The Bloody Mary Myth

In 1934, Fernand Petiot invented a drink by mixing tomato juice, tabasco sauce, lemon juice and horseradish with gin. He called it the Red Snapper... a fine name befitting a fine drink. It became all the rage at the King Cole Bar in the St. Regis Hotel in New York City.

Soon other bars started serving the drink and calling it the Bloody Mary. The St. Regis did not change the name because they deemed the name Bloody Mary too explicit for their high-class clientele. As the Bloody Mary grew more popular bars began substituting vodka for gin as a cost-saving measure. However, this substitution greatly diluted the complex richness of the flavor of the Red Snapper. Over time, the vodka Bloody Mary spread all over the United States and the name and inferior recipe stuck.

However, The St. Regis still serves the classic Red Snapper as well many variations upon the famous recipe (including one that requires a reservation 24 hours in advance).

Here's a simple recipe for making the perfect Red Snapper... aka the perfect Bloody Mary!

Ingredients

Ice
Measure TANQUERAY® gin
Lemon wedge/juice
Good splash Worcestershire sauce
Tabasco
Salt
150ml tomato juice
Celery stick
Black pepper

Garnish

Celery stick (with leaves), black pepper

Method

1. Fill glass with ice
2. Put plenty of ice in Boston shaker
3. Pour in TANQUERAY® gin
4. Squeeze in some lemon juice
5. Add Worcestershire sauce
6. Splash in Tabasco
7. Add two pinches of salt
8. Pour in tomato juice and roll around or shake slowly
9. Strain into Tom Collins glass
10. Garnish with celery stick and black pepper

Enjoy an authentic Red Snapper!