You can order a Bloody Mary anywhere in the country, but you can get a good one only in the South. Maybe it\u2019s the complexity of the spices; maybe it\u2019s the peppery heat. But I think we\u2019re better at making them because there\u2019s more going on that requires daytime drinking: football games, tailgating, the long, leisurely brunch. And here in New Orleans, we have the best reason for morning drinking\u2014the night before. So let\u2019s not forget the Bloody Mary\u2019s hair-of-the-dog power; it comes in handy.<\/p>\n
At Cochon, I start with a V8 base and add some pork jus for flavor and body. The pork jus is a reduction of pork stock that we use to add character and depth to the drink, kind of like a Bloody Bull that uses beef stock. But then it\u2019s all about the spice: pepper, grainy mustard, fresh lemon juice. And snacks\u2014I gotta have my snacks. My Bloody Mary has to have pickled okra and a long stem of celery, preferably a crisp inner stalk with tender light green leaves. The glass should mirror that natural silhouette: tall with straight sides. Not only does the shape help the drink stay properly mixed, you can fit a lot of ice cubes in there. It\u2019s hot down here.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
New Orleans chef Donald Link shares his Bloody Mary secrets<\/p>\n","protected":false},"featured_media":36859,"template":"","categories":[2392,1780,2391],"tags":[34,391,47,302,50,29535,29446],"authors":[1825],"issue":[2366],"recipe-type":[2506],"class_list":["post-53","recipe","type-recipe","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-drinks","category-food-and-drink","category-recipes","tag-anatomy-of-a-classic","tag-bloody-mary","tag-cocktails","tag-hot-sauce","tag-recipes","tag-vinegar","tag-vodka","authors-francine-maroukian","issue-sept-october-2008","location-louisiana","recipe-type-cocktails"],"acf":[],"apple_news_notices":[],"yoast_head":"\n