What is it about taste buds that change? It wasn’t that long ago that I couldn’t stand the taste of a Bloody Mary. I still remember when I had my first. I was on a cruise with a bunch of friends and tried one, just to see what all the hype was about. They were buy-one-get-one free, and I was, well, hungover. Meant to be, right? But what I received was anything but memorable — at least in any good way. Needless to say, it took a while for me to try any tomato-based drinks again.
Oddly enough, I don’t remember my second Bloody Mary, or when I actually started liking them. Now, there are times I absolutely crave one. I choose brunch joints based off their Bloody game. And don’t get me started on the garnishes — the more obnoxious the better. Give me Datz’s variation with bomb-ass bacon, or the one from Ella’s Americana Folk Art Cafe with a hickory smoked rib, and I’m happy. My buddies and I recently did a Bucs tailgate and handed out Bloodys in red cups garnished with skewered Publix chicken wings. The Bloody Mary is more than a cocktail, it’s an event. It’s an engagement.
Infusing your vodka is the most obvious (and pretty much mandatory) way to take your Bloody to the next level. That bottle of vodka is just sitting there, flavorless, waiting for you to give it some bite. That’s why we’re infusing ours with three different peppers. It’s too easy not to do, and your mouth will be happier for it.
But even with our homemade infused vodka, we need to set ourselves apart a little bit more. Surprise! Our Bloody Mary isn’t bloody at all — it’s green. If you’ve ever had salsa verde on taco night (that green stuff that’s not red salsa), you’ve had tomatillos, which is what we’re using in this week’s cocktail recipe. Plus, we’re incorporating additional flavor to our drink by sticking the tomatillos under a broiler for some smokiness. If you’re really tired (read: hungover), a shortcut would be to get store-bought salsa verde and add a splash of water to loosen it up.
Dip a pint glass in crushed Doritos and throw a taquito on top as a garnish and you’ve got a cocktail that’s equal parts delicious and obnoxious. And one thing’s for sure: it’s memorable.
Makes about 4
Pepper-Infused Vodka:
1 jalapeño, sliced
1 green pepper, sliced
1 red pepper, sliced
2 cups vodka
In a 16-ounce jar with a lid, add all ingredients. Shake and let rest for 4 hours, or overnight.
Roasted Tomatillos:
2 pounds tomatillos
Wash and skin tomatillos under warm water, then cut into halves. Place them on a foil-lined baking sheet under a broiler on high for 5 minutes, or until slightly charred. Flip and repeat.
Cocktail:
Roasted tomatillos
2 teaspoons minced horseradish
3 celery stalks
1 cup water
1 handful fresh cilantro, to taste
2 limes, juiced
Pinch of salt
1 bag Cool Ranch Doritos
8 ounces pepper-infused vodka (2 ounces per drink)
4 store-bought taquitos
In a blender, add all ingredients except for the Doritos, vodka and taquito. Blend until completely liquefied. (For a thinner cocktail, strain mixture through a fine-mesh strainer.) Crush a couple handfuls of Doritos in a small bowl, rub the rim of a pint glass with a cut lime, and dip into Doritos. Add ice, vodka and blended mixture. Garnish with a taquito.
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This article appears in Feb 9-16, 2017.