Somehow the Bloody Mary feels so right to start a relaxing Sunday morning session. It is the pretence of drinking a salad while giving you a good kick to the body and brain alike that lets it slide down without guilt. At the same time it’s guaranteed to shift the most ingrained of hangovers.
There are so many variants but one always returns to the true Queen. What you put in it though can cause frenzied debate. Beyond the necessary vodka and tomato juice it needs good kick.
Considered essential are horseradish, lemon juice, celery salt and Tabasco then a good hit of hot sauce such as Cholula Chipotle. The debate is open. Agree to disagree. No one is perfect. Just taste as you create it up, stirring as you go, and you’ll find the perfect blend for yourself.
However the secret ingredient, shared here, is Chilli Sherry. Into a bottle of decent dry sherry slide a Jalapeño, sliced in half lengthways, and two or three fresh red chilli peppers ditto. You can leave the seeds in, just be careful not to let them slide into your drink. You’ll probably need to pour yourself a glass of sherry to make room. Leave it in a dark place for a couple of weeks to souse, occasionally giving it a shake.
Build your Bloody Mary, leaving the sherry to last. Add a decent slug, stir and taste. Just watch out for the chilli kick the first time. Note Bloody Marys should never be shaken. Long live the Queen.