The Bloody Mary

The Lirettes came for brunch today! We had a nice meal of fruit salad, crab quiche, egg casserole, and banana muffins. The highlights were conversation and the drink of the week - The Bloody Mary.

David had never had a Bloody Mary so was pleasantly surprised. I consulted a number of sources again, but found that everyone is willing to share their Bloody Mary recipes when I mentioned what I was making today.

I used the recipe most often cited. The Blood Mary is generally believed to have been invented in 1924 at Harry's New York Bar in Paris. This famous bar was frequented by many American expatriates - Gertrude Stein, F. Scott Fitzgerald , and Ernest Hemingway to name a few. It is also noted that George Gershwin wrote much of "An American in Paris" on the piano in the downstairs lounge. The patrons encouraged the bartenders at Harry's to invent more creative cocktails. This drink became an instant hit in Paris and gained popularity here once Vodka was legally exported to the U.S. in the 1940's. The Sidecar was also thought to have been invented at Harry's.

David's Swizzle Stick Rating:
The Bloody Mary - 5 Swizzle Sticks

The Bloody Mary - Tomato juice, 1.5 oz. Vodka, splash lemon juice, splash Worcestershire sauce, splash Tobasco, celery for garnish. Fill a Tom Collins glass half way with ice. Cover ice with tomato juice. Add Vodka, lemon juice, Tobasco, and Worcestershire sauce. Stir and garnish.

I really enjoyed the Bloody Mary as well. I think it would be great with Spicy V8 too. And did you notice the new Tom Collins glasses? I couldn't find them anywhere in town. But Crate and Barrel online came through!