How To Build A Sweet Bloody Mary Bar
Vodka, which you could also infuse with fresh horseradish or garlic or both. Pour one bottle into an airtight container with 1 tablespoon fresh grated horseradish and two roughly chopped garlic cloves. Leave for 24 hours, then strain back into the original bottle. No need to spend big here people. Vodka is merely alcohol anyway when covered with all the flavors in a Bloody Mary. I do like the Absolut Peppar, though.
Juices
Sure, you could just buy some of that overly thick and heavy tomato juice that comes in a plastic bottle or can from the local bodega or grocery store. But nothing will ever compare to freshly pressed vegetable juice. It's like making your own V-8. You will, of course, need a proper juicer for this. I like to juice fresh tomatoes, carrot, cucumber, celery and bell pepper. Prepare a day in advance if you have time and mix with a little tomato paste and a healthy pinch of salt and pepper. Leave in the fridge overnight. This juice is packed with vitamins and is much lighter, more refreshing and invigorating than the store-bought stuff. Your hangover will be a distant memory in no time. Keep this in a pitcher on your D.I.Y. bar.
Pickled
Rick's Picks makes some amazing pickles including beans, carrots, smoked okra and my favorite: phat beets. They're available at Whole Foods, or at the very least, get at least a handful of the below items:
Pepperoncini
Beans
Sour pickles
Cornichons
Olives (get a few stuffed varieties)
Onions
Corn
Caperberries
Okra
Jalapeños
Acids
Lime juice
Lemon juice
Yuzu
Balsamic vinegar
Worcestershire
Mirin
Ponzu
Chardonnay vinegar
Fresh Vegetable Garnishes
Carrot
Celery
Cucumber
Radish
Cherry tomatoes
Hot & Spicy
Tabasco: red & green (the chipotle is also delicious)
Sriracha
Togarashi (a Japanese pepper spice mix)
Cracked black pepper
White pepper
Horseradish
Harissa
Mustards
Salty
Maldon salt
Soy sauce
Celery salt
A Go-To Bloody Mary Mix
1 litre (33 ounces) fresh pressed tomato juice
2 tablespoons tomato paste
8 ounces celery juice
8 ounces cucumber juice
8 ounces carrot juice
6 ounces red bell pepper juice
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon celery salt
Recipe Suggestions
Vodka
Sake
Wasabi paste
Soy sauce
Mirin
Togarashi
Yuzu
Bloody Maria
Tequila (and/or mezcal)
Lime
Fresh cilantro, finely chopped
Chipotle Tabasco sauce
Bloody Viking
Aquavit
Pickle juice
Lemon juice
Dill, finely chopped
Bloody Luigi
Grappa
Balsamic
Lemon
Pesto
*If you want to save on costs, you can also ask your guests to bring something for the Bloody Mary bar. Just make sure you assign the items so everyone doesn't turn up with a bottle of Tabasco.
Try out these Bloody Mary recipes on Food Republic: