Ah, Sunday. At Cubitt House, it’s our favourite day of the week (no such thing as Sunday Blues here). But achieving that mythical perfect Sunday afternoon is a delicate equation, one that we’ve tinkered with and mastered over the years so much that we are positive we’ve got it down to an artform. Now, because we like you, we’re letting you in on the secrets to the art of Sundaying, one key ingredient at a time.
With it being January and all, we thought the most sensible thing to spotlight this month would be the mighty Bloody Mary – a drink synonymous with Sunday lunch, and of course, post-Saturday hangovers.
Invented over a century ago (by who changes depending on who is telling the story, but it doesn’t really matter anyway) this savoury cocktail has long been hailed for its hangover-curing powers, served in bars and pubs up and down the country and across the pond.
Of course, there’s no better time than January to be drinking a Bloody Mary, following a month of partying in December ahead of Christmas and New Year’s Eve. And some clever clogs also decided to rename New Year’s Day as National Bloody Mary Day, which has quite the ring to it, if you ask us.
One of the few alcoholic drinks that it is completely acceptable to drink pre-midday, the Bloody Mary comprises tangy tomato juice combined with vodka, with a squeeze of lemon juice and a stick of celery as a garnish, with some purists also adding Worcestershire sauce or Tabasco to make it spicy. You can also add other savory garnishes too, like pickles or olives, depending on your taste.
It’s this excellent mix that is thought to help cure a sore head after a night of heavy drinking. While the vodka provides a little top up of alcohol in the bloodstream, the heavy vegetable juice base delivers vitamin C and salt to settle the stomach and replace lost electrolytes, both of which help to alleviate that sick feeling.
Don’t drink, or doing Dry January? Never fear – you can still savour the delights of a Bloody Mary, albeit with a fun new name. Enter: The Virgin Mary, the perfect Dry January mocktail. Yes, it’s the same delicious mix, albeit with no vodka (or you could try your favourite alcohol-free vodka instead).
Follow our recipes below to make your own at home, or better yet, why not visit one of our pubs to enjoy it being expertly prepared for you? Now that’s a great Sunday hack.
Bloody Mary Recipe:
Bloody Mary Ingredients:
Vodka
Tomato juice (2 parts tomato juice to 1 part vodka)
Lemon juice
Worcestershire sauce to taste
Tabasco to taste
Celery, pickles or olive to garnish
Instructions:
In a cocktail shaker, combine the vodka, tomato juice, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce and Tabasco. Add ice to the shaker and shake gently to combine all the ingredients. Strain into a tall glass with ice. Add your garnish and serve!
Virgin Mary Recipe:
Virgin Mary Ingredients:
Alcohol-free vodka – optional
Tomato juice
Lemon juice
Worcestershire sauce to taste
Tabasco to taste
Celery, pickles or olive to garnish
Instructions:
In a cocktail shaker, add all of the ingredients and season to taste. Add ice to the shaker and shake gently to combine all the ingredients. Strain into a tall glass with ice. Add your garnish and serve!
