There's Just One Bloody Mary to Rule Them All (2024)

The Bloody Mary is one of the world’s best-known co*cktails, prized for its ability to jumpstart even the groggiest of mornings. Its origins aren’t exactly clear, but one likely backstory points to the mid-1930s and Fernand “Pete” Petiot, a bartender atKing Cole Barat the St. Regis hotel in New York City. Other sources credit American actor George Jessel, who was said to have favored the combination of vodka and tomato juice as customer of New York City’s 21 Club, though Petiot disputed Jessel's contributions to the creation of drink.

Whatever its true origins, the Bloody Mary has persisted as one of the most popular drinks ever created, and a pioneer of savory co*cktails. However, due to its complex and freewheeling nature, recipes vary widely, and pinning down exactly what makes for a perfect Bloody Mary is a source of endless debate.

What's In a Bloody Mary

The original Bloody Mary is believed to have contained seven ingredients: vodka, tomato juice, Worcestershire sauce, black pepper, celery salt, Tabasco and lemon juice. But like many classic drinks, it has inspired several variations. Popular versions include the Bloody Maria (made with tequila), the Red Snapper (spiked with gin) and the Caesar, a Canadian creation that features Clamato juice. Throw in the recipes concocted by bars, bartenders and enthusiasts, and the tomato-based co*cktail sports countless twists—from heavy on the hot sauce to a splash of Guinness on top.

More recently, the Bloody Mary has inspired a garnish-based arms race, as restaurants and bars top their drinks with more insane garnishes, including bacon, shrimp skewers, lobster tails and mini cheeseburgers, turning the Bloody Mary into its own brunch. When in doubt, it’s best to start with the classic recipe and work toward the way you like it, whether that is pared down, topped with a pepperoni pizza or featuring your favorite bottled mix.

Despite the endless variations and regardless of how you choose to make it, the Bloody Mary’s staying power is not debatable. It’s a liquor-soaked nutritional breakfast and hangover cure all in one red package, and it’s one of the few co*cktails that is socially acceptable to drink first thing in the morning. What else could you ask for?

There's Just One Bloody Mary to Rule Them All (2)

Ingredients

  • Celery salt

  • 1 lemon wedge

  • 1 lime wedge

  • 2 ounces vodka

  • 4 ounces tomato juice

  • 2 teaspoons prepared horseradish

  • 2 dashes Tabasco sauce

  • 2 dashes Worcestershire sauce

  • 1 pinch ground black pepper

  • 1 pinch smoked paprika

  • Garnish: parsley sprig

  • Garnish: 2 green olives

  • Garnish: lime wedge

  • Garnish: celery stalk (optional)

Steps

  1. Pour some celery salt onto a small plate.

  2. Rub the juicy side of the lemon or lime wedge along the lip of a pint glass.

  3. Roll the outer edge of the glass in celery salt until fully coated, then fill the glass with ice and set aside.

  4. Squeeze the lemon and lime wedges into a shaker and drop them in.

  5. Add the vodka, tomato juice, horseradish, Tabasco, Worcestershire sauce, black pepper, smoked paprika, plus a pinch of celery salt along with ice and shake gently.

  6. Strain into the prepared glass.

  7. Garnish with parsley sprig, 2 speared green olives, a lime wedge and a celery stalk (optional).

Do I Have to Use Vodka in a Bloody Mary?

Absolutely not! Employing vodka ensures that the beverage hews to the classic Bloody Mary formula. But using a different spirit base, say tequila or gin, is welcomed or even encouraged. Variations like the Red Snapper use gin, while the Bloody Maria opts for tequila. Choose what you like to create a Bloody Mary you enjoy.

How to Spice Up Your Bloody Mary

Black pepper is the traditional addition to a Bloody Mary. For good reason: It adds floral kick. But you can play fast and loose with the pepper punch. Consider white pepper for a funkier wallop; Sichuan peppercorn for its singular tingle. Same goes for the hot sauce. Tabasco is sublime. But maybe you want to go spicier or smokier? If so, opt for a hotter hot sauce or a chipotle-based one.

