Bloody Mary

Spicy, salty and refreshing, the Bloody Mary has eased the hangovers of millions. Because it is designated as a “brunch drink” by many, the garnishes carry nearly as much importance as the cocktail itself. Experiment with different vegetables--or go so far as to finish your drink with a stick of beef jerky or bacon.

SKILL LEVEL Beginner

YIELD 1 cocktail (plus ½ cup Bloody Mary base)

INGREDIENTS

Bloody Mary base

• 7 ounces fresh horseradish, scraped and grated
• 5 ounces Worcestershire sauce
• 2 ounces Tabasco
• 1 ounce fresh lemon juice
• 1 ounce sherry vinegar
• ½ teaspoon celery salt
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Cocktail

• Ice
• 2 ounces vodka
• 1 tablespoon Bloody Mary base
• 5 ounces tomato juice
• Celery leaves

DIRECTIONS

1. Make the Bloody Mary base: In an airtight container, add the horseradish, Worcestershire, Tabasco, lemon juice, sherry vinegar, celery salt and salt and pepper. Stir to combine, cover and refrigerate.

2. In a cocktail shaker, add the ice, vodka, Bloody Mary base and tomato juice. Cover and shake once, then pour into a Collins glass. Finish with celery leaves.

Green Mary Is Out Of Her Can

Trademark red turns to green in this take on a Bloody Mary, which uses tart tomatillos as its base instead of tomatoes. Tequila and chiles round out the Mexican flavor profile.

SKILL LEVEL Intermediate

YIELD 1 cocktail

INGREDIENTS

• 2 small tomatillos, husked and rinsed
• 1 fresh jalapeño chile, halved and seeded
• 1 fresh serrano chile, halved and seeded
• 4 cilantro sprigs
• Pinch of salt
• Lemon wedge
• 2 lime wedges
• 1 ounce vodka
• 1 ounce silver tequila
• Ice

DIRECTIONS

1. Adjust the oven rack to the uppermost position and heat the broiler to high. Place the tomatillos on an aluminum-foil-lined rimmed baking sheet and broil until they begin to darken, about 2 minutes. Use tongs to turn tomatillos over and char their other sides, 1 to 2 minutes longer.

2. In a cocktail shaker, add the charred tomatillos (and any juices), ½ of a jalapeño, ½ of a serrano, the cilantro, salt, the lemon wedge and 1 lime wedge (save the other halves of the chiles for another use). Use a muddler to crush the chile mixture until everything is well combined. Add the vodka, tequila, 1 ounce water and ice. Cover and shake well, then strain into an ice-filled Collins glass. Garnish with the remaining lime wedge.

Tomato Water Bloody Mary

What this cocktail lacks in color, it shows off in flavor. Tomatoes are leached of their juices and spiked with aromatic ingredients to inform this simple but potent approach.

SKILL LEVEL Advanced

YIELD 1 cocktail (plus 4 cups tomato water)

INGREDIENTS

Tomato Water

• 5 pounds vine-on tomatoes, quartered
• 1 lemongrass stalk, tough outer layer removed and stalk roughly chopped
• 2 serrano chiles, sliced into thirds
• 1 small Bermuda onion (or other sweet onion, such as a Maui or a Vidalia), roughly chopped
• 2 tablespoons kosher salt

Cocktail

• Ice
• 1½ ounces citrus vodka
• ½ ounces tomato water
• Cherry tomato

DIRECTIONS

1. Make the tomato water: In a food processor, purée the tomatoes, lemongrass, chiles and onion (working in batches if needed). Pour the mixture into a large bowl and season with the salt. Place a large sheet of doubled cheesecloth in a large bowl so the ends of the cheesecloth hang over the bowl’s rim. Transfer the tomato pulp to the cheesecloth, gather the ends and secure them with twine.

2. Suspend the tomato-pulp-filled cheesecloth over a large container and strain until the pulp has condensed by two-thirds, 12 to 24 hours. Discard the pulp; cover and refrigerate the tomato water. (Alternately, line a large sieve with a double layer of cheesecloth and set over a bowl. Pour the tomato mixture into sieve and lightly drape the cheesecloth ends over the sieve; leave out at room temperature for 12 to 24 hours, discard the pulp, and refrigerate the tomato water.)

3. Make the cocktail: In a cocktail shaker, add the ice, vodka and 3½ ounces tomato water. Cover, shake once, and pour into a Collins glass. Finish with the cherry tomato.