Hair of the Dog is Cookthink’s Monday morning cocktail column by Rob Chirico, the author of the Field Guide to Cocktails. Read more about Rob here.
In New England, it’s been a rainy, wretched summer for the tomato, and what better way to mourn than with a Bloody Mary?
Originally just a blend of tomato juice and vodka, with a dash of bitters, the “Bloody” has evolved over time to include ingredients as diverse as basil and roasted garlic. It is an endlessly reinvented drink, but the one thing I have learned over the years of mixing is that everyone who makes a Bloody Mary claims to make the best Bloody Mary.
As to the genesis of the drink, Dale DeGroff traces it back to the Tomato Juice Cocktail served at the Ritz Bar. In his Craft of the Cocktail, DeGroff reports that this called for a large ripe tomato to be crushed and blended with celery salt and Worcestershire sauce. I need not point out what is missing!
The creation of the Bloody Mary — with booze — is credited to Fernand “Pete” Petiot, who mixed it up in Harry’s Bar in Paris from 1919 to 1936. He supposedly named it after a forlorn lass named Mary who spent long hours at the bar awaiting her lover.
After prohibition, Petiot went to New York to become head bartender at the Regis. Since vodka was not yet popular in the States, gin was substituted. The Regis also thought the name was a bit grisly for its clientele, so it was changed to the Red Snapper. As much as one may drink like a fish, few wanted to drink one, and the drink was re-christened the Bloody Mary.
With expected bravado, Earnest Hemingway boasted to a friend in a letter of 1947 that he brought the drink to Hong Kong in 1941 where it “did more than any single factor except the Japanese Army to precipitate the fall of that Crown Colony.” Right. The Bloody Mary did not enter its full phase of glory until John Martin used it along with several drinks to promote a relative newcomer to the drinking scene — Smirnoff vodka.
As some of us have learned, the only real cure for a hangover is to stay away from your brain until the malady passes, and the Bloody Mary is the quintessential “hair of the dog that bit you.” Brunch is therefore the most common time to mix a batch of Bloody Marys, especially since you’ve probably overslept breakfast. (It is an equally stimulating afternoon pick-me-up if you’ve overslept brunch.)
The only trouble with the Bloody Mary as a hangover remedy? All those questions: Horseradish or no horseradish? Celery salt, seeds, stalk, or none of the above? Bouillon or no? Dale DeGroff even suggests a Bloody Mary buffet. Set out a large pitcher of tomato juice and a cold bottle of vodka. Surround those two essentials with any ingredient ever used to concoct a Bloody Mary and encourage guests to make their own.
Recipe: Bloody Mary (Hair of the Dog)
Recipe: Thai-Inspired Heirloom Tomato Bloody Mary (Cook & Eat)
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I love the idea of the Bloody Mary Buffet. And I say, bring on the horseradish!
I also like to use Aalborg Akavit as a tasty switch. Some call it the Danish Mary, but I prefer a Hamlet’s Ghost.
For me, celery seed for flavor and horseradish for spice/heat are key. The spicier the drink, the better to cure the hangover. As far as garnish, I love celery to soak up the liquid and for it’s watery crunchiness. Olives go really well with the spiciness of the drink too.
I have had one version at NoHo Star in Manhattan that is made with balsamic vinegar and finely chopped jalepeno and onion garnish on top. It was a great variation but I thought it could have been spicier. I’m definitely going to experiment at the next brunch party I throw.
I’ve also had the buffet idea version, leave out a variety of garnishes like celery, olives and jalepenos for guest to dive into. Drink and meal all in one. That way, people can custom make their own according to what they like.
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