Have you ever tried to find a word that rhymes with “caprese”? Go ‘head, I’ll wait.
Sanguinoso (bloody) Consolata (consoled) was the best I could come up with to designate this Italian-inspired, caprese-decorated version of a Bloody Mary. Plus, it’s fun to say when you’ve had a few. The Bloody Mary, in my opinion, is a comfort cocktail. It comforts the hangover right out of your body. It acts as a meal replacement and you can drink so many without getting too full. How is that even possible? There are a number of theories about how the Bloody Mary was invented. My favorite is from comedian George Jessel claiming to have invented it after being on an all-night bender with his friends in Palm Beach and whipping up potato vodka, tomato juice, and spices for the whole crew at 8 a.m. This is in 1927. Can you imagine the shenanigans? Socialite Mary Brown Warburton does her walk of shame into their morning-after party wearing her white gown from the night before. Jessel hands her the red cocktail and she clumsily spills it down the front of her dress, exclaiming, “Well, now you can call me Bloody Mary, George!” Leave it to a comedian to stretch the truth for a good laugh. Instead of potato vodka, which is my second go-to for this drink, I chose Tom’s Town once again because the sweetness of the vodka makes the tangy balsamic and bright herbaceous notes pop.
Ingredients
- 1½ ounces Tom’s Town Double Grain Vodka
- ½ ounce lemon juice
- 5 ounces Balsamic Bloody Mary Mix*
- Mozzarella balls, fresh basil, cherry tomatoes for garnish
- 2-2½ pounds tomatoes, cut into chunks (this is a personal preference thing, just make sure they are plump and juicy)
- ½ cup balsamic vinegar
- Olive oil
- 1 large bunch fresh basil, reserve some for garnish
- Salt and pepper
- Sugar
- Garlic powder
- Onion powder
- Red pepper flakes
- Italian seasoning
- Hot sauce
- Horseradish
- Olive brine
- Fresh lemons, reserve some for juicing and some for garnish if desired
Preparation
Rim 10-12 ounce glass with coarse sea salt or a blend of Italian seasoning, red pepper flakes, salt, pepper, and as many left over powdered parmesan packets you can find. Fill with ice. Add vodka. Top with Bloody Mary mix. Pour the drink back and forth between your serving glass and a pint glass/ shaker tin/anything bigger than the drink. We call this technique rolling. Why roll? You want to mix the ingredients, slightly diluting and chilling without incorporating a bunch of air and changing the texture of the drink. Or shake it for all I care, you’ll just dilute it faster thus having to drink it faster. I guess that’s not so bad. Finish the drink with a caprese salad skewer or other favorite Bloody Mary garnishes. Fried calamari comes to mind.
*Balsamic Bloody Mary Mix
You might’ve noticed I didn’t give exact proportions on the seasonings. That’s because, like with a martini, everyone likes their Bloody Mary exactly the way they like it. Throw in a dash here, a sprinkle there. It’s all personal taste, and honestly, I rarely make mine the same way twice. It’s all in how I’m feeling that day and THAT, ladies and gentlemen, is freedom. Also, it depends on which tomatoes and what kind of balsamic you use. Just wing it and trust yourself.
Heat a large drizzle of olive oil in large saucepan over medium heat. Add tomatoes and vinegar, toss to coat, then cook down for about 12-15 minutes or until tomatoes are blistered and balsamic starts to thicken. If you reduce too much or use less than juicy tomatoes, you might have to add water or tomato juice at the end to get the consistency you want. Add a handful of fresh basil with a sprinkle of salt and pepper and blend until smooth with stand or hand blender. Strain through medium mesh sieve into large pitcher, lightly pressing on solids. Season to taste and thin out if desired. Let cool, cover, and refrigerate at least one hour and up to three days.
