The Bloody Mary
Vodka, tomato juice, pepper sauce, Worcestershire, lemon, lime, celery salt—these are the basic ingredients that go into a Bloody Mary, a spicy and flavorful cocktail that is over 100 years old. This classic drink has served as both as the perfect cocktail for breakfast or brunch, but also as a hangover cure, or even as a small meal by itself. This article will cover the history of this drink, some known benefits, and a couple sample recipes to try.
History
The origins of the Bloody Mary are a bit hazy, but it is believed the first Bloody Mary was made at Harry’s Bar in Paris, France around 1920. A bartender at Harry’s, named Ferdinand “Pete” Petiot, was experimenting with new Vodka cocktails because of an influx of Russian immigrants leaving their country due to the revolution. At the same time, American “tomato juice cocktails” (tomato juice in a can) were showing up in French grocery stores during Prohibition.
After some mixing and adding a few extra flavors like Worcestershire, black pepper and lemon, Petiot created the first “Bloody Mary.” Interesting to note, according to Esquire,Magazine, author Ernest Hemingway was a frequent patron of this bar and praised the drink.
Petiot later traveled to New York City where he worked at the King Cole Bar in the St. Régis Hotel. It was here he introduced the drink as “The Red Snapper,” where it is still sold today.
Here is the original Red Snapper recipe:
1 oz. Stolichnaya vodka
2 oz. Tomato juice
1 dash lemon juice
2 dashes salt
2 dashes black pepper
2 dashes cayenne pepper
3 dashes of Worcestershire sauce
Garnish with a lemon wedge and celery stalk.
As for the name, one claim is that the drink was named after a server named, “Mary” who worked at a saloon bar in Chicago called “The Bucket of Blood,” while others claim it was named after Queen Mary Tudor of England. It is unknown whether either is true.
Better in the Sky
Anyone who’s ordered a Bloody Mary while on a plane, may have noticed they always seem to taste a little different (and often better) when flying. There actually is a scientific reason behind this phenomenon. The reason is because it’s about 30 percent more difficult to detect sweet and salt tastes on a plane because of the dry air in the cabin, according to a 2010 study by the Fraunhofer Institute for Building Physics in Germany. Consequently, the taste is a bit fresher and more acidic than when on the ground.
Hangover Cure
The Bloody Mary has long been touted as a “hangover cure,” but is there any truth to this? Despite most “hair of the dog” remedies, there actually is some truth to this, but it has nothing to do with the alcohol. Tomato juice (the main ingredient) is made up of electrolytes, sodium, potassium, Vitamin C, and Vitamin B6, all which help reduce the symptoms of a hangover.
In addition, Bloody Marys have less sugar than most other cocktails, and sugar causes dehydration, which can lead to headaches—a common hangover symptom.
Recipes
In addition to the original “Red Snapper” recipe listed earlier, here are a couple Bloody Mary recipes to try at home. It’s important to note that one of the unique qualities of the Bloody Mary is that there is no one definitive recipe. Everything from the type of liquor used (whether be vodka or tequila) to the garnish (celery stick or olives) and everything in between can be varied based on one’s personal preference. So, feel free to experiment!
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