Rather an unusual name, don’t you think, for a cocktail? There are some Paris-based New York bartenders who claim to have created it themselves. There are some who claim it refers to Mary Queen of Scots. Or to a barmaid called Mary working at the Bucket of Blood bar.

Intriguingly, there is also a suggestion that this was created at the request of Vladimir Smirnoff (he who inherited the Smirnoff empire) and that the name is simply a corruption and mispronunciation of his name – Vladimir = Bladimir = Bloody Mir = Bloody Mary.

Unlikely, I would say.

I suppose we’ll never really know. What is known is that the ingredients for this cocktail are unlike most ingredients for any other cocktail. Take a moment to savour the miraculous properties of vodka which can turn tomato juice into a palatable drink that doubles up as an excellent hangover cure.

Ingredients

(Serves one)

• 5 cl vodka. I tend to prefer Stolichnaya or Absolut for this drink. Given the potential provenance, perhaps Smirnoff is called for.
• 2 cl lemon juice. Fresh is always better.
• 15 cl tomato juice.
• Pinch of salt
• 2 dashes of Worcester sauce
• 1 to 2 dashes Tabasco
• Ground black pepper

Preparation

• Fill a highball glass with ice.
• Pour in the lemon juice to use as a base. Some people suggest adding the salt and Worcester sauce first but I’ve never found this to be a good idea.
• Add the tomato juice, then the vodka.
• Give the mixture a quick stir.
• Add the sauces and the salt. Personally, I find the Tabasco to be a bit too much so I often leave it out. If you’re making this for someone else, ask them how they like it.
• Add pepper to taste

You can garnish the cocktail in one of three ways. The traditional way is to use celery, which can also double as a stirrer. The modern way is to use a wedge of lime. The ingredients allow you to use olives and carrots as well but don’t go over the top.

The cocktail is meant to be spicy and is a great accompaniment to meats, as well as brunch. When using packets of tomato juice, I have found that the juice can be a little more bitter with some brands than with others. The sauces can help balance this out.

Cheers!