A proper Bloody Mary for Sunday brunch in Jersey

First of all, you know I am a contrarian. That even extends to one of my favorite drinks, the Bloody Mary. I serve mine for guests in a martini glass. The trick to the best Bloody Mary is in the preparation of the glass and the accompanying celery, etc.

First things first, get the glass ready:

I slice a lemon and coat the rim of the martini glass.
Then I put a generous amount of celery salt in a shallow bowl.
Invert the glass and swirl it around on the salt to get a nice crust of salt on the rim.

Now the drink:

First of all, I prefer V8 instead of plain tomato juice. Three cups of V8 and one cup of your favorite vodka, you know I prefer Titos!
Pour that into a pitcher with a few scoops of ice.
Then add a generous amount of horseradish.
Make sure you can see the white of the horseradish in the mix.
Next up, cracked black pepper, the juice of one lemon, a few dashes of worcestershire sauce, a little tabasco and celery salt.
Stir with a wooden spoon and let sit in the fridge until you're ready to serve.
For the garnish, simply an olive with pimento, a slice of jalapeño pepper, a rolled anchovy and a small piece of celery to hold it on the toothpick.

Classy, delicious and easy to make yourself look like a pro behind the bar.

The post above reflects the thoughts and observations of New Jersey 101.5 talk show host Bill Spadea. Any opinions expressed are Bill's own. Bill Spadea is on the air weekdays from 6 to 10 a.m., talkin’ Jersey, taking your calls at 1-800-283-1015.