A Four Part Series on the Bloody Mary – the Best Excuse for Drinking in the Daytime
From Four-Star to Dive Bar, Bloody Mary recipes are as varied as the people who drink them.
Bloody Mary Vodka Infusion
Whether served as a much needed hangover remedy, or as a compliment to a fancy brunch, devotees are often very passionate about the mix or preferred garnishes but skimp when it comes to the vodka. As a rule the better the spirit the better the drink, but if you are on a booze budget or planning a party an inexpensive vodka can be used without detracting from the overall flavor.
The recipe is easy to do at home and within a few hours of adding the assorted spices and herbs an intriguing flavor profile begins to emerge. To infuse simply add your ingredients to the vodka and store in a cool dark place and agitate daily.  This is also a good time to check the taste to asses which flavors are developing. Some flavors are quicker than others and can overwhelm the whole batch if not removed. The longer the infusion sits the more complex the flavors, and the taste test experience along the way is an enjoyable process. This trial and error is the ideal way to realize your desired result and if you feel you have made a mistake or are unhappy with the direction your infusion is taking, don’t worry. Often just removing the offending component or adding another flavor can rescue an otherwise failed infusion. Be patient and experiment.  Once your desired spiciness has been achieved,  strain the vodka and discard the solids keeping in mind that peppers will continue to grow hotter if allowed to remain in the mixture.
