It really only makes sense that New Year’s Day be National Bloody Mary Day. For those of us who partake in festivities, and those of us who are in bed by midnight, we all deserve a nice, lazy brunch – and a delicious recovery drink – to kick off the new year, don’t you think?
Buuuuut, if you’re anything like me, maybe you’ve had a slight aversion to this drink in the past. My problem is the tomato juice – I’m not a huge fan. But I do like a challenge! So when Hangar 1 Vodka asked if we’d whip up a recipe for the perfect New Year’s Day Bloody Mary, you better believe I said heck yeah!
Their craft vodka from California makes the perfect compliment to the lighter version of this veggie-filled cocktail. Here’s how we made ours…
Turn Up the Beet Bloody Mary // serves 2
4 oz chilled Hangar 1 Straight Vodka
1 ½ cups spicy tomato juice
½ cup pure beet juice
1 tbsp pepperoncini juice
½ small lemon (squeezed for juice)
1½ tsp freshly ground pepper
½ tsp horseradish
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
¼ teaspoon ground garlic
your preference for hot sauce (to taste)
Bacon salt and smoked paprika for rim
Your choice of garnish (we went with pickled asparagus, kosher pickles, rosemary, celery, peppered bacon, small beets, pimento olives and pepperoncini)
Our smaller cocktail shaker wouldn’t accommodate all the ingredients, so we mixed everything – minus the vodka and hot sauce – into a large pitcher, and stirred really well. This is a great way to make a larger batch.
Then, make each cocktail individually by adding 2 oz of Hangar 1 Vodka to a shaker, topping it off with the half of the juice mixture and adding a dash a of hot sauce over minimal ice. Shake and pour, but don’t forget to rim the glasses first!
To do so, combine the bacon salt with a bit of smoked paprika to taste, and mix. Then, flatten it out on a plate to dip the glass into. To get it to stick, simply rub lemon juice (straight from the lemon is easiest) around the rim, then place the glass rim right into the salt to coat.
And now I know you’re wondering how a gal who’s never had a Bloody Mary can possibly taste test her recipes? Well, I invited all the gals in the office to lend their opinion. The verdict? Delicious. The proportion of the beet juice to the tomato makes it lighter, but doesn’t taste too earthy. The spice could be kicked up a notch (I’m sure everyone has their preferences on that one!) and the bacon stick and salt rim is divine.
My opinion? I may be a Bloody Mary convert after all.
This post sponsored by Hangar 1 Vodka. all thoughts and styling my own.
