The Best Bloody Mary

OK, so I've been bartending a lot this summer at a resort swimming pool. Guess what the most popular first-drink-of-the-day is...you got it! It's a Bloody Mary!

I will admit that other drinks take over in popularity as the day goes on and early evening approaches. But from opening time (usually Noon during the week and 11:00 a.m. on weekends) until about 2:00 p.m., the Bloody Mary reigns. Here's a photo of a Bloody at opening time - first one of the day on an sunny Friday morning.

 

And here's how to make The Best Bloody Mary:

Fill a tall glass (plastic at poolside) with ice.

• Add 2 oz. vodka of your choice. We use Hangar One, which is a locally made vodka.
• Fill with canned tomato juice (not Bloody Mary mix, you'll notice)
• Add a tablespoon Worchestershire sauce (or more)
• Add a few drops Tobasco Sauce (or more)
• Add a good sprinkling of ground pepper
• Add 1/4 teaspoon of prepared horseradish (or more). We use Beaver Extra Hot.

Stir very well to mix in the horseradish.

We garnish with olives and a lemon wedge. Celery sticks are traditional. Lime is also good, as are pickled green beans and peperoncini. You get the picture, be creative with the garnish, although savory works better than sweet.

Here's the view from my bar. Pretty cool, huh?

A thought for this day, September 11, 2012: When we fight hate with love, we win.