I won’t bore you with the details but something set me barking up the tree of making Bloody Marys with an Italian twist, my dilemma being how to add that sospetto d’Italiano without spending yet more money.
Unlikely inspiration strikes in the form of a Martini Rosso bottle, bought for a bout of Americano/Negroni mixing but left to languish on the shelf for many a month. I mean, what do you really need Martini Rosso for, once you’re past legal drinking age? I gave its neck a doubtful sniff while holding the taste of tomato in my mind and whaddyouknow – the herbal aromas which give vermouth its character conjured a pretty appetising spectre. I’m not about to replace the vodka entirely mind – there’s a fine line between innovation and absurdity – but a dash or two of red vermouth could stand in quite nicely for the oft-suggested dose of dry sherry, surely?
You betcha it can. It tastes so good that’s how I’ll be blending together this blessed brunch-time bevvy from now on … until the bottle’s finished that is: waste not want not!
Maria Sanguinosa
- 50cl vodka per person
- 100 – 150cl tomato juice per person ( Big Tom spiced is brilliant)
- 20cl Martini Rosso per person
- 2 shakes each: Tabasco Green, Chipotle and Regular
- 1 teaspoon grated horseradish
- 2 smart shakes Worcestershire Sauce (couldn’t resist the Special Edition Extra Matured)
Combine vodka, tomato juice, Martini Rosso, Tabasco and Worcestershire sauces and horseradish in a glass pitcher and stir (preferably with a glass swizzle stick) to mix. Frost highball glasses using lime juice and celery salt and tumble a couple of cubes or so of ice in each, then top up with the vodka mixture. Garnish with a leafy celery stick snapped from the inner heart. Imbibe gently, not forgetting plenty of tasty brunch food to soak it up.
Gastroplod 