The Bloody Mary recipe
for your table
Add all the liquids and spices with ice to a mixing glass.
'Roll' the cocktail: gently pour it back and forth between two glasses a few times. Shaking makes tomato juice frothy and watery.
Strain into a highball glass with fresh ice.
Garnish with celery, lemon, and optionally olives or pickle.
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The story
Bartender Fernand 'Pete' Petiot claimed that he first mixed vodka with tomato juice in 1921 at Harry's New York Bar in Paris, and perfected the recipe in the 1930s at New York's St. Regis Hotel with herbs and spices. There, it was initially rather properly called 'Red Snapper', because 'Bloody Mary' was considered too vulgar. The name may refer to the English queen Mary Tudor, although more innocent explanations also circulate. The celery stalk was only added in the 1960s, when a guest in Chicago wasn't given a stirrer and grabbed one from the buffet instead.
The right glass
The Bloody Mary belongs in a generous long drink glass of 36 to 47 cl. After all, there must be room for a celery stalk to stand upright. A sturdy glass with some character suits the robust character of the drink. For brunches, a set of matching, solid glasses is ideal: this cocktail is rarely served individually. For a pitcher in which you let the mix infuse overnight, see our pitchers.
Duralex Picardie Long Drink Glass 36 cl (6 pieces)
Bormioli Rocco Diamond Long Drink Glass 47 cl (6 pieces)
Both sets together € 40,90.
The right tools
For a Bloody Mary, in addition to the glass, you use a Boston shaker, a jigger for precise measuring, a cocktail strainer, a fine strainer for double straining and a citrus juicer. These are the bar tools we use ourselves; you can find everything in our bar tools & cocktail sets.
Glassware set (our choice 01) + 5 bar tools together € 90,70.
What do you make a Bloody Mary with?
For a Bloody Mary, you need vodka. Well-known bottles include Zubrowka and Linie Aquavit. On every drink page, you can read the alcohol percentage, what it tastes like, which cocktails it pairs with and which glass you need.
Variations & twists
With tequila, it is called a Bloody Maria; with genever, a Dutch-style Red Snapper; and without alcohol, a Virgin Mary that is just as suitable for lunch. Every bar has its own spice mix: try horseradish, smoked paprika or a splash of pickle brine. The garnish can be a meal. Looking for more inspiration? Browse more than 100 cocktail recipes.
Servingtip
Make the mix an hour in advance and let it infuse in the refrigerator. The flavors meld beautifully. Feel free to set up a garnish buffet: pickles, olives, crispy bacon... in America, garnishing is a sport in its own right.
Good to know
Rolling instead of shaking
Tomato juice contains pulp, and pulp whips into foam as soon as you shake it hard. A shaken Bloody Mary therefore becomes light pink, airy and watery, which is exactly what you do not want. Rolling solves that: gently pour the mix with ice back and forth three or four times between two glasses or between a shaker and a mixing glass. You mix and chill it without destroying the texture, and the dilution stays limited. It takes ten seconds longer than shaking, and the difference is immediately visible in the deep red color.
Virgin Mary: the same flavor, no vodka
If you leave out the 4.5 cl of vodka, little is lost, because the flavor comes from the tomato juice and herbs. What does change is the length: top up with 3 cl of extra tomato juice and a splash of cold water, otherwise the drink will be too thick. Increase the lemon to 2 cl and add an extra dash of Worcestershire sauce, so the drink retains its sharpness without the bite of alcohol. A pinch of smoked paprika or a drop of soy sauce brings back the savory depth. Serve in the same tall glass with the same garnish.
Make ahead for brunch
This cocktail gets better with time. Mix tomato juice, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, Tabasco, celery salt and pepper in a pitcher and refrigerate for at least an hour, preferably overnight. The flavors infuse and the sharp edges of the Tabasco mellow. Add the vodka just before serving, 4.5 cl per glass, or place the bottle alongside so guests can pour their own. Allow 12 cl of mix per person. Stir the pitcher once more before pouring, as the salt settles to the bottom.
Garnishing as a sport
The celery stalk was only added in the 1960s, when a guest in a Chicago hotel bar grabbed a stalk from the buffet for lack of a stirrer. Since then, little has remained sacred. A lemon wedge and celery form the basis; green olives, a pickle, capers, a strip of smoked salmon or a small mozzarella ball also work well. Keep one thing in mind: everything you add imparts flavor to the drink. A pickle makes it more sour, olives saltier. More than three garnishes is mainly for show.
What is a Bloody Mary and what is in it
How does a Bloody Mary compare with the rest of the menu? Almost all classics are sweet or sour; this is the best-known savory one. What flavor profiles are in a Bloody Mary? Salt from the celery salt, acidity from the lemon, umami from the Worcestershire sauce, and heat from the Tabasco, with tomato juice as the binder. This structure explains why it works at breakfast and is rarely ordered in the evening. With 4.5 cl vodka to 9 cl juice, the glass contains about as much alcohol as a glass of wine.
Bloody Mary ingredients: what to choose
How do you make a Bloody Mary that doesn't taste thin? It starts with the juice: thick, rich tomato juice keeps the drink full-bodied, while watery juice is diluted immediately by the ice. Also pay attention to the Worcestershire sauce, because the classic version contains anchovies; if you're serving vegetarians, choose a fish-free sauce or replace it with a few drops of soy sauce. Squeeze the lemon juice fresh; bottled juice tastes flat. You can replace celery salt with fine salt and a little ground celery seed.
Frequently asked questions
What is a Bloody Mary made of?
A Bloody Mary consists of 4.5 cl vodka, 9 cl tomato juice, 1.5 cl fresh lemon juice, two dashes of Worcestershire sauce, two dashes of Tabasco, and a pinch of celery salt with freshly ground pepper. Garnish with a celery stalk and a lemon wedge. Seven components, savory rather than sweet.
How do I make a Bloody Mary cocktail?
Add all the liquids and spices to a mixing glass with ice and roll the cocktail: gently pour it back and forth between two glasses several times. Then strain into a tall glass with fresh ice and garnish with celery and lemon. Ready in two minutes.
What is the real story behind the Bloody Mary?
Bartender Fernand 'Pete' Petiot claimed that he mixed vodka with tomato juice in 1921 at Harry's New York Bar in Paris, and later perfected the recipe with spices at the St. Regis in New York. The drink was initially called Red Snapper there. The celery stalk was only added in the 1960s.
Why don't you shake a Bloody Mary?
Shaking makes tomato juice frothy and watery, which is why you roll it. Gently pouring the mixture back and forth between two glasses combines everything without ruining the texture. Serve in a 36 to 47 cl highball glass; see our highball glasses.
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