Have you ever wished that it was more socially acceptable to drink a Bloody Mary in the evening? Have you ever been at brunch and wished that there was something a little stronger on the menu? Do you just love weird Martini variations (like I do)? Well, then I have the cocktail for you.
The inspiration for this drink was Split Rock Distilling‘s horseradish vodka. It’s a match made in heaven for a Bloody Mary, but I almost never make them, so it had been sitting on my shelf, sadly collecting dust, until this flash of inspiration. A Bloody Mary meets a classic Martini (or, as it turned out, more of a Vesper Martini). It’s a little savory, a little spicy, and honestly perfect.
If you don’t have horseradish vodka, you can easily make your own by infusing your favorite vodka with horseradish root. If you can find fresh horseradish root, fantastic – peel it, slice it up, and mix it with some vodka. Otherwise, the jarred stuff will work – I’d try a 1/2 tsp to 1 teaspoon per cup of vodka, depending on how spicy you want it. Either way, let it infuse for a few days and then fine-strain out the solids.
Another unusual ingredient in this drink is “tomato water,” which might not be a universal term, but it was the closest I could find to describe what I used. Tomato juice usually contains the pulpy parts of the tomato, cooked down and pureed. Tomato water is the liquid stuff around the seeds of the tomato. You only need a little for this drink. To make it, set a mesh strainer over a cup and cut a tomato in half. Gently squeeze the seeds and liquid into the strainer, stirring and pressing on the seeds to extract the liquid into the cup below.
This cocktail definitely falls in the weird-but-good category, but when you really think about it, so does the Bloody Mary itself!
Bloody Mary Martini
1.5 oz. gin
3/4 oz. horseradish vodka
1/2 oz. Lillet Blanc
1/4 oz. tomato water
1 dash celery bitters
Stir all ingredients with ice until very cold. Strain into a chilled cocktail glass or coupe. Garnish with a cherry tomato, celery, and Cajun seasoning.