If you ask, I can’t explain exactly why I like bloody marys. Tomato juice by itself is, quite frankly, weird. And most people don’t want punch-you-in-the-face heat levels first thing in the morning.
But maybe that’s it – it’s just weird enough to really wake you up for the day, like wow-this-is-so-not-eggs-and-toast. Like most boozy brunch drinks, it sets the stage for a fun day (and quite possibly an afternoon nap). And chances are you have everything you need except maybe the juice. Let’s do this!
It’s an indisputable fact that great coworkers bring in baked goods. The very best coworkers, however, bring in jars of pickled veggies so you can make bloody marys. (At home. I don’t work for one of those fun quirky startups with Friday drinks at the office.)
And let me tell you, homemade pickled vegetables are hands-down so much better than anything you can buy – I’ve got to get the recipe from her and make some myself! Her mix includes green beans, red peppers, onions, enough chiles to make you cough, and to-die-for garlic cloves that are impossible to resist.
Of course you can take the spice level down with regular V8 and no hot sauce. I can’t exactly condone this decision, because heat is pretty much the whole reason I drink bloody marys… but you could still do it. I guess.
- 2 parts vodka
- 4 parts spicy V8
- 1 part dill pickle relish or brine
- 1 t. horseradish
- dash worcestershire
- dash soy sauce
- dash hot sauce
- cajun seasoning
- ice
-
Shake everything but cajun seasoning and ice together until thoroughly combined.
-
Wet a small piece of paper towel and run it around the rims of the glasses.
-
Sprinkle cajun seasoning on a dish and press the wet glass rims into the seasoning.
-
Fill glasses with ice, then top up with the bloody mary.
I wrote this as a ratio to keep it simple – use a shot (1.5 oz) for each ‘part’ to make two drinks.
Nice horseradish.
who made the pickled veggies? just said “her” , wondering if it’s your mom or a friend.
Thanks Paula, the spicy pickled veggies came from a coworker.