Bloody Good Time

From the very first line of her book, "Bloody Marys: Sanguine Solutions for a Slew of Situations," it is evident that Portland native Judy Bennett is a very funny person. A professional physical therapist, she's also an actress, model and owner of a vintage beachwear emporium called Thousand Island Dressing. She says her wild side was nurtured by her Aunt Marie, whom Bennett calls "a hell-raiser and an unabashed professional alimony-collector." With 45 recipes and packed with Bloody Mary trivia and stories, this is a book for drinkers and teetotalers alike.

Find out what makes a good Bloody Mary, how she came up with the titles for her recipes (I particularly liked "The Way to a Man's Heart is Through His Stomach, But That's Not Where I'm Headed") and where she got the great vintage photos that illustrate the book's chapters in my article, 3 Questions: A short chat about what's cooking with Judy Bennett.

Bonus question that didn't make the cut:


Q: How many pairs of shoes do you own?

A: As of this date, I own 92 pairs of shoes. Whew, that feels better. Admitting it really is the first step. I should go to a self-help group or confession or something, but how would I decide what shoes to wear to the meetings?