Posted: March 15, 2013 in Uncategorized
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So as I mentioned, I arrived in Australia fully prepared that Bloody Marys would not be as plentiful and that they would be drastically different than those at home,

However, fate intervened. While acquainting myself with the area, I was flipping through the local edition of Time Out magazine and came across a teaser for an upcoming article in the next issue on a place called the Bottleneck that served Bloody Marys and Meatballs. (The article is now up online here.)

Of course, I had to check it out. Located on Darlinghurst Road near the Darlinghurst/King’s Cross area of Sydney, we found the Bottleneck from the crew at Eau de Vie in the Kirketon Hotel.

Sure enough, true to their word, the chalkboard on the wall advertised their three featured Bloodies of the week. I tried both the House and Snapper while I was there and both were excellent—particularly the Snapper which is made using gin, sherry and cynar (I had to ask the bartender about this, an interesting spirit!).

Spice:Perfect amount in both.

Mix: Homemade—the secret for the Snapper is not just tomato juice, but also celery and carrot so as to make it a little sweeter.

Chaser: None.

Fixin’s: Lemon, celery, a carrot slice and a bean depending on the Bloody.

Price: $16 each (Nothing in Sydney is cheap as I came to learn—this was the price of an average mixed drink!)

This establishment is also known for its meatballs, which of course we also sampled. You get a small serving of four and there are a couple of varieties to choose from. We got the classic for $9 and they were simply amazing.

If you’re in this area, I highly recommend checking this place out—and make sure you engage with the friendly bartenders as well. They talked with us the whole time we were there and they ended up recommending several other spots to try out which were wonderful as well.

Cheers!

Posted: March 4, 2013 in Uncategorized
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Last night, I had dinner at a cute little upscale diner called Kitchen 24.

Of course I had to try their Bloody Mary, otherwise known as the “Charm City.” It was excellent, as was the food (I had the After School Special—tomato soup and a provolone grilled cheese.)

My only complaint? The table tents advertised a free cupcake for performing a variety of actions on social media (i.e. following on Twitter, checking in on Foursquare, etc.), which of course, I did… the only problem is that they were out of cupcakes! #fail

Spice:Perfect amount.

Mix: Homemade with an Old Bay salted rim!

Chaser: None.

Fixin’s: Lemon, lime, celery and an olive.

Price: $10 (not part of their amazing Happy Hour which lasts pretty much all night, but worth it.)

If you’re ever in the Hollywood area, take the Walk of Fame right down to Kitchen24 and you’ll be glad you did!

Posted: January 3, 2013 in Uncategorized
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The Bloody Best, The Nook, Atlanta

Between Christmas and New Year’s, I went on a roadtrip to Atlanta, Georgia. While there, I had the opportunity to sample Bloody Marys from three different establishments.

The first was from The Nook. If you’ll recall, a few weeks ago, I posted a link to what I am calling my “Bloody Mary Bucket List,” a list first published by Eater.com. I have had the three bloodies from Wisconsin on the list and I made sure to take note of the Nook’s for my impending trip.

Thus, I stopped in to the restaurant on Piedmont Park last Saturday afternoon. I had heard that the Bloody, called the Bloody Best, was outrageous, but I wasn’t quite prepared for it’s size—it is 32 OUNCES of beverage…and breakfast … and has been featured on the Today Show and Huffington Post.

From The Nook: “The Bloody Best boasts 32 ounces of awesomeness with Absolut Peppar vodka, our amazing bloody mary mix, a skewer of tots and steak, a skewer of blue cheese stuffed olives and pepperoncinis, a piece of bacon (of course), a hard boiled egg, piece of toast, and a beef straw (not kidding)!”

Of course, the straw is referring to one of Benny’s Bloody Mary Beef Straws, that you heard about here a couple of months ago.

At 32 ounces (6 ounces of which are Vodka) and $18, this is a Bloody built for two (yes, I ended up sharing). The flavor was great (a little spicy with that Peppar!) and the fixin’s were crazy-good (no chaser though).

This would not be my every Sunday Bloody, but if you’re ever in the area, definitely suggest try out the Nook. Was too full to eat there, but did get a side of their famous Totchos. Yes, that’s right—Nachos made of Tater Tots in a variety of styles. You have to taste ‘em to believe me; they’re grr-eat!

Stay tuned for more reviews from the ATL.

Cheers!

Posted: October 21, 2012 in Uncategorized
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This afternoon, I went to Sobelman’s during the Packers game to try their highly-touted Bloody Mary.

A sign about their Bloody greeted me at the door and our waitress greeted us wearing the button pictured above (shout out to Debbie S.—Thanks for not thinking I was too weird when I took that photo!), so I knew I was in for a treat.

As a Marquette alum and a self-proclaimed Bloody Mary aficionado, I”m embarrassed to say that I have never had a Sobelman’s Bloody.

However, I quickly got over that emotion when it was replaced with ecstasy after this Bloody was served. You’ve won me over, Sobelman’s. I will be back.

