On a recent Saturday afternoon, the chairlift conversation naturally deviated to a familiar topic.
“One more run, then some après?” my friend asked.
“Of course, where and what?” I responded.
My friend was craving a good bloody mary, so we set our sights on the incredibly tasty, perfectly spicy bloody that can be enjoyed in the sunshine at the Casper Restaurant deck. And just as we were discussing the particulars of what makes a bloody mary a good one, our unknown lift companion piped in: “I hear they infuse their vodka with bacon at the Spur.”
There seem to be endless options in our small town for a bloody mary that is clearly qualified by personal taste. Care for more than one bloody mary to start your morning right? Try heading to Local on Saturday or Sunday for a bottomless version of the cocktail. Want a bloody mary with a chicken and waffle brunch entrée? Head to Café Genevieve. Want an ultra-affordable bloody mary? Head to the Silver Dollar Bar on a Tuesday, Friday or Saturday night and pick up a coupon that is good for a 99 cent bloody mary with the purchase of an breakfast entree at the Silver Dollar Grill on Wednesday, Saturday or Sunday mornings. Feeling like a little more nutrition to cure a big Friday night? Try Lotus Cafe’s bloody mary that is freshly juiced.
My favorite version of the cocktail? A bloody mary that utilizes some of my canned goods. If you’re anything like me, you still have some dilly beans and pickled cucumber spears that are staring you in the face, just begging to be used before the snow completely melts and summer begins. Try making your own version of the cocktail at home and top it off with some of your homemade goods.
Recipes vary, and I encourage you to find a mix that meets your tastes but start here.
Ingredients
- 36 ounces tomato juice (freshly juiced or store bought)
- 1 lemon, juiced
- ½ teaspoon Worcestershire Sauce
- ½ teaspoon celery salt
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
- 12-plus dashes of your favorite hot sauce
- 1.5 cups vodka
Instructions
- Add all ingredients to a shaker filled with ice, shake well and pour over ice.
- Top with your preference of the following: celery spear, olives, pickles, banana peppers, dilly beans, bacon, fresh parsley, lemon wedge.
- Number of servings (yield): 6
