Bloody "Mimi"
I find a Bloody Mary to be such a versatile cocktail. They are good at brunch, as an appetizer before dinner (I'm serious! Think of all the garnishes you can add...), or whenever the mood strikes. It will not surprise you to learn that picky pants over here is very particular about her Bloody Mary. I do not like it too thick (know what I mean? Some mixes are like nectar), do not like it too spicy, and prefer it with a beer chaser (I had never heard of this until I lived in MN. Such a great idea and complement to the drink). I thought I had found a mix I liked, and had developed my standard way of making a Bloody Mary until last weekend. I was gathered with my family at my parents' house when my mom informed us she was going to be making a batch of bloodies using a recipe she had recently found in my grandmother's things. Wait. What? That really didn't make sense. You see, my Mimi didn't really drink (it was only in her last few years that we could convince her to have a small glass of wine--mixed with Sprite--with a nice holiday meal) and she never would have served alcohol in her home. She did grow to be pretty sassy in her old age, so perhaps she was keeping a secret from all of us and shared these only with her Red Hat Society friends. We'll never know, but we sure had fun giggling and speculating about it. If you have been searching all of your adult life for the perfect Bloody Mary, look no further. Enjoy responsibly, of course. Cheers!
Bloody "Mimi"
In a large pitcher, combine the following:
-46 oz can of V-8 or tomato juice (if you are using V-8, I'd suggest the Low Sodium variety)
-3 oz. lemon juice (It will be gross if you don't squeeze it from real lemons. I speak only the truth.)
-1/4 c. Worcestershire sauce
-1/2 t. kosher salt(honestly, you probably don't need this. I'd wait til the end and then add what you like)
-1 t. black pepper (coarsely ground is nice, freshly ground is best)
-1 t. celery salt
-1 t. dried dill weed
-1 t. horseradish
-1 t. Tabasco
-2 cups vodka of your choice (Ketel One is my preferred brand)
Chill well and then serve over ice with a beer chaser on the side (I usually split a light-ish beer 3 ways for this). Garnish as you wish--personally, I just like a lot of martini olives in my Bloody Mary, but dill pickle spears, pickled okra, extra lemon wedges, and celery sticks are pretty standard and yummy additions.