The Mary Chronicles: Bloody Good!

You gotta love a husband who walks in the door after a long day at work, breathes in the smell of the tomatoes that have just come off the grill and says, "I bet that would make a great Bloody Mary. Want to try one?"

The only answer I ever have to questions like that is, "Yes, please!"

So we hauled out our Bloody Mary bible, Judy Bennett's "Bloody Marys: Sanguine Solutions for a Slew of Situations," and, using her basic recipe, made what I think even Fernand Petiot, the guy who is credited with first combining tomato juice and vodka, would consider a fine addition to the genre.

Smoky Mary

Adapted from "Bloody Marys: Sanguine Solutions for a Slew of Situations," by Judy Bennett

Makes one drink

2 shots Monopolowa Vodka
2 shots smoked tomato sauce*
2 tsp. lemon juice
2-4 dashes salt
2 dashes black pepper
2 dashes cayenne
3 dashes Worcestershire sauce
1 lime wedge, to serve

If you're like me and don't strain your tomato sauce when it comes off the grill, just put a half cup or so of sauce into a blender and blend till smooth. Put all ingredients except for the lime into a cocktail shaker and fill with ice. Shake and strain into an Old Fashioned glass. Gently squeeze the lime wedge over the drink so you extract some of the juice but don't deform the fruit. Drop the wedge into the glass before serving.

Part of the delight of a Bloody Mary for me is the condiments that come with it, often derisively referred to as "salad." The best pickled vegetables are made by the folks at Mama Lil's, especially their pickled asparagus and pickled beans. Throw in a spear of celery and an olive and it's practically a meal.

* You could also use canned fire-roasted tomatoes instead of tomatoes roasted on the grill.

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?