Tahoe’s Best Bloodies: Bloody Good

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Northstar California styles classic cocktail

Written by Susan D. Rock

Stories tracing the origins of the Bloody Mary (Queen Mary I, Mary Pickford, a waitress named Mary) are as varied and colorful as the beloved cocktail itself. And while vodka and tomato juice are where the drink started, bartenders the world over tinker with alcohol, mixers, spices and, perhaps most importantly, garnishes in a mind-numbing number of snarkily-marketed mash-ups (Bloody Murder, Bloody Maria, anyone?)

There were several strong—and strongly poured—contenders for Tahoe’s Best Bloody Mary this year, but the top spot goes to Northstar California, where the bar staff, some guarding precise alchemy on their grandmothers’ graves, compete for tastiest turn at the resort’s many watering holes.

Start at the Summit Deck and Grille with an oatmeal stout-laced “Velvet Bacon Bloody.” Make a mid-mountain stop at Zephyr Lodge for a “Beefy Mary,” topped with locally made beef jerky, or slide on in to the Ritz-Carlton’s Backyard Bar & Barbecue and rev up with a V8-based version. Finish in the Village’s Tavern 6330’, where Tahoe Blue vodka, snow crab leg meat and spicy pickled green beans star. Try one, try them all, but we’re pretty sure you’ll agree, they’re bloody good, every last one.

 

Susan D. Rock is an Incline Village–based writer and editor who, thankfully for TQ, considers a notepad a must-have accoutrement for the bar.

 

 

Summit Deck & Grille Velvet Bacon Bloody

 

Mary? Velvet? Bacon? That’s right, a Bloody Mary that is spicy, smooth, savory and a little sweet. The velvet is from a touch of Velvet Merlin Oatmeal Stout brewed by Firestone Walker Brewing company from Paso Robles, California. Chef Brandon Uresky makes spiced, candied bacon to go along with a variety of delicious pickled vegetables that accompany the special blend of spices and herbs.

 

Ingredients:

Ketel One Vodka

Dollop of Velvet Merlin Oatmeal Stout

Tomato juice or Clamato

Worcestershire sauce

Lime juice

Pepperoncini juice

Olive juice

Horseradish

Diced fresh jalapeños

Ground black pepper

Celery salt

Ground thyme

Cumin

Crushed red pepper

Cayenne pepper

Cinnamon

Chili powder

Oregano

 

Garnish:

Candied bacon

Pickled vegetables

Tags: featured

Category: Wine & Dine