When vodka met tomato juice
The bloody tail of the time honored breakfast beverage
By Michael McMonagle

It’s Saturday morning. You wake to find yourself still dressed in Friday night’s attire, atop a bed still made. It’s college game day, and the screeching alarm clock reminds you that, much to your chagrin, it is time to get up, get dressed and head to the one place your pounding head and queasy stomach agree you have absolutely no business going: the bar.

Hangover be damned. You muster up the energy to roll out of bed. Luckily, this is one morning where you need not think too hard about the day’s outfit. You dig up the old colors and T-shirt, throw some water on your face and race out the door with hopes of catching that noon kickoff.

It’s a skill that you perfected as an undergrad, no matter how long ago that might have been. You know, the drink-all-night-then-wake-up-and-do-it-again tradition. Over time, however, the “hair of the dog” remedy that used to do the trick – whether a shot of whiskey or an ice-cold Natural Light – just doesn’t seem appealing anymore. You need something more substantial, something well rounded, something revitalizing.

Enter the Bloody Mary.

There are few drinks – alcoholic or non – that can boast such history and mystique or incite such heated debate like the renowned vodka and tomato juice-based concoction does. Depending on whom you ask, the storied evolution of the Saturday/Sunday morning staple is likely to vary concerning who the exact inventor was, where it was first featured and the ingredients necessary for the “perfect” recipe.

Researching a cocktail is an interesting undertaking. In the case of the Bloody Mary, this becomes especially difficult as its most zealous supporters – from bartender to bartendee – all swear by his or her own spin.

Historically speaking, the drink first arrived on the scene as early as 1921. Or 1927. Or 1934.

According to the most widely accepted account, Paris-born Fernand “Pete” Petiot first crafted the concoction in the early 1920s while tending bar at the world renowned Harry’s New York Bar, a frequent hangout for the likes of American expatriates Ernest Hemingway and F. Scott Fitzgerald.

It is documented that Petiot first developed the recipe in hopes of creating an early morning “eye opener,” although it is unclear if he had those in the throes of a hangover or just the average booze-instead-of-coffee-drinker in mind.

In 1921, Petiot is alleged to have first served the drink to a pair visiting from the United States. At that time, vodka was a new spirit in the Paris scene, and bartenders were eager to experiment. As legend has it, the travelers noticed the thick red consistency of the cocktail – originally equal parts vodka and tomato juice – and suggested the name “Bloody Mary” in reference to a waitress named Mary at the Bucket of Blood, a popular club in their hometown of Chicago.

Fast forward to 1934. Petiot, who had moved to the United States in 1925, took a job as head bartender at the King Cole Room at New York City’s elegant St. Regis Hotel. There, Petiot’s Bloody Mary enjoyed a short life as the “Red Snapper”; the name “bloody” was determined too coarse for the upscale establishment. The St. Regis version of the drink also featured gin for a short while, as vodka was not as readily available in the U.S. market.

The Snapper quickly rose in popularity, achieving the endorsements of such icons as Joe DiMaggio and Ava Gardner. In time, however, patrons at the King Cole Room demanded more, deeming the mix too bland. Additionally, due to popular demand, the drink’s original Bloody Mary name was restored.

In response, Petiot tweaked the recipe. In a July 1964 article in The New Yorker, Petiot described his methodology: “I cover the bottom of the shaker with four large dashes of salt, two dashes of black pepper, two dashes of cayenne pepper and a layer of Worcestershire sauce; I then add a dash of lemon juice and some cracked ice, put in two ounces of vodka and two ounces of thick tomato juice, shake, strain and pour.”

What’s both curious and downright confusing about the New Yorker article, however, is that prior to divulging his original recipe, Petiot addressed the other supposed inventor of the Bloody Mary – American actor George Jessel – as the original mixer of tomato juice and vodka. Petiot conceded that he merely “took it over” with the addition of the spices and seasonings.

Jessel was a well-known American entertainer – an iconic figure in his day – earning the nickname “Toastmaster General of the United States.”

For Jessel, the drink’s creation came as an attempt to combat the effects of a particularly nasty hangover. As the story goes, Jessel and a friend named Mary were enjoying the drink in his home in Palm Beach when Mary accidentally spilled on herself. With her shirt now covered in the thick red juice, the two joked that she might as well be called “Bloody Mary.”

