My Secret Avenger

Nothing peels away the rivets of a four-alarm hangover like a Bloody Mary. Paradoxically hot and cold, it evokes memories of gazpacho, fire and the whispy longing of what you forgot the night before. If however, Bloody Marys remind you of Sunday morning, maybe it's time to not only curtail your drinking, but start re-thinking what you know about the Bloody Mary.

The Bloody Mary was invented by Fernand Petiot, a bartender at Harry's New York Bar in Paris. The basic recipe was tomato juice and vodka, nothing elaborate. It wasn't until he defected to the King Cole Bar in New York that he started doctoring it up for local New Yorker's hard hitting tastes.

I'm going to avoid talking about a specific recipe because I think the best part of a Bloody Mary is how changeable it is. I never really make the same drink twice.

The only consistent ingredient is vodka. In my opinion, you can go premium if you want, but this will be masked heavily by the other ingredients so there is no need to blow a ton of money on Chopin or Belvedere.

Now, for the tomato base you can use tomato juice if you want, but I start with V-8 because it has a much more complex flavor. Chances are, you'll garnish it with one of those eight vegetables. Another chic twist comes south of the border, Clamato.

Clamato is tomato juice and clam juice. When I first heard about Clamato, I proclaimed it natures greatest autrocity. It just seemed too bizzare. But after thinking about it, and later drinking it, the appeal was instantly overwhelming. It is the perfect Bloody Mary base. I've seen recipes that call for a dash of clam juice, and it really adds an extra dimension to the drink.

My preference is to add clam juice to V-8, but usually it is more convenient to keep a bottle of Clamato.

Now comes the fun part, all the additives that make each Bloody Mary her own unique personality. First are the sauces and heat. I like a dash of soy, dash of worchestershire, couple spurts of Tabasco. Soy? Yeah, I like a savory Mary. We've already gone down that road with a briny clam additive, so it naturally goes.

If you don't like a 'soupy' tasting Mary, I'd suggest sticking with the straight tomato, worchestershire and Tobasco. It is light and sweet, with just the right heat.

Don't restrict yourself to Tobasco, I'm just using that as a convenient name brand. The hot sauce you use depends on what your spirit, resilience and hangover dictate you want. Some like tongue-charring habanero sauce. Others like garlic flavored mild sauces. I like something right in between, like Shiracha or Louisiana Hot Sauce. To really throw things for a loop, I dash in liquid smoke and sometimes aromatic bitters. It's like drinking barbeque sauce.

Mix this up well, the last part is a nice kick to finish off. I like a tiny dallop of prepared horseradish and a quick rim of wasabi paste. They lend a nice texture when twirled into the mix. You can shred ginger, garlic or even sprinkle in cumin or dried parsely.

Your only other mandatory ingredient is pepper. Fresh ground is best, but use what you've got. It doesn't even have to be black. Pink peppercorn is delicate, so is white, but I like a mix for nice coloring.

Finally, your garnish. Celery is traditional, and it is more aesthetically pleasing to keep the leaves on the stalk. You can use a bell pepper wedge, or really any mild pepper like solano or anaheim. An uncut jalapeno looks nice, but if you're a masochist, but it on a bias. Live a little. Any vegetable is suitable, from zucchini to pumpkin wedge.

Experiment a little, but avoid pre made mixers. Even straight V8 and vodka makes a quick, competant Mary. You don't really even have to stick to vodka. Whiskey adds an extra woody, smoky flavor to compliment the overall taste. Have you ever heard of a Ruddy Mary? That uses beer as the base. It is a good light alcohol drink.

You want to know the truth? Almost any liquor can be substituted, because the strength of the other ingredients masks it anyhow. Of course, it won't be a Bloody Mary, but it will be a hearty, eye opening drink. Lighter, sweeter Bloody Marys are good for brunch, while the more heavy, complex ones go well with cheese appetizers and sun dried tomato dip. No matter how you like it, hopefully it will be something you're drinking voluntarily, and not medicinally.