After
a trip to Oaxaca, where they serve the delicious mescal with a Bloody Mary-like
chaser, I developed what I call the Sangre
de Maria – a more citrusy and complex Bloody. Here’s how to make it for a
crowd:
1 48 oz. bottle tomato juice—don’t
get the low sodium kind or you’ll simply end up with cocktails that need salt
1 cup orange juice (freshly
squeezed is best but pricey)
1/2 cup unsweetened lime juice (not
Rose’s, which is sweetened)
1 tsp. ground cumin
1 tsp. ground ancho chilies
(optional)
A handful of roughly-chopped
cilantro
A few shakes of Tabasco
Vodka
Blend the first seven ingredients
until almost smooth. Pour the mixture into a large pitcher, and add as much
vodka as possible. Just be careful not to overwhelm either the cocktail or your
guests. Add it by the slosh until you think it’s enough. Never forget this
cardinal rule: you’re not making a hydrogen bomb. You’re making a drink.
Proportions aren’t critical with Bloody Marys or Sangres de Marias.
