Ahead of CL's Veg Out! Bloody Mary Competition Sunday at downtown St. Pete's Williams Park, we explore the vegetarian Bloody Mary.
A most quintessential savory brunch cocktail, the Bloody Mary has evolved into something of a feat of strength for establishments catering to the Sunday noonish hangover crowd.
At many a bar serving its own take on the beverage, shrimp, a strip of bacon and even something tantamount to a White Castle slider can be seen skewered among the day-drinking staple’s requisite olives and celery ribs.
But there is a method of Bloody Mary preparation few have tried to pull off: a vegetarian one.
You read that right.
Whether or not there’s a chunk of meat on its swizzle stick, your average Bloody Mary is not vegetarian. That’s because, in addition to tomato juice, celery salt, pepper, pickle juice, etc. (seriously, vodka and plain tomato juice, even additive-heavy V-8, would be kinda gross), the standard recipe calls for Worcestershire sauce.
A savory staple for many non-vegetarians, Worcestershire is typically not vegan; not even vegetarian. Why? Anchovy is a key ingredient in the sauce. Tiny, salty fish, anchovies are perhaps best known as much-maligned pizza toppings.
Chances are, whether or not your bartender makes her own mix or uses a ready-made one like Zing Zang, the delicious red concoction she serves will have at least a splash of Worcestershire. While there are vegetarian and vegan variations for the sauce, it’s doubtful a bar would go out of its way to pick up a bottle of veg-friendly stuff at Rollin’ Oats or Whole Foods for the handful of people who care what’s in their Bloody.
Certainly there are vegetarians out there who don’t mind if they imbibe traces of fish sauce, but for those who want to do veg right, it’s a bummer. And for vegans, there’s no wiggle room.
The classic cocktail’s subtle use of a non-veg ingredient is another example of the potential screw-ups that vegetarians and vegans often come across unwittingly in daily lives.
Fans of Thai curries, for example, will be disappointed to hear they are often made with fish sauce. And some beers and wines, believe it or not, are processed with help from substances like isinglass, a clarifying agent made from sturgeon swim bladders. The internet is quite helpful in directing you to companies and brands that eschew animal components, thankfully.
But the good thing is, you can also always ask.
Go to a place like Red Mesa Cantina and the bartender will likely know that, indeed, the premade mix has exactly what you’re not looking for. If the place isn’t too busy (no promises here), though, the restaurant may be able to mix a veg version on the spot.
Of course, you can get a mimosa — assuming the bubbly they serve wasn’t made with help from fish innards. (Google is your friend.)
And if all else fails, order a screwdriver.
