A Sexier Bloody Mary (A FEATURED Article from EPICURIOUS)

BLOODY MARY

( by JJ Goode)

"The old-school version of this classic morning-after drink just doesn't cut it for Todd Thrasher, sommelier, general manager, and "chief floor sweeper" at the acclaimed Restaurant Eve, in Alexandria, VA. His myriad job titles also include "drink maker," a low-key designation for someone who truly deserves the hackneyed "bar chef" moniker. This is a guy who makes four types of ice cubes and a cocktail using roasted Meyer lemons and bay leaves, and comes into the restaurant every Saturday, before anyone is in the kitchen, so he can experiment undisturbed. "There are so many cool tools and ingredients in the kitchen," he says, "so why not use them?" Needless to say, his Bloody Mary requires a bit more effort than just a good stir.

Thrasher's qualm with the traditional Bloody is the thick texture contributed by the tomato juice, so he eliminates it by making an easy consommé using ripe tomatoes along with red onion, serrano chile, and orange juice, a combination inspired by sangrita, a liquorless chaser for tequila. Poured over ice and spiked with citrus vodka, his rendition tastes fresh and lively, perfect for summer. "

Ingredients

Tomato water
4 large beefsteak tomatoes, quartered
1/2 serrano chile, roughly chopped
1/4 red onion, roughly chopped
3-inch piece of lemongrass, tough outer leaves removed and roughly chopped
small pinch sugar
large pinch salt
1/2 lime
1/2 lemon
1/2 orange
2 18-inch-square pieces cheesecloth

Bloody Mary
Ice16 ounces tomato water
6 ounces Grey Goose Le Citron (or any citrus vodka)
4 cherry tomatoes for garnish

For tomato water:
In food processor, purée first six ingredients until smooth. Line sieve with cheesecloth and set sieve over nonreactive bowl. Pour purée into center of cheesecloth and refrigerate overnight. Gather sides of cheesecloth up over purée to form large sack and squeeze gently to extract last bits of water. Discard sack and its contents and transfer tomato water to bowl. Set strainer over bowl and squeeze in lime, lemon, and orange juice. Stir well. Makes about 20 ounces tomato water, enough for roughly 4 drinks.

For Bloody Mary
Fill 4 highball glasses with ice. In each, combine 4 ounces tomato water and 1 1/2 ounces vodka and stir. Garnish with cherry tomatoes.

I praise these geniuses who, from time to time, create inovations that result to a better product.

Todd Thrasher

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Source: http://www.epicurious.com/articlesguides/drinking/cocktails/bloodymary