BLOODY MARY MARTINI

If there is something that all of the Jasmine ladies agree on when it comes to drinking: nothing too sweet! Which is a big reason why this savory Bloody Mary martini really hits the spot for us! Peppery, salty and spicy flavors come together to make this unique cocktail a hit!

Bloody Mary's are usually made in a 12 or 16oz. portion. This usually leaves us feeling full and bloated and is exactly the reason why we just had to make this version - at only 6 ounces, it's not too filling, plus it's a nice strong drink option!

Most of the Jasmine ladies are HUGE fans of a dirty martini. If you haven’t read our post, we have absolutely perfected our dirty martini recipe and you can get it HERE! It’s actually our typical go-to evening drink. However this bloody mary martini may quickly take first place! Instead of the olive flavor in the dirty, the bloody mary is packed full of seasonings and tomato juice. Still all the salty vibes we crave, but less pickled :) and definitely less sodium. We have had some nights where we’ve had 1 too many dirty martinis and wake up feeling absolutely bloated and gross (yuck). For that reason alone, you won’t regret this lower sodium option!

Speaking of savory drinks…we have also been known to enjoy a pepperoncini martini, another Jasmine favorite. Never heard of it? You aren’t the only one, but you are definitely missing out! If you like savory drink options, but hate olives…this is for you! Find the recipe HERE.

One of our favorite things about bloody mary’s is that you can really customize them to fit your taste buds. We’ve created a fun little bloody mary bar setup HERE that would be awesome for your next brunch gathering. With a bar, your guests can add whatever they want to their drink. For the martini version, we think we’ve perfected the recipe below…not too salty, not too spicy and only a little hint of horseradish. However here are some options for how you can customize:

• Hot Sauce We are huge fans of old bay seasoning (seriously…we put that stuff on everything - French fries, Mac and cheese, etc.) so we love using an Old Bay flavored hot sauce. Old bay not your thing? Use regular Franks OR insert your favorite extra fiery sauce option here!

• Horseradish We know that not everyone is a fan of this one. It’s strong, kind of spicy and vinegary flavor is intense on its own, but adds a great layer of flavor when added to a bloody mary! If you hate horseradish, but have never had it in this drink, we suggest you give it a shot! With only 1/8 tsp. added, there is just enough flavor without becoming overpowering.

• Spices You can really go wild with spice options! We used minimal spices in our recipe below, but we’ve used so many unique options in the past. If you like extra flavor, consider giving one of these a try: everything but the bagel seasoning, Old Bay (as mentioned above), garlic powder, Mrs. Dash salt free table blend, and don’t forget just plain old pepper!

• Garnishes Seriously so many options here! The best part about adding garnishes is that it doesn’t actually effect the flavor of your drink. However it can take your martini from just ‘OK’ to beautiful!! Include things that you like to snack on here: olives, pickles, tomatoes, celery, carrots, etc. Then, if you want to go even more bold, try cheese cubes, bacon, folded lunch meat, shrimp, we’ve even had a Bloody Mary with a chicken wing on top!!

INGREDIENTS

• 3 oz. Lancaster Distilleries Vodka NOTE: One of our favorite local vodkas! If you are from Lancaster, give it a try!

• 2 oz. Zing Zang Bloody Mary Mix (our favorite)

• Splash of Water

• Splash of Pickle Juice

• 1/8 tsp. Horseradish

• 1/2 tsp. Old Bay Hot Sauce

• Dash of Ground Black Pepper

GARNISHES

• Mini Wooden Skewers

• Garlic Stuffed Olives

• Pepperoncini's

• Pickles

• Shrimp (we like ours air-fried)

• Cherry Tomatoes

HOW TO MAKE

1. Fill a cocktail shaker up with ice

2. Add all ingredients to shaker

3. Shake, shake, shake! We love to shake until there are tiny ice pieces floating in our beverage :)

4. Pour into a martini or coupe glass

5. Sprinkle a little pepper on top - not too much!

6. Add one of each item listed under garnishes to a wooden skewer

7. Place finished skewer on top of glass

Anyone else feel super fancy when drinking out of a martini or coupe glass? Just us? :) Confession: during dry January, we were drinking kombucha out of fancy glassware because we missed it so much!! The cold vibe of the glass really does elevate the entire drink experience.

Once the garnishes are added to the fun glassware, how pretty is this one?! We love this for any time of day: breakfast, brunch with your best ladies, or the perfect nightcap to end your day! PLEASE let us know if you make this and enjoy