Although my friends who work in the service industry universally despise brunch, I just can’t get behind that. Bad tippers, demanding customers, late hours: I can sympathize. But brunch? I love brunch. And nothing goes with my favorite meal better than a Bloody Mary. Although some people revere it as a hangover cure, I look to it more as an ideal pairing with eggs Benedict, every bit as complex as a wine pairing but with less swirling and sniffing. I enjoy this combination so much that I even ordered Virgin Marys with brunch when I was pregnant (in Australia, a Virgin Mary is called, much more appropriately in my estimation, a Bloody Shame). The drink is improved by vodka (what isn’t?), but the non-alcoholic version still provides that spicy tang that I love.
Like all cocktails, the origins are fuzzy and the variations are endless, but I think my favorite Bloody Mary in town is at Russell’s Marina Grill by the lake. Nothing says spring to me quite like brunch and a Bloody Mary on the patio at Russell’s.
When you add in the Vitamin C and lycopene from the tomato juice and the vegetables from the garnish, you can almost even justify it as a superfood! So whether you’re pre-gaming for any of the numerous festivals this spring or just having an al fresco brunch with friends, mix up a batch of Bloodies, and drink to your health!
