(Philip Greenberg for The New York Times)As cocktails go, the bloody Mary is easily counted among the most healthful, with its simple combination of tomato juice, vegetable garnishes, spices and alcohol.
But new interest in seasonal and fresh ingredients has led to a makeover of the traditional Bloody Mary, according to “Arrive,” the Amtrak travel magazine. The magazine reports:
“The Bloody Mary is having a big resurgence because it’s fresh, and it really should be made with seasonal ingredients using fresh vegetables,” says Todd Thrasher, the bar guru behind the D.C.-area hot spots Restaurant Eve and Px, a swanky speakeasy. Thrasher ditches commercial juice in favor of fresh tomatoes for his Tomato Water Bloody Mary. The resulting drink is a refreshing, clear Bloody Mary, more like a cocktail than the meal-in-a-glass most people have come to expect.”
Thankfully, the magazine publishes Mr. Thrasher’s enticing recipe, which is also posted below.
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The magazine also cites several other restaurant makeovers of the popular cocktail. At Clio Restaurant in Boston, chef Kenneth Oringer offers a nonalcoholic version as the opening dish of a 14-course tasting menu. He uses strained juice from fresh tomatoes, topped with basil oil.
The restaurant Prune, in Manhattan’s East Village, offers 11 versions, including one made with homemade lemon vodka and garnished with pickled brussels sprouts, turnips, green beans, radishes and caper berries.
Alfa Bar in Philadelphia offers La Maria Verde, made with tomatillos, lime, cilantro, pineapple and tequila. The Bloody Martini at Meritage in the Boston Harbor Hotel is made with pureed yellow heirloom tomatoes, muddled basil, tomato-infused vodka and Tabasco, strained and garnished with skewered pear tomatoes.
Todd Thrasher’s Tomato Water Bloody Mary
4 pounds fresh vine-on tomatoes
2 stalks of lemon grass
4 serrano chilis
1 small Bermuda onion
Salt
Cheesecloth
Citrus-flavored vodka
In multiple batches, coarsely chop and puree tomatoes, onion and chilis in a food processor. Add salt to taste. Transfer pulp to a cheesecloth and suspend over a large stockpot. Leave to strain until pulp volume has reduced by two-thirds (about 12 to 24 hours). Makes 1 liter of tomato water.
To make the bloody Mary: Mix 1.5 ounces of citrus flavored vodka with 5 ounces of tomato water.
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From 1 to 25 of 58 Comments
Wow! This sounds great. I’m going to serve it before my homemade New England style seafood chowder that I make once a year in a huge batch during Christmas week.
Thanks!
— jackthat sounds delicious, wish I had the plan ahead skills to make to tomato water.haha
— AndreaThat’s a lovely idea for the summertime, when fresh ripe tomatoes are everywhere. But in the middle of December? Pass.
— jamiealexWhy complicate a fairly simple drink. I’ll stick to my usual concoction of V-8, a dash of Worcestershire, a few drops of Tabasco, 1-1/2 to 2 oz. of vodka, a squeeze of lime, some ice. Pour all into a large glass and enjoy. You can add a few grinds of black pepper and a celery stalk stirrer if you want to be fancy. It’ll be much faster and just as enjoyable. Estelle
— Estelle GI agree with Estelle G’s recipe recommendation. In addition to her ingredients I like to add white horseradish, which really gives the drink a kick.
— JimI agree with jamiealex. Isn’t a fresh tomato drink in December contrary to everything eating local seasonal stands for? Even if you bite the bullet and buy fresh tomatoes, they probably won’t be very good anyway. I love bloody marys and I will tuck this one away for the summer time, for sure.
— JuliaHmmmm. It does, indeed, look good, but I’m not really sure about the intensity and fullness of flavor in vine-on tomatoes in December. I use them for salads, because I can’t easily give up my tomatoes, but I’m just not so sure about relying on them for my Bloody Mary (a sacred drink, after all).
Maybe I’ll do a trial run!
— WesleyYes - I’m with Estelle G on this - Make mine with V-8, Worcestershire, Tobasco, squeeze of lemon, fresh black pepper AND a bit of white horseradish - Oh, and skip the Vodka - I like mine “virgin.” I can go through two or three of these at a good dinner with friends.