Mix: I’m not entirely sure, but I believe it is made with Jimmy Luv’s (per signage for the Bloody Maria within the restaurant).

Spice: Not very spicy but flavorful.

Chaser: Miller Lite.

Fixin’s: Lemon, cheese, olive, pickle, pearl onion, brussels sprout,  beef stick, cherry tomato, onion, mushroom, asparagus and a shrimp.

Price: $7.50

Posted: October 21, 2012 in Uncategorized
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Last weekend, when I was shopping at Ray’s Wine & Spirits, I came across Benny’s Bloody Mary Beef Straws. Yes, that’s right, a beef stick hollowed out into a glass-to-mouth transportation device. The straws retail for $7.99/package of 5 at Ray’s; you can also buy them online via the company’s website.

I tweeted about the straws and the next thing I knew, two packages arrived from Benny (Ben Hirko) himself.

A little background on the origin of this genius product, from Benny, via the company’s website:

During my 15+ years in the restaurant/bar business I’ve always loved trying new things to make people smile. One evening while bartending I was chatting with 2 customers. They had brought beef snack sticks with them to enjoy while having a couple of beers. Always hungry, I asked for one. While snacking on the stick, I thought to myself these would taste fantastic in a bloody mary! I began thinking of the best way to use it, and immediately thought it should be a straw instead of just a stick. As a straw, the bloody mary would be able to soak into the beef and be a juicy snack all the way through. Armed with this new idea, I started making them at home for my friends and family. Everyone loved them, and after some research I thought I should make these available for everyone. I hope my idea can add a bit of fun, and great taste to your bloody marys for years to come.

After receiving the straws, I was anxious to make myself a bloody. I finally had the chance yesterday, then sat down to enjoy.

It took me back to the days of my youth, using a Twizzlers to drink soda and add a bit of cherry flavor. In a more grown-up version, Benny’s straws absorbed the Bloody Mary goodness from the inside out as well as the outside in.

My friend Reba did the same. “I’m afraid the straw won’t make it through the entire drink, #yummy,” Reba tweeted.

I had to agree. I can’t believe that it’s taken so long for me to cross paths with this awesome product; bars everywhere should be snapping up these straws!

Thanks, Benny!

Posted: October 14, 2012 in Uncategorized
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One of my most favorite Bloodies is available at Juniper 61, right in my own backyard! 

This is not your average garden-variety bloody, but one of the secrets to its goodness is garden-related: Juniper 61 makes its own vegetable-infused vodka (pictured above).

Tonight, the bartender let me try a sip of the vodka on its own. You can definitely taste the earthy essence of onion, tomato, garlic, peppers, etc. It is just perfect for this drink!

(Note: They also have an apple-infused vodka for fall, used in salted caramel apple martinis and such—delicious!)

The fixin’s on this bloody are also amazingly fresh and tasty as well. Read on!

Mix: They have their own mix, in addition to their own vegetable-infused vodka. 

Spice: Not very spicy but extremely flavorful. 

Chaser: Choose from an array of local brews. I picked the unconventional Lakefront Pumpkin Ale because pumpkin anything is another one of my obsessions. 

Fixin’s: Lemon, smoked gouda cheese, carrot slice, cucumber slice, two bleu cheese stuffed olives, a pickle and celery

Price: $8

Posted: September 27, 2012 in Uncategorized
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Today, I was fortunate enough to attend a practice round for the 2012 Ryder Cup at Medinah in Illinois. When I saw this sign, I was very excited. Rarely do you see Bloodies at a golf tournament outside of a hospitality tent. Plus, with this billing, who could resist?

This concession stand/bar was Bar Toma (a restaurant in Chicago),run by Tony Mantuano. In addition to beverages, I also enjoyed an excellent magherita pizza!

Mix: Texture was spot on!I also think they used Ketel One Vodka.

Spice: Not very.

Chaser: None.

Fixin’s: Lemon and an olive.

Price: $9 (Steep, especially for the size, but not out of line for a tournament such as this.)

Posted: September 10, 2012 in Uncategorized
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Today was the first Packers game of the season, so of course we had to get the whole gang back together and head to O’Sullivan’s, the bar we frequented during the Pack’s Super Bowl run and most of last season.

They’ve got great drink specials and free food at half time. This may shock you, but one of the things that I love best is the build-your-own-bloody bar on Sundays.

They will hand you a glass that contains ice, vodka and a beef stick. The rest is up to you.

Mix: Choose from a couple of different mixes. Today I chose Jimmy Luv’s, though typically I will choose Zing Zang.

Spice: As spicy as you’d like! There’s Tobasco, horseradish and such for you to add to taste.

Chaser: A small glass of Miller Lite.

Fixin’s: See the photo, above. You get one beef stick and then you can choose the rest: mushrooms, beans, asparagus, okra, olives, pearl onions, celery, pickles, lemon, lime, jalapenos and assorted peppers. 

Price: $6. It’s the same price as an entire pitcher of beer there during the game, but trust me, while the Packers might let you down from time to time, your bloody won’t.