Bloody Delicious!
Whatever your taste preference, there’s a Bloody Mary for you.
WHETHER IN ITS alcohol-free form dubbed Virgin Mary or the more complicated Bloody Joseph, featuring Scotch whiskey, the Bloody Mary is a cocktail with countless variations—not to mention diehard fans eager to start their Sunday brunch with this malleable beverage.
The origin of this iconic drink is up for debate. Some say it was named after Queen Mary Tudor of England and her bloody persecution of Protestants in the 1500s. Or that it’s a take on the oyster cocktail, an alcohol-free drink containing tomato juice, oysters, lemon juice and hot sauce, served warm in the 1890s. During the Roaring ‘20s, Worcestershire sauce took the place of the oysters in a drink now served over ice.
Still other cocktail historians assert that the Bloody Mary got its start with bartender Ferdinand “Pete” Petiot at Harry’s Bar in Paris around 1920. Because his Russian-immigrant customers loved vodka (which he disliked) he mixed up a cocktail combining the spirit with American tomato juice (at the time new to France), black pepper, lemon and Worcestershire sauce. The Russians loved it and supposedly so did Ernest Hemingway, a regular at Harry’s. Legend states that the prodigious drinker was dating someone named Mary and he wanted to hide the smell of alcohol on his breath. He asked for a drink that would accomplish this goal, all the while muttering “bloody Mary.”
In his autobiography The World I Lived In, comedian George Jessel claims he invented the drink in Palm Beach in 1927. Known for exaggeration and bravado, Jessel claims that after a night of drinking champagne, he mixed a concoction of vodka, Worcestershire sauce, tomato juice and lemon juice to relieve his hangover. Friends joined him, including socialite Mary Brown Warburton, who spilled the drink on her white dress, proclaiming, “Now, you can call me Bloody Mary!”
After World War II this transcontinental cocktail became even more popular. In the 1960s June and Herb Taylor created Mr & Mrs T® Original Bloody Mary Mix, which by 1997 had 62 percent of the Bloody Mary mix market. The drink’s popularity continued to grow, and the 1980s and ‘90s saw the Bloody Mary become the international phenomenon that continues today.
Whatever its origin, Metro Detroiters are fortunate to have a plethora of local establishments that serve outstanding examples of this classic cocktail. Bobcat Bonnie’s offers a make-your-own Bloody Mary bar on weekends at each of its six area locations. Customers start with a shot of Tito’s Handmade Vodka in a glass before choosing their own preferred “fixings”—mixes, sauces, seasonings, and meats, cheeses and vegetables—to finish it off.
At the historic downtown Detroit Grand Trunk Pub, Bloody Mary variations are part of the weekend brunch menu.
“The ‘Hair of the Dog’ is served using our vegan in-house recipe with the addition of bacon and a mini grilled cheese sandwich,” says Lina Fisher, general manager, adding that their drinks weigh in at a hefty 22 ounces, practically a meal in themselves. “The ‘Not Your Garden Variety’ has a pickle, tomatoes and cucumber, in addition to the stalk of celery. We use a whole lot of spices and let them marinate in the tomato juice a minimum of overnight.”
John and Shirley Vivio opened the original Vivio’s in Detroit’s Eastern Market in 1967. Their Bloody Marys were such a hit they began selling their own liquid mix retail in 2003. Now both their Detroit and Warren location, opened in 2010, highlight the drink by featuring their own Bloody Mary of the Month, says Dan Esslinger, manager in Detroit.
“We also use different spirits for the unique versions, which truly sets our Bloody Marys apart from others,” says Esslinger, adding that they serve no fewer than 16 variations daily (including the monthly special), each coming with a beer chaser. The Mussolini Meanie, with grappa instead of vodka, a pickle spear, lime and Sicilian olives is one of their more unusual selections.
For those who prefer to mix their own at home, Dillicious Canned Goods in Detroit produces a ready-to-pour mix featuring their own pickle juice. Dillicious also makes and retails dill pickle spears/slices, pickled asparagus and a Bloody Mary hot sauce.
“People started pouring my pickle juice into their Bloody Marys and I thought, ‘I can make an even better mix,’” says Kirsten Hibbs, owner and production manager, who started Dillicious in 2017. “My husband and I love Red Snappers using my made-from-scratch mix.”
Spicy Mike’s Handcrafted Seasonings offers a local dry mix. Mike Bargardi started creating spice mixes in 2007 using “only domestic spices whenever possible” and no MSG or preservatives.
“My Bloody Mary mix is vegan and gluten free,” says Bargardi. “It’s best to let the mix marinate in the tomato juice for a minimum of 24 hours.”
Around these parts, we can’t forget McClure’s. A Michigan-based business founded by brothers Bob and Joe McClure in 2006, McClure’s is now a highly popular multifaceted pickling operation, including a Bloody Mary Mixer in original (very garlicky) and mild.
Learn more at Bobcat Bonnie’s, bobcatbonnies.com; Grand Trunk Pub, grandtrunk.pub; Vivio’s, viviosdetroit.net and vivioswarrenmi.com; Dillicious, Dillicious.us; Spicy Mike’s Handcrafted Seasonings, spicymikesseasonings.com; McClure’s, mcclures.com.
WHY IS THIS COCKTAIL REVERED FOR BEING A CURE FOR HANGOVERS?
A Bloody Mary’s tomato juice contains vitamins B6 and C, among others, and lycopene, which along with electrolytes, sodium and potassium can help ease a hangover’s effects.
VARIATIONS ON A THEME
Bloody Caesar, with clam juice or Clamato®
Bloody Derby, with bourbon
Bloody Eight, using V8®
Bloody Hot, with pepper-infused vodka
Bloody Joseph, using Scotch whiskey
Bloody Maria, with tequila or mezcal
Bloody Pirate, using dark rum
Michelada, using beer
Red Snapper, using gin
Virgin Mary, a nonalcoholic version omitting all spirits