There's Just One Bloody Mary to Rule Them All (2024)

FAQs

What is the story behind the Bloody Mary? ›

A number of historical figures have been put forward as candidates for 'Mary' including Mary I of England (daughter of Henry VIII and Catherine of Aragon), who had around 300 religious Protestant dissenters burned at the stake during her reign, earning her the nickname 'Bloody Mary'; Elizabeth Báthory, a 17th-century ...

What is the Bloody Mary Challenge? ›

Bloody Mary is a classic scary game where players try to summon the ghost of Bloody Mary in a bathroom mirror. All you need to call Bloody Mary is a lit candle and a bathroom you can go into by yourself.

How many people did Mary I execute in her reign? ›

At least 280 people were recognised as burned over the five years of Mary I's reign by contemporary sources.

What is the meaning of the song Mary on a Cross by ghost? ›

“Mary On a Cross” is ostensibly about a romantic relationship between two Ghost characters, Papa Nihil and Sister Imperator. However, various design elements and the cackling ending words to the live performance below suggest it is a thinly veiled ode to marijuana (“mary. on. a . . .”).

Why do you call a Bloody Mary a Bloody Mary? ›

Some stories suggest that the Bloody Mary was named after a server named Mary who worked at a saloon bar called The Bucket Of Blood in Chicago. Others claim it was named after Queen Mary Tudor of England. No one knows for sure, but as Prohibition waned the drink took off in America and the name stuck.

Why was Bloody Mary a tyrant? ›

Known as a Catholic tyrant and branded a religious bigot for her ferocious persecution of Protestants in what was to be a futile attempt to restore Catholicism in England, she is notorious for brutally burning around 300 Protestant heretics at the stake.

How to defeat Bloody Mary? ›

Just focus on hitting the Bloody Maria with pierce attacks and she'll go down, ending the fight and allowing you to continue through Tartarus.

Why don't you shake a Bloody Mary? ›

Gently roll from one glass to another until chilled (if you shake a Bloody Mary, the tomato juice will foam, and if you simply build it over ice in a glass, the ice will melt faster and the drink will become insipid before you have a chance to finish it).

What is the difference between a Bloody Mary and a dirty Bloody Mary? ›

Like a dirty martini, a dirty Bloody Mary typically contains olive or pickle brine, along with the other traditional ingredients. Try splashing some brine in yours for a salty, savory punch!

What religious changes did Bloody Mary make? ›

Mary restored papal supremacy in England, abandoned the title of Supreme Head of the Church, reintroduced Roman Catholic bishops and began the slow reintroduction of monastic orders.

Where was Bloody Mary buried? ›

Mary I of England died on 17 November 1558 at St James's Palace in London. She was 42 years old. Mary was buried in Westminster Abbey on 14 December.

Did Bloody Mary have a child? ›

Although Mary thought herself pregnant on two occasions, both proved to be false alarms. As a result, she never conceived a Catholic heir, and the Crown eventually passed to her Protestant half-sister Elizabeth following her death.

Is Mary on a cross inappropriate? ›

The lyrics being incredibly cryptic and humorous, listeners have interpreted the song as being about many things — like smoking marijuana or having sex. And some have also interpreted the song as blasphemous, due to its supposed reference to Virgin Mary in the chorus.

What is the funeral song about Mary? ›

"Ave Maria" is a popular Catholic funeral hymn for several reasons. First and foremost, it is a prayer to the Virgin Mary, who is highly revered in Catholicism as a symbol of hope and comfort.

Is the song Mary on A Cross Against God? ›

You can certainly take it as being blasphemous about Mary, mother of Jesus, as a love story between Papa Nihil and Sister Imperator, as a reference to weed. In performance, it's certainly referencing weed and internal tickling is obviously sexual.

What is the story of the Queen Mary? ›

Queen Mary spent three decades transporting the rich and famous across the Atlantic before retiring in 1967. She survived the Great Depression and World War II, and managed to avoid the tragic fate of her cousin, Titanic. But under the glitz and glamour, this haunted ship is hiding several dark secrets.

What happened to Queen Mary? ›

The rightful heir of the house of Tudor had become 'Bloody Mary'. Her reign was cut short by stomach cancer in 1558, and she died in the full knowledge that her half-sister Elizabeth would entirely overturn her attempts at reconcilliation with Rome.

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