There are few weekend activities that people hold as dear as brunch with friends. The salty bacon, the savory eggs and sweet and doughy pancakes are the perfect accompaniment to great conversation with the people closest to you.
Of course, for many, the most important part of brunch isn’t the people or the food, it’s the fact that it is socially acceptable to imbibe a drink spiked with alcohol. Brunch is a reason to get your drink on in the A.M. Some grab for the tried and true mimosa and others have a thirst for the cocktail king of brunch: The Bloody Mary.
“A great Bloody Mary depends on its depth of flavor,” says Adam Geringer, co-owner and chef at Greenpoint Fish & Lobster in Brooklyn, New York. “It has to have the right balance and body to the drink. We like ours with lots of Worcestershire and cracked black pepper.”
In recent years, some bars have gone a little over the top with their Bloody Marys, offering drinks adorned with Slim Jims, pieces of pizza, fried chicken and even whole cheeseburgers. That kind of flare is all well and good, but what most people look for in a great Bloody Mary is the taste. You can mix in wacky flavors and ingredients, but it has to have the famous tomato juice and vodka base. “When people start adding too many things to the drink, it’s no longer a Bloody Mary,” says Geringer. “It’s a meal on a skewer in a glass. I think the drink just needs a little something to nibble on.”
Here are five outstanding Bloody Marys.
Bloody Ramen
Recipe from Bar Sardine in NYC
Photo by Paul Wagtouicz
Ingredients (makes six servings)
15 oz. beef broth
3 oz. light soy sauce
4 Tablespoons Sriracha?
10 oz. good quality tomato juice?
Togarashi (A Japanese condiment that is a mix of 7 different spices. It can be found at any Asian market and most grocery markets)?.
6 limes?
12 oz. vodka??
Directions: Combine the beef broth with the soy sauce and sriracha in a large container or bowl. Add the 10 oz. of tomato juice to make the base.?? Rim a pint glass w/ Togarashi.?? Fill the glass with ice and then add 4.5 oz. of the beef broth-tomato juice base, the juice of one lime, and 2 oz. vodka. Stir and garnish with a skewer of vegetables.
