of it this month. Super excited for Rob and Allison Levitt of Mado who are featured as one of the top ten best new restaurants in America, I make sure to read this section first. Then, as per usual I head to the ‘Starters’ drinks section. And there I see ‘the best Bloody Mary’ and instantly I begin to become annoyed again. Thinking about no love for my iced tea, I get the same irritation when it comes to the Bloody Mary.

Restaurants who add a Bloody Mary to the menu and most bartenders who make them, do so out of necessity rather than choice, whether it is because they are open for brunch or because someone orders one, and probably only one. Usually, there is no thought put into the cocktail, vodka, tomato juice, Tabasco and maybe if you’re lucky Worcestershire sauce. Most individuals think it is just about the cocktail being spicy, but that is not the case and it usually results in a sad and mediocre version of the Bloody Mary. And the mediocre version is most likely a culprit to the same issue I had with my iced tea. The individual making the Bloody Mary probably doesn't drink or like the cocktail. If you pick up Bon Appétit this month check out the Bloody Mary recipe, I’m not saying you have to go to these lengths, some might even say there are too many ingredients in that version … but one thing the Bloody Mary clearly does have is love. The love of truly caring about what is in the glass and not to blow it off as just some tomato juice and vodka.

Of course, anyone and everyone who has ever stepped behind a bar or made a cocktail in the home, thinks that they make the best Bloody Mary. In addition, there are about a thousand recipes out there using various ingredients and some with extravagant garnishes. But I believe there are a few things not having to do with the actual ingredients or garnishes that are fundamental in not having the Bloody Mary be awful from the start. First, while mixing all of your ingredients don’t do it over ice! Now, I am a stickler for always using enough ice in your cocktails, as it is key to making a perfect drink. But, while mixing all ingredients wait to add the ice until right before you serve it, otherwise the Bloody Mary becomes watered down before the first sip is even enjoyed. Whatever you are making the Bloody Mary in, make sure it is not metal, for instance that favorite metal shaker you have, DON’T use it to make the Bloody Mary. Use a glass shaker, or if you don’t have one two pint glasses to flip the drink back and forth will work just fine. The metal is not a good vehicle when mixing tomato juice. Lastly, taste the cocktail before serving it. Is this something you would actually drink? If not, then it’s probably a no love, terrible abomination of what should be a real classic. So, don’t serve it and then maybe find someone else who likes the drink to make one of superior quality.

One of my personal favorite recipes is below, again the recipes differ and are subjective on what is your personal taste. Just remember, have love for what is going into the glass! Cheers!

Bloody Mary (Also enjoyable, Bloody Maria with Tequila instead of vodka!)

1.5 ounces vodka (I prefer Kettle One)
5 dashes Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp. horseradish
¼ ounce fresh lemon juice
Salt and pepper to taste
4 ounces tomato juice (for super fresh cocktail, just in season local tomatoes to make your own juice)
Combine all ingredients in GLASS, roll back and forth to mix. Fill a pint glass only ¾ full and pour mix in. Garnish with your choice of ingredients (salami, cheese, shrimp etc.) but make sure a lemon is included as it is important with the tomato juice.