Stop the garnish wars. Let’s make good drinks!
The bloody mary is a unique cocktail with a rich history. My own theory is that it was developed, and has enjoyed such popularity, because it allows us to drink in the morning.
A dirty martini at 10am? Too hardcore. But order a bright red bloody mary and it looks like part of a juice cleanse. Throw in a fresh celery stalk for garnish, and you’re a full-on health nut. There’s lots of room to put a unique spin on the drink with various garnish options. But…
Lately there seems to be a contest across America to create the most extreme bloody mary garnish. Restaurants and bars are competing to have the next viral internet photo. And I get it.
Put a whole fried chicken on top of your bloody mary, and people are going to talk about it. They’ll come to try it. They’ll post pictures of it on social media. It’s brilliant
really. I’m all about spreading the bloody mary word. But before you start building that castle, make sure it’s not on sand.
Merriam Webster defines garnish as, “to enhance the appearance of something by adding something unessential.”
I would argue that many of these over-the-top garnishes eclipse the drink to the point of making it unessential. It’s no longer garnish. It’s garn-au-flage.
There’s nothing more disappointing than buying some $50 monster bloody mary only to watch the bartender start with a cheap bottle of pre-mix. Seriously?
You’ll take the time to gather a bushel of vegetables, bake a turkey leg, and deep fry a pickle, but you can’t make a mix from scratch?!? Priorities my friends. Let’s start with a good drink!
With that said, I fully expect a few items to adorn my morning eye-opener. Here are my current favorites:
Celery – Garnish #1. It’s bright and fresh and compliments the flavors of the drink.
Olives – Its contrasting green with red pimiento is visually pleasing, and it’s packed with flavor.
Pickle – You won’t see me dump pickle brine in my drink like some, but a dill pickle will always have a place atop my bloody. Make it fresh and crisp or skip it.
Bacon – Need I explain this?
Cucumber Spear – This is my new favorite. It’s cool and refreshing. As savory as a bloody mary is, a nice palette-cleansing cucumber yins the yang and creates balance.
To me it’s all about balance. Each ingredient and each piece of garnish should serve a purpose and complement the others. Frankly, I don’t know how some of these outrageous bloody marys balance in the literal sense!
Want to try something truly unique with your next bloody mary? Summer is a great time to experiment with various fresh ingredients. Why should rum and mint have all the fun? Let’s muddle some dill and make a Dilljito!
Diljito Bloody Mary
Ingredients
10 oz tomato Juice
3 oz vodka
2 fresh dill Sprigs
1 lemon Wedge
1 tbsp Worcestershire Sauce
2 fresh cucumber slices
Celery Stalk
1/2 tsp fresh Cracked Pepper
Glass: pint glass
Garnish: bacon, celery stalk, pickle, cucumber slice, cherry tomato
Directions
Place dill, lemon juice, pepper, and Worcestershire in the bottom of a large cocktail shaker and muddle thoroughly. Fill the shaker with ice. Pour vodka and tomato juice over ice. Shake vigorously. Strain into tall glass. Garnish with bacon and veggies. And enjoy!
