THE FIVE STAR SUNDAY BLOODY MARY

Which hot sauce? I love hot sauce. Not the take it on a dare sort but the kind you can actually taste. Different hot sauces for different needs. Every time I make a Bloody Mary I'm faced with a choice. The slightly sweet tang of Sriracha? Something clean and not too hot like Crystal? The depth charge thrill of Brother Bru Bru? It's up to you.

All the fixings

Ingredients:

2 oz. chilled vodka

1 tablespoon lime juice (less if you're not into tang)

1 teaspoon horseradish (I like Bubby's, but any non-oily horseradish will work.)

6 shakes Worcestershire sauce 

¼ teaspoon Old Bay Seasoning

4 shakes of Brother Bru Bru's Jamaican hot sauce if you like 'em spicy.

6 ounces chilled tomato or vegetable juice (I like Trader Joe's Low Sodium Vegetable Patch)

Garnish: 

Lemon or lime wedges, olives, scallions, celery, green beans (pickled or fresh). I like something citrus, something spicy, and something to stir with.

Run a wedge of lime along the rim of a pint glass, dip into either plain kosher salt or celery salt to coat the rim of the glass. Next, combine vodka and next five ingredients. Stir well. 

I know ingredients first, then ice seems so unbartenderly but, trust me,  it's less messy and easier to control .

Add vegetable juice and stir again. Top with ice and a twist of fresh ground black pepper, add garnish of choice, and enjoy.

Makes one sixteen ounce Bloody Mary.