Hell-bent on asserting himself as the cocktail’s rightful inventor, Jessel went so far as to feature himself in an ad for Smirnoff vodka on March 30, 1956. The ad stated: “I, George Jessel, invented the Bloody Mary. I think I invented the Bloody Mary … and if I wasn’t the first ever, I was the happiest ever.” It is unclear whether this ad did more to aid in his crusade or just generate further confusion about the originator.

Regardless of whom you choose to credit, one thing is for certain: The combination of vodka and tomato juice has provided quite the canvas for mixologists around the world to make their own mark. While the International Bartenders Association recognizes three specified ingredients – vodka (three parts), tomato juice (six parts), and lemon juice (one part) – the door is left rather open for experimentation in the seasoning and garnish departments.

In an effort to explore just how far some Bloody Mary drinkers will go, I polled a small sample of self-proclaimed BM fanatics from both sides of the bar. The results, well, varied.

The inclusion of such usual suspects as Worcestershire sauce, Tabasco, horseradish, black pepper and cayenne was generally agreed upon across the board. Perhaps the proximity to the Chesapeake Bay is to blame, but an overwhelming number of those asked preferred their Marys with Old Bay seasoning, either as an ingredient mixed in or applied to the rim of the glass (“on the roof,” as it was explained).

One response simply stated “the hotter the better.” Many of the recipes reviewed included both jalapeño and habanera peppers as garnishes, as well as substituting Cholula hot sauce for Tabasco. Other ingredients included minced garlic, celery salt and mashed onion pulp.

The road really splits when it comes to garnishing the cocktail. Classic recipes call for such standards as the celery stalk, a cucumber wheel, lime and lemon wedges and carrot sticks. On the more creative side, some recipes included the likes of beef jerky (one called specifically for a Slim Jim), crispy bacon (either as a strip or finely chopped), bleu cheese-filled olives, jalapeño-stuffed olives, pickled green beans, pickled okra, cocktail shrimp and even a full crab claw.

One altogether bizarre recipe called for a splash of Guinness Stout, while another included a heavy portion of light beer (Coors Light was recommended).

With so much variety, you may be left wondering which bar – if any – is even capable of serving up a Bloody Mary just the way you like it. Sure, there are plenty of establishments known for their recipes. But what you might not know is that a growing number of bars are throwing in the towel on perfecting their mix and instead putting you, the consumer, in control.

The build-your-own Bloody Mary bar is a unique opportunity for even the most inexperienced mixologist to play “bartender.” Customers are equipped with the proper serving of vodka at the bar, then unleashed to craft up their own BM with a host of tomato juices, seasonings and garnishes and however many “dashes” or “pinches” of whatever they like.

According to Jeremiah Anderson, general manager of downtown York’s White Rose Bar and Grill, the BYOBM bar was the perfect addition to the restaurant’s Saturday and Sunday brunches. Not yet a year old, the special was introduced in February.
“Our guests have really taken to the idea,” says Anderson. “It’s not every day that you have the chance to make decisions like exactly how much hot sauce you want, or what type of tomato juice is used.”

The 48 North Beaver Street establishment boasts a custom-made stainless steel bar, complete with an ice bin to keep the different garnishes cool and an on-board refrigerator.

The set-up includes a variety of different juices – both regular ol’ tomato and multiple V8 offerings – as well as both standard (Worcestershire, horseradish, etc.) and non-standard (bleu cheese- stuffed olives, cocktail shrimp, crab claw meat) ingredients.

For Anderson, his ideal mix includes clamato juice, which, as its name hints at, is a mixture of clam and tomato juices. While it has proven a popular option for the White Rose, what you might not know is that the clamato-for-tomato substitution technically yields a “Bloody Caesar,” and is a preferred twist on the classic recipe for Canadians.

You can find the White Rose’s BYOBM bar up and running each Saturday (10 a.m.-2 p.m.) and Sunday (11 a.m.-2 p.m.) in conjunction with brunch. The cost is $5 for well vodka, or $5.50 for top shelf.