Your next at-home brunch is screaming for this Bloody Mary Bar!
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How the Bloody Mary Got its Name
Ahhh the Bloody Mary… She’s quite the old lady. Her origins date back to the 1920’s when immigrants escaping the Russian Revolution began arriving in Paris, bringing with them vodka and caviar. A Paris bartender started to play around with the American imported goods of tomato juice and vodka. After experimenting, the “Bucket of Blood” became a signature drink at this Parisian bar, and it was discovered when an American actor had it and brought the idea back to the states! Names changed a few times from the Red Snapper and finally onto the name you’ll recognize it under today… The Bloody Mary. It is said that this name’s inspiration came from Mary I of England/Ireland, known for her bloody reign against Protestants.
Pick Your Own Ingredients
Bloody Mary’s are considered a weekend breakfast item in my household. Now you won’t find mini-chicken and waffles or a breakfast burger on top of these cocktails, but you will find bacon, pickled veggies and some killer seasonings that take this cocktail to the next level. We love to do a Bloody Mary bar when we host brunches at our home because everybody likes something a little different. You can set out the ingredients and let people get as creative or keep it as plain jane as they want. Here are a few essentials to use on your own Bloody Mary Bar:
- Tomato Juice/Bloody Mary Mix
- Charleston Mix – This mix is one of the best Bloody Mary mixes on the market. The ingredients used are all-natural and the flavors perfectly compliment each other. They have a few different mixes to choose from depending on your taste!
- Pickled Okra
- Olives
- Worcestershire sauce
- Tabasco
- Celery
- Lemon/Lime Wedges
- Cucumber – If you like some spice in your BM then adding some cucumber will help give you a little relief. Sometimes I’ll also use Cucumber Vodka and it’s really a game changer!
- Old Bay Seasoning – Sprinkle some of this seasoning onto a small plate. Rub the rim of the glass with a lemon or lime and then turn your glass upside down and coat the rim with this spice. This gives a great smokey flavor. I’ve also seen restaurants use bbq “butt” rub which is really good also
- Bacon – Crisp up some bacon in the oven and throw some protein in your cocktail
