Spiced Masala To Geisha: 5 Must-Try Bloody Mary Variations
A cocktail that’s synonymous with brunches (and a hangover remedy), The Bloody Mary is a delicious drink that was created by an American bartender named Fernand Petiot in 1921. At the time, he was a bartender at the New York Bar in Paris, a place frequented by novelist Ernest Hemmingway. The story goes that Petiot and he came up with the cocktail in the spur of the moment and we’re all so grateful for that!
A traditional Bloody Mary is a combination of vodka, tomato juice, Worcestershire sauce, fresh lemon juice, hot sauce, salt and pepper, a celery stalk, lemon wedge and olives for garnish. However, there are a lot of localised variations to the recipe that are really delicious and worth trying out. Here are the top five that you really must try.
Spiced Masala Mary
This Indian variation furthers the spicy kick that the cocktail already offers with the addition of other flavour local spices. For this recipe, you’ll need 30 ml of Smirnoff Triple Distilled Vodka, 90 ml of tomato juice, 15 ml of fresh lime juice, a dash of Worcestershire sauce, a dash of hot sauce, half a teaspoon of chaat masala, half a teaspoon of cumin powder, half a teaspoon of red chilli powder, salt and pepper, and cilantro leaves for garnish. First, rim a tall glass with chaat masala and then fill it with crushed ice. Then in a shaker, add all the ingredients and shake well. Strain it into the glass and garnish with cilantro leaves.
Bloody Maria
This drink was created in Mexico, substituting vodka with tequila. It became a raging hit because of its spicy and tangy flavours. For this recipe, you’ll need 30 ml of tequila, 90 ml of tomato juice, 15 ml of fresh lime juice, a dash of Worcestershire sauce, a dash of Tabasco or your preferred hot sauce, salt and pepper, Taijin (chilli-lime) for the glass rim, and pickled jalapenos for garnish. First, rim the glass with the Taijin. Fill the glass with crushed ice. Then, add all the ingredients in a shaker. Strain the mixture into the glass and garnish with the pickled jalapenos.
Bloody Geisha
This is actually a tiki cocktail, often found in tiki bars. For this, you need 30 ml of sake, 30 ml of tomato juice, 15 ml of fresh lime juice, a dash of soy sauce, wasabi paste – a very tiny bit, 10 ml of lime juice, and a celery stalk for garnish. First, fill a tall glass with crushed ice. Then in a shaker, add all the ingredients and shake well. Strain the cocktail into the tall glass and garnish with the celery stalk. And there you have a Bloody Geisha!
Asian Bloody Mary
This recipe originates from Thailand and has really added more local flavours than most other variations. For this, you’ll need 30 ml of Smirnoff Triple Distilled Vodka, 90 ml of Clamato juice (clam and tomato juice), 15 ml of lime juice, a dash of fish sauce, a dash of sriracha sauce, salt and pepper, and Thai basil leaves for garnish. Fill a tall glass with crushed ice. Then in a shaker, add all the ingredients and shake well. Strain the mixture into the glass and garnish with the Thai basil leaves.
Bloody Caesar
This beloved Canadian variation was created by bartender Walter Chell in 1969. The cocktail was a result of a challenge from the hotel owner to celebrate a new Italian restaurant’s opening within the hotel. For this recipe, you’ll need 30 ml of Smirnoff Triple Distilled Vodka, 90 ml of clamato juice (clam and tomato juice blended), 15 ml of fresh lime juice, a dash of Worcestershire sauce, a dash of hot sauce, celery salt to taste, and a celery stalk for garnish. First, rim a tall glass with the celery salt and fill it with crushed ice. Then in a shaker, add all the ingredients and shake well. Strain the cocktail into the tall glass and garnish with a celery stalk.
Remember: nobody likes a party pooper. While it is rather tempting to indulge in one too many, remember to drink responsibly!