— JonellaNo. 4 has somehow forgoten the key ingredient to any bloody mary - that is horseradish. I would also add some celery salt - and a salted rim is nice too.
— cl, njI go with Estelle G here. Float that lime juice on top (don’t stir it in). Add some pepper and LAWRY’s seasoned salt (also floated, not srtirred). Drink. Improves the eyesight.
— Ronzoni RigatoniWhat would the Rat Pack think? Of course, they drank scotch, but still…
— CharleeEstelle G got it right. V-8 now has low sodium blend, as good as the original. For me the celery stalk & ground black pepper is a must, plus a splash or two of Tabasco to give it a little “Kick”. Also, the Virgin Mary version of the above, { less booze } is the best ELIXIR ONTHIS PLANET FOR THE DAY AFTER THE NIGHT BEFORE….. Take it from me , I:ve rcovered rapidly for “Lo 4 score & then some”. This is good info for the Season thats about to find us. A VERY MERRY TO ALL. JOE L
— JOE LI would add some horseradish to that recipe, and possibly some celery salt and/or Worcestershire sauce
— JonathanWonder how many servings of vegetables this counts for? Add peanuts for protein and you have a meal.
— James Hubbard, M.D., M.P.H.I’m with Estelle. Ockham’s razor and all that.
— RobertGuess the lemon grass stalks also go into the food processor?
— sonnyoClamato juice is a delightful change. Even better is Beefamato, with boullion stock. The simpler the better so I can get to it quicker!
— HudsonDr. Hubbard (#14)….that sounds like a prescription…a medically approved “meal substitute.”
Oh, how the distilled alcohol industry would like your endorsement! I can imagine this idea emerging from many a brainstorming session in marketing departments of vodka companies.
You’re a natural.
— WesleyGreat subject to get us going TPP
Timely 2
Thanks
— BillHere is what makes me relive times in New Orleans. Start with regular tomato juice or Tabasco mix. Heavy on the Worcestershire. Season to taste with Tony Chachere’s seasoning mix, a bit of extra celery salt, lime, and–this is most important–a pickled green bean. Vodka nice but not necessary. Shake and enjoy.
— catsMost of the concoctions described in the article look either revolting or ridiculously time-consuming. Why mess with a classic?
OTOH, although I would happily imbibe EstelleG’s version on the morning, afternoon, or night after, it’s also worth remembering that the bloody mary was originally a cocktail not too different in its way from a martini. It included the usual suspects, but the vodka to tomato juice ratio was 1:2 (instead of the 1:5 or so customary today) and it was shaken (or stirred; 007 offered no opinion on this particular drink) with ice, then poured into a cocktail glass (chilled if possible).
Because there was no ice, the drink never degenerated to a plasmalike consistency, and because it was meant to be drunk cold, it was consumed quickly. The high vodka to juice ratio gave it serious kick. You might soon be over your existing hangover, but you were well on your way to the next one.
A great drink. I recommend it–especially to anyone afflicted with a desire to tend “tomato water” overnight.
— GerryDON’S HARD AT WORK MAKING THE TOMATO WATER FOR THE BLOODY MARY’S NEXT WEEK…. THIS IS SO STUPID!
— Don pattilloBut cannot top the shaken Bloody Mary served (up) at the Pacific-Union Club in San Francisco.
— DirigoNo tasty tomatoes? My local Berkeley Bowl had pretty-darn-good-for-wintertime baby Romas last week for 69 cents a pound. I don’t know why Romas are always so much cheaper and often just as tasty as the vine-attached and heirloom ones, but they are.
I don’t drink, but this fresh veggie version without alcohol sounds like a delightful holiday dish, almost like gazpacho.
— appleWELL?!? Alcohol is a drug and It shouldn’t be glamorized in the health section.
FROM TPP — I don’t agree. Alcohol is a health issue in many ways. First, it is strongly associated with health benefits with moderate use. Another concern is that many alcoholic beverages are loaded with calories — here’s a drink that is vegetable based and enjoyable, so worth writing about. finally, alcohol is associated with some health risks and driving risk, and those have been regular topics on the Well blog.
— mike