Spicy Bloody Mary

A great cocktail can be indulged anytime of day and a Bloody Mary for brunch is the perfect answer. We’ve been spiking our foods with extra spice lately and the cravings of heat didn’t stop at the cocktails.

Spicy cocktails aren’t new to our line up of late night drinks. We’re familiar with heat infused drinks and one of our most popular ones is the Chili Martini. So we wanted to take the fresh chili a few steps further down the cocktail repertoire and amp up the heat level a few notches on a familiar beverage.

Take for example, the classic Bloody Mary. The wonderful savory flavors of the Spice Islands® Celery Salt and tomato juice are the perfect base for something excitingly spicy. Why not? Here is a great example of rich tomato flavors and celery salt in a glass. All we wanted to do was to celebrate it with some chili love and finally there’s a drink (or beverage) to get everyone excited about.

Make sure you proceed this recipe with chili caution. We love using fresh chili because the bright flavors of fresh spice blends so well with the Spice Islands® Celery Salt. But each chili comes with its own warning label. Depending on the chili pod and time of year, the heat level can vary tremendously.

Not stopping with the fresh chilies, we added a pinch of this, a dash of that, and pretty soon the Bloody Marys were on the level of phenomenal. What were the “this” and “that”-s?  Spice Islands® Wasabi Powder and Spice Islands® Onion Powder. And for the grand finale we tossed in a pinch of Spice Islands® Old Hickory Smoked Salt and it was “Game Over.”

Don’t go crazy with the amounts, but subtle pinches of those spices bring a whole new layer of complexity to the Bloody Marys. The Spice Islands® Wasabi gives a touch of its special bright, sinus clearing heat. The Spice Islands® Onion Powder lends a nice savory element to the cocktail, balancing the tomato juice perfectly. And the smoked salt…  Oh the Spice Islands® Old Hickory Smoked Salt! It brings a savory, deep, umami flavor to the Bloody Mary which we never imagined possible. 

Once you get learn to gauge the spice level for your own tolerance, you’ll be the hit of the brunch party with your pitcher of spicy Bloody Mary. For extra fun, rim the glass with a sprinkling of Spice Islands® Celery Salt and you’ll be a total hero at the brunch. Enjoy!

Spicy Bloody Mary Recipe
*If you plan ahead, infuse fresh horseradish into the vodka for 5-7 days before hand, otherwise use freshly grated horseradish or creamy prepared horseradish.
• 2 oz. Vodka
• 4 oz. Tomato Juice
• 1/2 oz. fresh Lemon Juice
• 1/4 t freshly grated Horseradish or Creamy prepared Horseradish *see note above
• 2 pinches Spice Islands® Celery Salt (plus more celery salt for rimming)
• 1 pinch Spice Islands® Wasabi
• 1 pinch Spice Islands® Onion Powder
• 1 pinch Spice Islands® Old Hickory Smoked Salt
• 1/2 of a Serrano or Thai Chili, crushed (or whatever chili and amount you prefer)
• 2 dashes Worcestershire Sauce

Garnish – There are a ton of variations. It is always a winner to start with a celery salted rim then finish with what you prefer…  Celery Stalk, Lemon Wedge, Lime Wedge, Pickled Green Tomatoes, Cherry Tomatoes, Olives (add a little olive juice for a dirty Bloody Mary), Baby Carrots, Cocktail Onions…
1. Rim the edge of your glass with the lemon rind. Pour a small pile of celery salt onto a plate, and run rim of glass through salt.
2. Combine all the cocktail ingredients into a mixing glass.  Add ice and roll the mixing glass to combine ingredients.  This is not a shaken cocktail.
3. Strain into an ice filled glass and garnish.