The bloody mary... the best damn drink in the world (after beer and coffee). In our house there is an enthusiasm for the bloody mary. This summer we hosted a housewarming type party with a full, and impressive bloody mary bar, including an absurd selection of mixes, vodkas that I infused with basil, cucumber, peppers, and lemongrass, and about 15 jars of homemade lacto-fermented vegetables, in addition to vegetables, meats, hot sauces, and cheese that were purchased. It was absurd, and a good time was had by all.
Today's bloody mary was a little more specific. Since it is Advent, I wanted to stick to traditional Christmassy colors. So, I started by frying
2 pieces (cut in half) of Appleton Farms Hickory Bacon (from Aldi - great value!). Then I put two cubes each of
white cheddar and
havarti on these
fancy tree skewers, and filled a wooden skewer with
grape tomatoes, green olives, and a basil leaf. Now the drink! In a ball jar I added about
6 oz Savor and Salt Mexican Bloody Mary Mix (we're usually ZingZang fans, but we try different brands and make our own from time to time),
2 oz Tito's Vodka, and topped off with
ice. The bacon and skewers were added to the jar, and a
Miller High Life and Coffee served on the side. After the photos were taken Joel comes into the room with a plate full of pickled asparagus, green bean, and green tomatoes, a Claussen Hot & Spicy Kosher Dill, and some additional hot salami. A perfect winter morning breakfast for a day dedicated to chores!
