bloody mary

Photo: Camilla Salem

More a blueprint for experimentation than set-in-stone recipe, the classic bloody Mary plays nicely with a vast variety of flavors. Generally speaking, there are three ways to enliven the tried-and-true hangover-buster: swap out a standard ingredient for an exotic (or at least novel) one, add bloody good garnishes, or rim the glass with something unexpected. Just remember, as with any kitchen experiment, make sure to season to taste and use your best judgement when pairing flavors.

Novel Mix-Ins

• Change up the liquor: try vodka infused with jalapeño peppers or cucumbers or leave out the vodka entirely and turn to gin, sake, tequila (for a bloody Maria), or even beer.
• Heat things up: experiment with different hot sauces in lieu of Tabasco, like a homemade batch, Cholula, Frank's RedHot, or sriracha. Alternatively, try wasabi or red pepper flakes instead of horseradish or puree in a bit of kimchi.
• Make it vegan: while we rarely leave out a dash or two worcestershire sauce (it's just that good!), its not exactly vegetarian-friendly. Instead, try Bragg Liquid Aminos or a splash of soy sauce.
• Change the acid: likewise, don't even think of skipping something acidic to balance out the flavors. If you're bored by the standard spritz of lemon, try lime or vinegars like balsamic, sherry, or red wine.
• Add spice: savory spices like Chinese five-spice, garam masala, coriander, celery seed, jerk seasoning, and Old Bay are all solid options.

Keep reading for creative garnish ideas.

I've never really given Bloody Marys a fair shot.

There are a lot of die-hard fans who'll be completely appalled by that statement, but it's true. I've just always been slightly confused as to why anyone would ever want to mix tomato juice with vodka and add hot sauce. Why on earth people would want to drink that in the morning is beyond me. But in the interest of expanding my horizons, I bought all the ingredients and mixed one up.

What did I think of my first Bloody Mary? Find out when you keep reading.

During the weekend I love going to brunch with my girlfriends, especially because of the mimosas and Bloody Marys. Brunch can get pretty heavy though, and the cocktails are no exception. On their own, most spirits average around 120 calories in a typical pour. Start adding fruit and veggie juice to the mix and that number quickly goes up — a Bloody Mary can easily add 350 calories and a ton of sodium to your meal. But since I love a good Bloody Mary, I'm not giving them up. Instead, I make healthier versions at home. In a way, it's almost like having a salad in a cup!

Try my tips to healthify your own Bloody Mary:

• If you're only going to change one thing about a classic Bloody Mary recipe, ditch standard tomato juice and don't use a mix. Most store-bought tomato juices are made with added sugar and sodium. Make your own tomato juice or look for one in the store with no added sugar and a low sodium content. The spices in a typical Bloody Mary make all that added salt unnecessary.
• Think beyond celery, olives, and lemons and pile on the fresh veggies. In past concoctions, I've used green beans, asparagus, carrots, and radish. A friend of mine loves adding okra. Instant salad!

To see the rest of the tips, read more

Bloody Marys are the quintessential brunch time drink; some might even argue that it's liquid salad. My feeling is that as long as you don't overdo it, they're a fun way to get lycopene in your diet.

Ever since I discovered shochu — a low-calorie alternative to vodka — I've been playing around with different cocktail recipes. My latest is a lighter version of the Bloody Mary but with an Asian twist, and using shochu saves you abut 100 calories. If you can't find shochu in your area, use sake or soju instead. All of these spirits contain fewer calories than vodka and complement the Asian flavors of the drink nicely.

To see the recipe, read more