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I like a good Bloody Mary, but I’ll drink a bad one too. I’m drinking one now as a matter of fact. It’s a Saturday morning. What the hell?
I’m not a snob. In particular, I usually want one whenever I’ve got time to kill in an airport in the morning, and that’s where I’ve had some of the worst Bloodies. It’s also where I discovered that you can’t get a Bloody Mary at JFK on a Sunday morning, thanks to New York’s ridiculous liquor laws. Sunday mornings are the best time to have a Bloody.
The thing is, I don’t like to make a lot of fuss about them. I’ve made quite a few Bloodies with what you might call alternative ingredients — things like fish sauce and pickled jalapeno juice — that were just damn fine. It’s about making a good Bloody Mary from what you have on hand.
Now, I don’t drink them often enough to clog up my refrigerator with a big jug of mix or tomato juice. I like keeping the small cans of Spicy V-8 or Clamato on hand because a) they don’t need to be refrigerated and b) one can is perfect for two drinks.
Here’s how I’m currently making my bloodies:
Dick’s Bloody Mary
(serves 2)
- One 5.5 oz. (163 ml) can of Spicy V-8 [Buy it on Amazon Fresh]
- Half a lemon
- Worcestershire sauce [Buy it on Amazon Fresh]
- Olive brine from a jar of garlic-stuffed green olives [Buy it on Amazon Fresh]
- Tabasco [Buy it on Amazon Fresh]
- Celery Salt
- Ground Black Pepper
- Vodka or Tequila (For a Bloody Maria. Whatever tequila you like, but for god’s sake, make sure it’s 100% agave)
- Ice cubes
- Garnish (if you’re so inclined) — celery, olives…maybe even pickled green beans or okra.
Divide the V-8 between two glasses and squeeze the lemon into each glass. Put a generous few dashes of Worcestershire in each glass, followed by a splash of olive brine, and a shot of alcohol. Add a dash of the salt and pepper, and 3-4 squirts of Tabasco (as much as you like). Add the ice, stir it up with something, and, if you’re inclined for a snack with your drink, add garnishes. No toothpick necessary. Missing an ingredient? Improvise. You’ll figure something out.
