THE BELOVED BRUNCH STAPLE, WITH AN EXTRA SPICY TWIST!
Believe it or not, when I ask my close friends and loved ones what kind of drink recipes they would like to see on my blog next– the ask most consistently is...more BRUNCH cocktails, please. As we get older, scheduling a brunch outing on the calendars (and we're talking weeks in advance) is trickier than we'd want it to be. With that said and done, easy entertaining at home with pitcher Bloodys is the way to go! Well, it is finally Diwali season, and let me help you out: THESE easy brunch cocktails are the perfect reason to have your friends over for an earlier-in-the-day celebration. They won't say no, I promise. I am a big fan of a semi-homemade moment when hosting more than anything, especially during this time of the year when spending QT with the family is the MOST important. This Bloody Mary recipe requires 3 ingredients- two of which I am hoping are already a staple at your home: vodka + achaar. The third and final ingredient? I absolutely love Cutwater Spirits (especially love that they are SD-raised) and think they make a well-priced, delicious-tasting Bloody Mary mix. Feel free to use your favorite or try a few. The best part about the pre-made mixes is you can also use a portion of your kitchen counter to set up a make-it-yourself Bloody Mary bar or pre-batch this in a pitcher if you know how spicy everyone likes it. I always need an EXTRA dash of hot sauce in my bloody marys and I love that Cutwater has a premade mix that offers different spice levels. I used the regular one here for this recipe, but you can also pick up a spicy version. If you are hosting, I'd recommend getting a bottle or so of each so guests can pick and choose. This way, guests can make them easily to their liking by adding in the amount of vodka desired as well as achaar. Now let's get into it- the pickled texture of the achaar combined with the punchy tomato leaves little to be desired. Lastly, accouterments are what make hosting extra fun, and good thing Bloody Marys has a long list of exciting, potential garnishes. The list is long even when we are talking about my personal favorites! I mean let's see... we are talking celery, stuffed Spanish olives, pickled cauliflowers, sourdough croutons, crunchy romaine sprinkled with some sumac, and extra hot sauce on the side. But let's be real...I put out not one but a FEW extra hot sauces cause we like options, okay? If you are sticking with the semi-homemade theme, I'd be remiss to not mention how I will be serving these up for Diwali brunch. I love using the other part of my kitchen counter as a make-your-own breakfast taco OR burrito station. You can get all of the yummy toppings and make the eggs just as your guests arrive and are putting together their Bloody Marys (efficiency is important). Then, all you need is some serving bowls filled with breakfast potatoes, chicken sausage, lime crema, lots of cheese, guacamole, pickled jalapenos, and a tray of your favorite salsas. Happy eating and drinking! ____________________________________
INGREDIENTS
8 oz Bloody Mary mix (I love the Cutwater brand and used the Mild version)
6 oz vodka (I used Trader Joe's brand)
1 oz (2 tablespoons) of **mango achaar
Lime wedges, for garnish
Cilantro stems, for garnish
DIRECTIONS
In a shaker, combine the vodka, Bloody Mary mix, and achaar over ice.
Shake until well combined and strain into tall glasses filled with ice.
Finally, garnish with a lime wedge on a cocktail pick as well as some fresh cilantro stems!
~ Serves 2 Notes
**As I mentioned above, I used mango achaar. Feel free to use a different one! I'd recommend sticking with a fruit-based achaar as I found that lemon/lime-flavored ones compete too much with the tanginess of the premade Bloody Mary mixer! Feel free to try a couple and pick your vibe.
You can double-strain these if you like, but I personally don't love to do so. I think the achaar does get well combined in the shaker and the bigger pieces that should remain in the cocktail shaker stay there. What comes into your glass as a result is meant to be there. :)
I think these would be so fun to play with some fabulous garnishes. I used what I had on hand but get creative and let me know what you end up using. I think it could also be fun to use a celery stick and cut the top half of it to mimic a firework for Diwali or NYE brunch. Just an idea!
You can most definitely make this in a pitcher, but I wouldn't recommend making it too far in advance since the achaar flavor only becomes more pronounced the longer it sits. Plan to make it no more than 30-45 minutes in advance and make sure to not add ice to the pitcher beforehand. If you were to make it in a pitcher using the Cutwater brand of mix, just multiply the recipe by 8. Cheers!
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