Why Shouldn't Bloody Marys be Limited to Mornings?
Start the year right at Hi-Lo Diner, where the Bloody Marys flow on January 1st Discover the cloudy origin story and why this bold drink is the perfect kickoff, but maybe not the finale, to your day
On January 1, the Hi-Lo Diner is typically bustling with patrons, some still in a celebratory mood from the previous night. They fill the booths and indulge in American classics from the menu, such as the popular brunch item: the Hi-Lo Bloody, served with a "snit" (chaser) of a 7-ounce Miller High Life beer.
The Bloody Mary is a thick cocktail packed with vegetables and vodka, often enjoyed by those looking to ease the aftereffects of previous night's excessive drinking.
"It's known for its healing properties," explained Brian Bartels, a restaurateur, seasoned bartender, and author of "The Bloody Mary: The Lore and Legend of a Cocktail Classic," in a CNN interview.
"He said that some of his friends refer to it as soup or cocktail soup at times. When we think of soup, it's usually because we're feeling unwell and need something to make us feel better."
Coincidentally, January 1 is National Bloody Mary Day.
Monday mornings at the Hi-Lo Diner and other breakfast and brunch spots across the United States will be flowing with Bloody Mary drinks. However, as the afternoon approaches, the availability of the crimson concoctions will be limited. This is due to the unspoken rule that the Bloody Mary is typically only served during breakfast and brunch hours.
Plus, bartenders hate making it. (More on that later.)
A cloudy origin story
The origins of the Bloody Mary are as mysterious as the events of a wild night. One popular theory claims that the drink was invented in Paris in 1921 by bartender Fernand "Pete" Petiot at Harry's New York Bar (also known as The New York Bar). He is said to have created the alcoholic tomato juice cocktail seasoned with salt, pepper, and a few dashes of Worcestershire sauce.
Actor George Jessel, also known as the "Toastmaster General of the United States" for frequently emceeing events, was believed to have created the drink in 1927 in Palm Beach, Florida. This was after a softball game turned into an all-night-and-next-day bender, according to a Bloody Mary history published in Diffords Guide by Jack McGarry, owner of New York City's Dead Rabbit.
In an attempt to cover the "rotten potatoes" smell of a dusty vodka bottle, Jessel claimed to have mixed Worcestershire sauce, tomato juice, and lemon, as mentioned in his autobiography "The World I Lived In!" cited by McGarry.
Fernand Petiot, bartender at Harry's New York Bar in Paris.
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"After we had taken a few quaffs, we all started to feel a little better," Jessel wrote, according to McGarry. "The mixture seemed to knock out the butterflies."
Petiot acknowledged Jessel's claim of invention in a 1964 "New Yorker" interview, but asserted that his own addition of salt, pepper, cayenne, Worcestershire sauce, and lemon juice transformed it into a complete cocktail. According to Bartels' book, "Jessel takes credit for the combination of vodka, Worcestershire sauce, and tomato juice, and Petiot modernized it with spices and seasoning. This is the most credible origin story to me."
Prior to the invention of the Bloody Mary, Americans in the 19th century relied on the oyster cocktail and prairie oyster as remedies for hangovers. The oyster cocktail consisted of small oysters mixed with salt and hot sauce, while the prairie oyster included a raw egg with spices, Worcestershire, and Tabasco. Additionally, in the 1920s, the commercial launch of tomato juice promoted it as a health tonic.
Contrary to popular belief, both official and unofficial research have shown that the Bloody Mary is not an effective cure for hangovers, as reported by food science blog Serious Eats.
According to the site, the non-alcoholic ingredients of a Bloody Mary, such as electrolytes, water, Vitamin C, and Vitamin B6, may be beneficial for a hangover, but the vodka itself is not.
In addition to the restorative, "hair of the dog" elementswhich play well with the drinks originsother reasons for the early-day assignment are cultural and, simply, practical.
Something stronger to start ⦠but maybe not end the day
Crafting a Bloody Mary can be a time-consuming process that requires multiple steps for bartenders, even if there is a pre-made mix available. There is a wealth of online discussion, particularly on bartenders' Reddit boards, that supports the idea that ordering a Bloody Mary in the evening, and especially at night, is considered bad form.
A Reddit thread on the r/bartenders group suggests renaming Bloody Marys to "Bartenders Nightmare" after 9 pm to discourage the ignorant. However, there is no strict rule preventing the drink from being made or enjoyed at any time of day.
The customization options for Bloody Marys are endless, with many substituting traditional ingredients like tomato juice and vodka. In addition, restaurants and bars have upped their garnish game in recent years, taking it to a whole new level.
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Many restaurants and bars across the country dont put any time restrictions on their Bloodys.
The Blind Pelican Seafood House, based in North Carolina, has become well-known for its creation of large, meal-sized Bloody Marys. According to Rich Foil, a manager at The Blind Pelican, these drinks are popular all day, especially on weekends, and are often one of the last items served by the kitchen for the day.
During Covid, the Blind Pelican enhanced its Bloody Mary offerings with extravagant and towering versions crafted by bar manager Josh Self. These revamped drinks include pounds of surf and turf as well as unique garnishes like grilled cheese.
One standout creation, the "Lobstrocity," boasts garnishes of shrimp, bacon, grilled cheese, and a lobster tail atop the Titos vodka Bloody Mary, priced at $40. The beloved "Medusa," starting at $100, takes it up a notch with a full pound of crab legs and a 6-ounce filet mignon in addition to everything the Lobstrocity has to offer.
Some of the build-your-own Bloody Marys can run over $1,000, Foil said.
For the easier-on-the-wallet option, the veggie-loaded classic Bloody Mary there starts at $11.50.
The anytime Bloody Mary can also be influenced by regional or cultural preferences, according to Shelley Buchanan, founder of the Drunken Tomato, a Bloody Mary-focused blog and magazine that hosts an international Bloody Mary competition.
"In Wisconsin, it's completely acceptable to enjoy a Bloody Mary at any time of the day; the same goes for London... it's always available on the menu," she explained. "But in a place like San Francisco, trying to order a Bloody Mary at 3 pm will likely result in a refusal."
In addition to regional variations (see the Minneapolis snit), Bloody Marys offer a high level of customization, according to Bartels, who pointed out that each person has their own unique preferences and often request adjustments. [For example, this reporter wouldn't mind a few generous dashes of A.1. sauce.]
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The 'Hi-Lo Bloody' at Minneapolis, Minnesota's Hi-Lo Diner features a blend of unique African spices, house-made vegan Worcestershire sauce, and is garnished with non-vegan buffalo cheese curd and a Slim Jim bit. Thanks to Ryan Barott for the image.
The manager of Hi-Lo, Ryan Barott, mentioned that the restaurant's wait staff is willing to make adjustments such as substituting vodka for other alcohol or adding more spice to dishes upon request. However, the majority of these requests are made in the first half of the day. Barott noted that it is rare to see a customer order a Bloody Mary after 3 pm, happening only a few times a week.
"He honestly believes it's more about tradition than anything else," he remarked. "I think people are now conditioned to believe that if you're going to drink in the morning, the options are limited to a mimosa or Bloody Mary."
