There are few things that are more satisfying on a lazy Sunday morning than a great Bloody Mary. But, as we who enjoy them can agree, not all Bloody Marys are created equal.
Personally I like mine to not be so spicy as to rip my throat off as I swallow, or sting it so bad that I can’t enjoy more than the first sip or two. I like a lot of flavor and really enjoy the presentation of a pretty AND tasty drink.
I also enjoy a little variety. My favorites have featured chunks of crab amongst crisp, tall vegetables; entire lobster claws; thick strips of crispy bacon; antipasto on a skewer (tomato/mozzarella/basil/salami); and crispy, fresh vegetables to munch while sipping a perfectly spiced drink.
My Top 5 Bloody Marys:
- The Crab House on Pier 39 – San Francisco, CA
- Lobster Me at The Palazzo in The Venetian – Las Vegas, NV
- Paul Martin’s – Irvine, CA
- Olive Garden – Santa Ana, CA (Mainplace Mall)
- The Signal Lounge – Orange, CA
After stumbling across a picture of a giant fried WHOLE CHICKEN hanging out of a giant Bloody Mary I decided that I need a list of places to visit just for my favorite Sunday morning cocktail!
Although I’ve been to Milwaukee before, somehow I managed to miss Sobelman’s Pub & Grill and their menu of “Beast” Bloody Marys.
My mouth waters thinking about their 80+ oz concoctions that are meant to be shared by at least 4 people.
The Chicken Fried: $50 and topped with a whole fried 4 pound chicken from Ray’s Butcher Shop in Greenfield. That is one intimidating presentation! It’s a drink for a cause though! During the last 4 months of 2014, for every Chicken Fried sold, the owners of Sobelman’s donated $5 to Milwaukee’s Hunger Task Force.
Cheeseburger Bloody Mary: Features a scallion, a stalk of celery, a colby cheese wedge, a Polish sausage, a pickled mushroom, onion & brussel sprout, a pickle & olive, a shrimp, cherry tomato & lemon wedge, a spear of asparagus and a bacon cheeseburger slider.
Another Bloody Mary that is definitely on the “Must Try List” is this 32 ounce monster from The Nook in Atlanta: The Bloody Best: 8 oz. of Absolut Peppar vodka mixed with a special Bloody Mary mix, garnished with pepperoncinis, jalapenos, Tater Tots, steak, a slice of toast, a hard-boiled egg and you drink it through a straw made of meat!
The list is in its infancy and recommendations from enthusiastic Bloody Mary adventurers are welcomed.
On the flip side, I know that there are those who only partake to quiet the ache in their head and swirling of their bellies after a night of over indulgence, to that end, Smirnoff shares their basic recipe for a pitcher of basic Bloody Marys:
- 9 oz Smirnoff No. 21 Vodka
- Tomato juice
- 1 Lime juiced
- 1 Lemon juiced
- 4 tsp Hot sauce
- 2 tbs Horseradish
- 1 tbs Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tsp Celery salt
- 1 tsp Black pepper
- ½ tsp Salt
- 1 tsp Smoked paprika
- 1 Lime wedge
Blend all ingredients except vodka. Pour into pitcher. Rub lemon or lime wedge around the rim of highball glasses and then roll glass in celery salt and add ice cubes. Fill glass 1/3 with vodka & top off with Bloody Mary mix. Serves 10.
Time for this girl to head to bed so I can wake up and create something somewhere in the middle of these to sip tomorrow!
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