Mardi Gras Bloody Mary

An excellent bloody mary starts with a good base, and ends with the garnishments!

Ingredients

  • ~1 qt tomato/vegetable juice cocktail
  • 8-10 dashes of Worcestershire sauce
  • 6-8 dashes pepper sauce
  • 1 tbls of salt
  • 1 tbls fine ground black pepper
  • 1 tbls creole seasoning
  • 1 tbsp horse radish
  • 1 tsp celery salt (optional)
  • 1/8 cup lemon juice (optional)

Preparation

Mardi Gras Bloody Mary

The classic Bloody Mary calls for a fresh portion of tomato juice cocktail, meaning it is juice consistency and ready to drink.   The Worcestershire sauce is for that desired savory umami base that sets this cocktail off from just juice.  Hot sauce or Pepper sauce for some heat, and the only other must haves are the salt, black pepper and creole seasoning.

Kick it up with horseradish, and/or seasoning salts like celery, garlic or onion salt.  Citrus brings brightness of flavor here, so add lemon juice.  If it is an early Mardi Gras maybe you can still get some lemons or grapefruit from the local farmers market!

Prepare the day before so you are ready. Take a quart sized jar and mostly fill it with your ready to drink tomato or tomato vegetable juice.  Add the rest of the ingredients, put a lid on it and shake.  Chill overnight, and shake well before using.  A quart of mix makes for 4 to 6 go-cup Bloodies depending on your ice allowance.

Mardi Gras go-cup recipe

Start with your go cup you caught at your favorite parade last weekend, and fill it heaping with cubed ice.  Add vodka, and fill with the mix from above.  Quickly pour the cocktail into another go cup and back to stir the cocktail.

Garnish

Long garnishes like Pickled Okra, Green Beans and a stalk of celery, preferably with a few nice leaves may go standing straight in the finished drink.  Smaller piece garnishes like lemon or lime wedges, hot pickle, olives and so on should be pushed on to long toothpicks and laid across the top of the drink.  Add a paper straw if you have one and you are ready to greet the holiday.