Loaded Bloody Mary

This Loaded Bloody Mary Cocktail is a full meal!  Spicy Horseradish compliments the tangy tomato base and it’s topped with all the foods you want to eat when drinking a Bloody Mary: a burger, beef stick, bacon, olives, chunks of cheese and a Celery Stalk!  Perfect for a brunch or watching a game!

In Minnesota, they do a Bloody Mary right. Instead of just a lonely piece of celery, they serve it with just about everything. A mini-cheeseburger, a beef stick, anything pickled (artichoke hearts, green beans) an onion ring, a whole pickle, olives, pepperoncini’s and of course in true MN fashion, any number of cheese cubes.

In continuing with some of my takeaways from my trip to Minnesota I thought I’d talk about Bloody Mary’s today, specifically a Loaded Bloody Mary! I love this drink. It works for breakfast, brunch, football Saturdays, on the golf course. Yes, pretty much anytime.

They don’t just put one thing in them, they put at least 5 in every drink. It’s fantastic, I always feel like I’m getting served an appetizer to go along with my Loaded Bloody Mary.

But that’s not all…..they also serve it with what they call a snit. A snit is a beer chaser to go with your Bloody Mary. It’s typically a 3-ounce pour in a small glass, but in Minnesota, I’ve actually been served a pint glass as a chaser with it. Snits are common anywhere in the upper Midwest. So if you order one in California they won’t necessarily know what you’re referring to.

The history of the Bloody Mary isn’t clearly defined. Some say a bartender from the famed Harry’s Bar at the Paris hotel first made it. Another story has a bartender from Harry’s coming to an NYC bar and creating it(where it is referred to as a Red Snapper) and others claim it’s a cocktail made to represent Queen Mary (the red being the bloodshed in her life.) What is agreed upon is that they are delicious!

They are very simply made. All you have to do is stir everything together in a glass. It’s easily altered to a spicier drink with more Tabasco or horseradish for those who prefer(me, me, me) I personally like having a salted rim, which pairs perfectly with the tomato juice’s acidic tang. Most people use celery salt, but I’ve found mixing celery salt with Lawry’s seasoning salt gives a little sugar in the first taste which is delicious.

There is a secret ingredient that makes this Loaded Bloody Mary incredible!!

And did I mention my secret ingredient? Bacon, yes I said bacon. That magical ingredient that makes everything better. Try it, you won’t believe how refreshing and well rounded this loaded bloody mary is!  Other bacon add ins include this Bacon Popper recipe here or a bacon wrapped meatballs like this recipe!

Cheers!

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