The only major difference between Bloody Marys and Bloody Marias is the liquor. Bloody Marys are made with vodka, and Bloody Marias are not. A Bloody Maria calls for tequila instead, and all Texans are nodding their heads right now. There’s no question that we can thank the Tex-Mex culture for this clever tweak.
Even if you were to change nothing else about the Bloody Mary recipe—sticking to horseradish, Tabasco and Worcestershire—the tequila would bring much needed flavor to the drink. But the Bloody Maria—at least the way we like to make it—goes well beyond a simple swap of the base by incorporating jalapeños, Tapatío and Tajín. Spicy cocktail lovers will appreciate fresh, muddled jalapeños in the bottom of a shaker tin, adding a vibrant green flavor along with raw pepper heat. Tapatío in place of horseradish adds an irresistible sweet tang that’s lacking in the Bloody Mary. Unlike celery salt, which excited no one ever, Tajín around the rim incorporates chile and lime to set your lips alight with a subtle buzz after every sip.
If you still have any doubts, consider two situations: your best brunch ever sipping Bloody Marys and your best drinking session at a tequila bar slamming back shots over chips and salsa. If you’re anything like us and you were forced to choose between those two situations, you’d pick the tequila bar anyday. The Bloody Maria evokes that same pairing of spicy, vegetable-packed salsa with fiery, fiesta-starting tequila in a brunch-appropriate package. Plus, a Bloody Maria goes great with huevos rancheros, which trumps eggs benedict every time.
We’d like to give ol’ Pete Petiot the benefit of the doubt—that if he had had access to tequila, he would have used it in his tomato cocktail, because it is undeniably better in every way. And that, essentially is a Bloody Maria. The Bloody Maria takes all of the features of the Bloody Mary and upgrades them with a shot of tequila in place of vodka. Tequila’s flavors of citrus, fresh fruit, black pepper and grass all intermingle with the tomato and lemon juices to create a whole bigger than its parts. Whereas vodka brings literally nothing but alcohol to the drink—legally it has to be flavorless—tequila creates a flavorful experience worth spending your morning on. The tequila also perks up the tomato juice, so going from the Bloody Mary to the Bloody Maria is like biting into a fresh tomato straight from the field after only eating freezer tomatoes in the middle of January all your life.
Vodka is such a lazy, boring choice for such a full-flavored mixture. Sure, bars can perk up their house Bloody Marys by throwing in a ton of hot sauce or packing their glasses with unusual herbs and spices, but the underlying problem remains: Vodka just isn’t that interesting, no matter how many garnishes you can stack on top of the drink. An entire fried chicken skewered on top of a glass is not the sign of a good cocktail. It’s a cry for help.
The Bloody Mary is a boring drink, and it’s all flavorless, lifeless vodka’s fault. In the 1920s, when Fernand “Pete” Petiot of New York’s King Cole Bar decided to make a savory cocktail with tomato juice and lemon, we imagine he got to the part where he needed to pick a base spirit to pair with those flavors, gave up, settled on vodka, and went to see a talkie or dance the Charleston or do whatever else 1920s folks did when they were disregarding their duties as bartenders.
Some Bloody Maria recipes simply swap vodka for tequila, while others call for specific formulas of mixers, hot sauce, accouterments, and garnishes. This Bloody Maria recipe combines tomato juice, two brands of hot sauce, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, celery salt, and black pepper. It gains an additional kick from a hefty dose of horseradish. To top it off: a salad-like medley of garnishes, including a cucumber spear, jalapeño slices, and queso fresco. The flavorful, spicy combination will get you up and moving, and the garnishes provide a welcome snack.
The Bloody Maria has no known origin date or location, and it’s likely that it has existed in some form for decades. The addition of tequila is a natural fit in a cocktail that welcomes interchangeable base spirits, so it’s easy to imagine a curious barkeep adding the agave spirit to the before-noon classic. Throw in some complementary spices and garnishes, and the savory, delicious Bloody Maria is born.
The Bloody Mary has been fighting hangovers and improving mornings since the mid-1930s. Despite the obvious qualities of this brunch favorite, the cocktail has spawned several variations, from the gin-spiked Red Snapper to Canada’s national drink, the Clamato-laced Bloody Caesar. But give tequila the nod over vodka and employ some hot sauce, and you get the Bloody Maria, an agave-kissed spin on the classic.
Blanco tequila will work best with its bright, citrus-forward flavors. If youd like to try your Bloody Maria with a reposado or añejo tequila, you may find that the drink is slightly sweeter but the aged expressions may also reveal some earthy, saline qualities. To help guide you, refer to our guide on The Differences Between Blanco, Reposado, and Añejo Tequila. Rate This Recipe
Bloody Maria Cocktail | Tequila Cocktails Recipes | Booze On The Rocks
FAQ
Is it Bloody Marys or Marie’s?
What is the definition of Bloody Maria?
What is the difference between a Bloody Mary and a dirty Bloody Mary?
Are bloody Marias the same as Bloody Marys?
Bloody Marias are the same, barring one important detail: the booze. As most people are aware, Bloody Marys start with tomato juice and a handful of other ingredients, such as lemon juice, Worcestershire, hot sauce, horseradish, and celery salt or Old Bay seasoning if desired.
What is in a Bloody Mary?
As most people are aware, Bloody Marys start with tomato juice and a handful of other ingredients, such as lemon juice, Worcestershire, hot sauce, horseradish, and celery salt or Old Bay seasoning if desired. You can customize with garnishes and to-each-their-own additions like extra hot sauce. The last component is vodka.
What makes a Bloody Mary different?
A bloody mary, at its essence, is built of tomato juice and vodka. Add in some citrus or spices or garnishes, sure, but that’s the core of the drink. Yet, its variations may include just one of those two seemingly mandatory ingredients, or neither, and these drinks are often further embellished by all sorts of add-ons, twists and turns.
Is a bloody Maria the same as a tequila?
By all other accounts, Bloody Marias are the same as Bloody Marys, except that the tequila might have you of the mind to switch in more lime juice and less lemon juice, as well as Texas Pete in lieu of Tabasco. You might add a Tajin (chile-lime seasoning) rim, too.