Bloody Mary
The Bloody Mary is a Cocktail which consists of Vodka, and Spiced Tomato Juice.
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History of the Bloody Mary
M. Ferdinand Petiot was profiled in The New Yorker, 18 July 1964, Petoit explains:
“I initiated the Bloody Mary of today,” he told us. “George Jessel said he created it, but it was really nothing but vodka and tomato juice when I took it over. I cover the bottom of the shaker with four large dashes of salt, two dashes of black pepper, two dashes of cayenne pepper, and a layer of Worcestershire sauce; I then add a dash of lemon juice and some cracked ice, put in two ounces of vodka and two ounces of thick tomato juice, shake, strain, and pour. We serve a hundred to a hundred and fifty Bloody Marys a day here in the King Cole Room and in the other restaurants and the banquet rooms.”
According to "Vintage Cocktails" by Susan Waggoner and Robert Markel:
"The undisputed fact is that a prototype of the drink was mixed by the famous bartender Fernand "Pete" Petiot at Harry's Bar in Paris, circa 1921, and dubbed a 'Bucket of Blood' by one of the bar's patrons. After Prohibition's repeal, Petiot took a position at the St. Regis Hotel's King Cole Bar in New York, bringing his armamentarium of drinks with him. However, the swank St. Regis feared the Bloody Mary's gruesome name might offend some patrons, so the drink made its stateside debut as the Red Snapper."
Historical References/ Citations
“This New York” by Lucius Beebe, New York Herald Tribune, 2 December 1939
"George Jessel’s newest pick-me-up which is receiving attention from the town’s paragraphers is called a Bloody Mary: half tomato juice, half vodka."
“Personal Preferences of Personages” by Lucius Beebe, New York Herald Tribune, 27 July 1940
"George Jessel thrives on an arrangement of half vodka and half tomato juice, known as a Bloody Mary."
"The Berkshire Evening Eagle", (1949)
By Robert Ruark.
"Vodka, I find, is becoming increasingly popular among the tipplers, and you know what country makes vodka. Enjoying considerable vogue right now is a nauseous blend of vodka and tomato juice, which- is called a bloody Mary and purports to cure early morning anguish without crippling or blinding the patient."
"Fort Pierce News-tribune" (1952)
"The most popular right now is the 'Bloody Mary' or 'Red Snapper' — a big glass of tomato juice with Worcestershire sauce, celery salt and a jigger of vodka," he said, "The tomato juice and Worcestershire sauce soothe the stomach. Don't know what they want the vodka in it for."
HOUSE & GARDEN, January 1956
"BLOODY MARY: Many people feel that the Bloody Mary is the answer to all next-day worries and since its creation it has become one of the two most favorite lunch time cocktails in New York."
Tomato Juice Cocktails
"HERE'S HOW AGAIN!", By Judge Jr., The John Day Company, NY, 1929
The Tomato Cocktail
(Non-alcoholic) This very simple concoction is guaranteed to pick you up no matter how low you have fallen.
Take a can of tomato soup and place in a shaker full of ice. Add a few dashes of Worcestershire Sauce and shake well.
"Noble Experiments" (3rd volume in the Hereʼs How Series), By Judge Jr., John Day Company, NY, 1930
The Tomato Juice Cocktail
Strain a can of Delford tomatoes, add salt and shake with 2 or 3 cubes of ice. Worcestershire, tobasco or pepper may be added if desired.
Similar Drinks
Red Snapper
'Crosby Gaige's Cocktail Guide and Ladies' Companion.' (1941)
- 1 1/2 ounces tomato juice
- 1 1/2 ounces vodka
- 2 dashes Worcestershire sauce
- 2 dashes fresh lemon juice
- Salt to taste
- Cayenne pepper to taste
Combine all ingredients. Shake, then strain into a chilled cocktail glass.
The Squat
Oakland Tribune," 5th January 1941.
"Eddie Sutherland's bar invention "The Squat," an arrangement of vodka and tomato juice closely allied to George Jessel's "Bloody Mary."
Vishinsky
Washington Post, 16th June 1949.
"A publicity-wise bartender created a special cocktail for Vishinsky, named it after his Soviet inspiration. The recipe, three parts vodka, one part tomato juice, proved singularly disappointing to those who frequent New York's St. Regis."
Bloody Mary Quotes
"Don't destroy the heart of the drink, which is the sweetness of the tomato juice. Too much Worcestershire or hot sauce will make the drink muddy and too spicy. Lemon juice is a must with tomato juice, and so the Bloody Mary should always have a squeeze of lemon juice." - Dale DeGroff.
