Bloody Mary "Drunch" Fest - a.k.a. the American Institution Known Simply as "Brunch"

Drink up! It's like a salad in a drink. With vodka. 

There seems to be a lot of chatter going around about day-drinking online, and I am not quite sure why (yet), so I thought this would be an appropriate time to share the great American tradition of the Bloody Mary and Mimosa Brunch. Recently, in London, people have been "discovering" a new trend called "Drunch". Apparently, it's a drunk brunch. To be honest, I am quite surprised that in a culture built on pub life and so fully committed to drinking, they have just discovered this. Hello England, in America, it's just called brunch, and you don't get drunk you just get tipsy. If you are doing it right, you eat too much to get properly drunk and considering it's most common on a Sunday, that's probably a good thing  (if it's Saturday, well you still have shopping to do and plans that night). We like to have a juicy cocktail with our bacon and pancakes and let me tell you this, it sure smoothes you out if you are nursing a hangover from the night before. It's funny, because just recently in Paris they laughed at me when I said that a certain (to remain nameless) champagne that was not quite working on its own but would be great with breakfast. They thought I was either kidding, or nuts. No kiddies, it's called a mimosa, it's almost healthy, and the best ones are of the bottomless variety (what's up Creme on U Street!). Mimosas are easy - champs and oj in a one-to-one ratio. Bloody Marys are an art form. 

Bloody Marys are delicious - and we Americans do not play around with making them. City, and nation wide, your brunch place is judged on your eggs benedict and your Bloody Marys. My favorite Bloody Mary in DC is at The Heights on 14th Street, which was a convenient straight shot from both my old DC place and Cyrille's, and pretty much central for all of our friends there. To give you an idea of their Bloody Mary aptitude, the entire back page of the menu was devoted to a multiple choice build-your-own guide to the perfect drink. Serious business. Other places offer the ever popular make-it-yourself bar, which although can be seen as a lazy way out of coming up with good recipes, is a sure way to get what you want. That is, if you are taught how to make one. So to get you crazy Euro-Brits started, here's your basic ingredients. Buy them all, invite your friends round, try a few versions, and enjoy. 

Start with tomato juice - a good one - you are only as good as your ingredients. Luckily on the East side of the Atlantic there is a great selection, better that the US. The gazpacho so readily available in France makes a superb base. Put it in a pint glass over ice. 

Add a good vodka - one shot or so. 

Then, think about what you like with tomatoes. Do you prefer Mexican flavor or Italian? Provence or Cajun? Let your taste preference be your guide. You really can't go wrong with the spice, the more the merrier, just add a bit at a time to find your balance. 

Essentials as seen above are worcestershire sauce, ready chopped garlic, hot sauce, s & p, but also get some horseradish, rosemary, lime juice, and old bay seasoning (available at Selfridges food hall). The more variety of hot sauces and spice you have the better. 

Shake at this point. 

Garnish it up. Celery, dill pickle, cucumber, olives, lime - I wouldn't say no to all of them together but that's why I'm a gourmand. Pick and choose to suite your flavor. Also, an addition that I had for the first time here in London, was a splash of red wine on top. Quite delish.

Enjoy, our Euro-Brit friends! Let us know how it turns out!

- Susannah