"Brunch so hard." Here at Mouth, this it's our swan song. But, ya know, sometimes we could do without the long lines, trying to organize your friends so everyone *actually* shows up on time, or the mass of brunch-goers standing up on their chair trying to get that perfect shot for insta. #brunchlife! For those times, hosting a boozy brunch at home is definitely our tune. And there’s one cocktail that always has a place on our brunch table: The Bloody Mary. Ahh, The savory Bloody —packed with earthy vegetables and garnishes up the wazoo, it verges more on appetizer than it does cocktail. And that’s just how we like it... Because go hard or go home.
But you can't do a bloody brunch like a pro until you master a pro bloody strategy. Lucky for you, we're here to help...
It's All About That Base: Bloody Mary Mix
There's nothing basic about these bases. We’ve discovered three incredible, dill-icious mixers that we keep on hand in the Mouth fridge at all times. And you should, too.
- Gordy's Pickle Jar Bloody Mary Mix—Gordy's combines pickle brine and a gazpacho-like blend of tomato juice with the kick of cherry bomb pepper. It’s so good we would drink it straight.
- The Real Dill Bloody Mary Mix—You can actually see the flecks of garlic, dill, horseradish and habanero in this spicier mix. It’s almost like a drinkable salsa. (Cue the red dress dancing emoji.)
- Preservation & Co. Original Bloody Mary Mix—Pinkies out for this one because it's packed with fancy ingredients – balsamic reduction, dijon mustard, crushed capers and green bean brine. (We're swooning, and it's not from the vodka.)
Playing with Fire: Hot Sauces for Bloodies
If you want your hair of the dog to pack a little more bite, adding a ash to your hot sauce will truly change your life. These three hot sauces have been tried, tested and trued in our bloodies.
- Humble House’s Hamajang Ghost Pepper Hot Sauce—The heat will initially go undetected, but it’ll creep up and haunt your palate. Proceed with caution! (But also, YOLO)
- Kitchen Garden’s Organic Sriracha—This fermented addition to the Bloody is better than the normal rooster sauce because it’s small-batch, farm-fresh and organic. You'll be brunching soooo #ontrend.
- ISH Premium’s Beet Horseradish—This adds a different (and some would say traditional) type of heat which will hit right in the sinuses. It pops in the glass and on the tongue. Time to start horsin’ around!
Spice it Up: Bloody Mary Seasonings
Salting your Bloody Mary rim always seems to be a hot bed of debate. Well, the Mouth teams falls on the side of religiously salting things up. Salt, along with other spices that can go on the rim, really brings out and heightens the flavor of any Bloody. Here are our top three...
- Bourbon Barrel Foods’s Bourbon Smoked Paprika—This is a spice unlike any other, adding an additional depth of flavor (aka smokiness). Mix with equal parts kosher salt for a rim.
- J.Q. Dickinson’s Bloody Mary Salt— For those who want something easy and already prepared, this savory and spicy mix of applewood smoked salt, local dried chili peppers, roasted garlic and celery seed is a winner. It can also be added to brunch dishes like egg and vegetable frittata or hashbrowns.
- Jacobsen Salt Co.’s Black Garlic Salt—This high-drama salt with umami-rich caramelized garlic is perfectly suited for any Bloody… and it’ll add to any high-drama tea that’s split over brunch as well.
Bloody Mary Garnishes: The Bouquet on Top
Leave the wilted celery stalks to the bunnies. The Bloody Mary garnish is what sets it apart from the first look. If you’re gifting one of the best Bloody Mary kits, you’ve got to step up your garnish skills. And the garnish game has also gotten competitive out there. We like to think in two camps: pickled or meaty...
- Pernicious Pickling’s Bloody Mary in a Jar—This gorgeous jar is filled with carrots, cucumbers, celery, string beans, asparagus and okra, all brined in apple cider vinegar with a little bit of spice – Bloody Mary lovers can mix and match.
- Doux South’s Pickled Tomatoes—An obvious companion to the tomato base of a Bloody, these juicy, plump and unusual pickles provide a literal burst of flavor.
- Charlito’s Cocina’s Salame Seco—A high-grade, earthy dry salami, made from pasture raised, heritage breed pork and cured with a mineral rich fleur de sel, that’s perfect for dicing up. They’ll be asking for a plateful of more salami long before they’ve hit the bottom of their glass.
- Chef's Cut Real Jerky's Applewood Uncured Bacon Jerky—Try garnishing with a breakfast item that no one can resist. Bacon as a Bloody Mary garnish has been showing up at our favorite brunch spots around Brooklyn, and we’re here for it. Add a crisp strip right to any Bloody connoisseur’s glass, and they’ll be in pig heaven. Unanimously, the Best Bloody Mary ever.
The beauty about the Bloody Mary is that it’s the ultimate cocktail to personalize. From the ready-to-go Bloody Mary Cocktail Kit to each of these ingredient hacks, every Bloody lover can experiment at brunch until they’re bloody killing it.