| Drink | Bloody Mary, vodka and tomato juice |
| Base | Vodka, tomato juice, lemon, Worcestershire sauce and Tabasco |
| In our recipe | 5 cl Grey Goose, 9 cl BIG TOM Bloody Mary Mix, 1 cl lemon juice, 5 ml Worcestershire, 3-5 ml Tabasco |
| Served | Over ice cubes with celery leaves, cucumber and lemon |
| Origin | Disputed. Often mentioned: Paris, 1920s. Modern version: St. Regis, New York, 1934 |
| Oldest known print | "George Jessel's Pick-Me-Up" in Charlie Conolly's book from 1939 |
| Other names | Red Snapper, "a bucket of blood" (Bucket of Blood) |
Method: how to make a Bloody Mary
Pour all ingredients into a shaker with ice and shake very gently for 5 seconds. See our Cocktail set here - perfect for the home bar
Bloody Mary: you either love it or hate it
Everyone has a relationship with the Bloody Mary cocktail - you either love it or you hate it. If it is put together correctly, it is perfect for the day after a night out, as a supplement to the breakfast buffet, the umami from the tomato juice and the alcohol from the vodka give a perfect combination. The origin can be traced back to Paris in the early 1920s, where it got the name "a bucket of blood", later it has also been called "Red Snapper", but most people know it as "Bloody Mary".
Bloody Mary history: nobody knows for sure
The Bloody Mary is one of those drinks whose history can be told five ways. Wikipedia writes that it was invented in the 1920s or 1930s, and that the origin is disputed. Here are the versions that keep coming back.
Paris and Harry's New York Bar
The most told story points to the bartender Fernand Petiot at Harry's New York Bar in Paris. The year is most often 1921, and Wikipedia writes that this rests on the word of his granddaughter and employer. Difford's Guide, on the other hand, finds no documentation for it. Harry's later became a regular stop for Ernest Hemingway and other Americans in Paris, but Wikipedia does not link Hemingway to the name. It is also here that "a bucket of blood", Bucket of Blood, is mentioned as the original name.
St. Regis and the Red Snapper
In 1934 Petiot came to the St. Regis Hotel in New York as a bartender in the King Cole Bar. According to Difford's Guide he refined an existing drink of vodka and tomato juice. Around 1935, when Vincent Astor took over the hotel, the drink was named Red Snapper. The oldest recipe for a Red Snapper with vodka is in Crosby Gaige's book from 1941. In an interview in The New Yorker in 1964 Petiot himself gave Jessel the credit for the original drink. His recipe from 1964 had, according to Wikipedia, salt, pepper, cayenne, Worcestershire sauce and lemon juice.
George Jessel and the first prints
The comedian George Jessel wrote in his autobiography from 1975 that he made the drink in Palm Beach in 1927. The oldest documentation Difford's Guide has found is Charlie Conolly's book from 1939, where "George Jessel's Pick-Me-Up" is listed as a drink of vodka and tomato juice. Lucius Beebe calls it a Bloody Mary in a column on 2 December 1939. Difford's Guide concludes that Jessel most likely came up with the basic formula of vodka and tomato juice. Read more at Difford's Guide and Wikipedia.
Why is it called Bloody Mary?
That is not settled either. Wikipedia mentions several explanations: the film star Mary Pickford, a waitress named Mary at a bar in Chicago called Bucket of Blood, and Queen Mary I of England, who got the nickname "Bloody Mary". At Harry's they tell that a guest in the 1920s thought the drink looked like his girlfriend Mary, whom he had met at a cabaret called Bucket of Blood.
Bloody Mary timeline
| 1917 | Louis Perrin serves tomato juice at French Lick Springs Hotel (Difford's Guide) |
| 1921 | The year Petiot is most often mentioned for Paris. Not documented |
| 1934 | Petiot becomes bartender in the King Cole Bar, St. Regis, New York |
| 1939 | First known print: "George Jessel's Pick-Me-Up". Bloody Mary in Beebe's column on 2 December |
| 1941 | Crosby Gaige's book has a Red Snapper with vodka |
Bloody Mary and the rest of the family
| Bloody Mary | Vodka and tomato juice |
| Red Snapper | The name from St. Regis. Today often used for a version with gin |
| Bloody Maria | Made with tequila |
| Virgin Mary | Without alcohol |
| Bull Shot | With bouillon instead of tomato juice. Popular in the late 1950s and 1960s |
How to make a better Bloody Mary
Use freshly squeezed lemon from the lemon squeezer and a tomato juice that is strong enough, like BIG TOM Bloody Mary Mix. Remember that Worcestershire and Tabasco are in ml and not cl, so it is only a few drops. Season with salt and pepper, and shake gently, as the recipe says. Garnish is a matter of taste: celery is the classic, but olives and pickles are also common. If you like vodka drinks, also try White Russian or Moscow Mule.
Frequently asked questions about the Bloody Mary recipe
What is a Bloody Mary?
A cocktail of vodka and tomato juice, spiced with Worcestershire sauce and Tabasco among other things and often served with celery.
What goes into a Bloody Mary?
Our recipe uses 5 cl vodka, 9 cl tomato juice, 1 cl freshly squeezed lemon juice, 5 ml Worcestershire sauce, 3 to 5 ml Tabasco, salt and pepper. It is served over ice cubes with celery leaves, cucumber and lemon.
Who invented the Bloody Mary?
It is disputed. Fernand Petiot of Harry's New York Bar in Paris is often mentioned with the year 1921, but Difford's Guide finds no documentation for it. The comedian George Jessel believed he invented it himself.
Why is it called a Bloody Mary?
Nobody knows. Wikipedia mentions, among others, the film star Mary Pickford, a waitress named Mary at a Chicago bar called Bucket of Blood, and Queen Mary I of England.
What is a Red Snapper?
The name the drink got at the St. Regis Hotel in New York around 1935, according to Difford's Guide. Today the name is often used for a Bloody Mary made with gin.
What is a Virgin Mary?
A Bloody Mary without alcohol.
What is the difference between a Bloody Mary and a Bloody Maria?
A Bloody Maria is made with tequila instead of vodka.
Which vodka should I use for a Bloody Mary?
We use Grey Goose. At Whisky.dk the view is that the better the products used, the better the drink you get.
How do you garnish a Bloody Mary?
We use celery leaves, cucumber and lemon. Other common garnishes are olives and pickles.
Does a Bloody Mary help with a hangover?
Many in the US believe so, but Wikipedia writes that some of the effect may be placebo.
Want to make a Bloody Mary yourself?
Here is what you need: Grey Goose vodka, BIG TOM Bloody Mary Mix and Tabasco. If you cannot find what you are looking for, the other vodka drinks are collected here.
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