5 Bloody Mary Recipes from St. Regis Hotels

When Caroline Astor, mother of the St. Regis hotels founder John Jacob Astor IV, entertained friends, it was unprecedented both in its opulence and its exclusivity. Known for her elite midnight supper parties, Mrs. Astor offered only the finest wine and cuisine at these coveted events. The St. Regis hotel brand continues Mrs. Astor’s legendary gatherings in a more contemporary fashion, concluding now at midnight. And it was these original rituals that helped set the epicurean standard that lead to the creation of one of the most iconic libations in the world — the Bloody Mary.

Eighty-Plus Years of The Bloody Mary

As any grand story goes, the legend of the Bloody Mary cocktail is often disputed. While the classic drink started out as a simple tomato juice and vodka concoction, it wasn’t until The St. Regis New York’s bartender, Fernand Petiot, perfected what is now known as the beloved Bloody Mary.

In 1934, Petiot took the tangy tomato and vodka formula, and then added a couple dashes of salt, black pepper, cayenne pepper, celery salt, Worcestershire sauce and lemon juice. Calling it the Red Snapper because Bloody Mary was deemed inappropriate for the hotel’s elegant clientele, Petiot’s spicy concoction quickly became one of the most popular drinks at the hotel. While the name Red Snapper didn’t take off, the libation certainly did, inspiring restaurants and bars the world over to offer variations of the blend.

These days, when it comes to making the original recipe exactly the way Petiot did, King Cole Bar & Salon bartender Bill Dante insists there can be no substitutions. “You must stick to the recipe as it was intended and follow his exact instructions,” he says. “If it’s not in the original drink, then don’t add it. You should just taste the basics.”

That’s not to say there aren’t delectable spins on the classic. St. Regis Hotels & Resorts actually named the drink its signature cocktail, with each hotel crafting unique interpretations using regional influences. While the Red Snapper remains a staple at The St. Regis New York, you’ll find recipes across the brand incorporating local ingredients like Thai chili at The St. Regis Bangkok and Kaua‘i wood smoked sea salt at The St. Regis Princeville Resort.

With its eightieth birthday in the rear view mirror, the cocktail (and its many variations) remains one of the most popular drinks around the world. “That’s because it has great flavor,” says bartender Dante. “It’s just very satisfying and has become a wonderful ritual at St. Regis and beyond.”

Bloody Mary Recipes

As the birthplace of the Bloody Mary, St. Regis invites you to sample from the collection of cocktails wherever you are. For a complete selection of Bloody Mary recipes, please visit stregis.com/bloodymary.

The Signature Bloody Mary Mix

Ingredients:
Juice of 3 lemons
2.5 liters tomato juice
5 oz. Worcestershire sauce
10 dashes Tabasco^® sauce
2 tbsp. freshly ground black pepper
2 tbsp. ground cayenne pepper
1 tbsp. ground celery salt
2 tbsp. whole black peppercorns

Directions:
Pour ingredients into a container and shake well. Use immediately or seal and refrigerate. Strain peppercorns from mix before adding alcohol.

Red Snapper — The St. Regis New York

Ingredients:
1 oz. premium vodka
11 oz. Signature Bloody Mary mix
1 lemon wedge, for garnish

Directions:
Fill 12 oz. glass with ice. Add vodka. Fill glass with Bloody Mary mix and garnish with lemon.

Bloody Brunello — The St. Regis Florence

Ingredients:
1 oz. Grappa di Brunello di Montalcino
6 oz. tomato juice
1 splash lemon juice
1 tsp. acacia honey
1 splash Tabasco sauce
1 pinch salt and black pepper
1 sprig rosemary, for garnish

Directions:
Shake all ingredients together and pour into a long drink glass filled with ice. Garnish with a sprig of rosemary.

Bora Mary — The St. Regis Bora Bora

Ingredients:
1 ½ oz. premium vodka
1 ½ oz. Signature Bloody Mary mix
1 oz. lime juice
1 ½ oz. watermelon juice (or strawberry juice)
Watermelon cube (or whole strawberry), for garnish

Directions:
Blend all ingredients with ice until frothy. Pour into a champagne flute. Strawberry may replace watermelon in this recipe. Garnish with a cube of watermelon to size or strawberry, if using.

Great Wall Bloody Mary — The St. Regis Beijing

Ingredients:
2 ½ oz. Tsingtao^® beer
3 ½ oz. Signature Bloody Mary mix
3 oyster shooters for garnish
1 lemon wedge for garnish

Directions:
Pour the beer into an 8 oz. wineglass filled with ice. Then pour the Bloody Mary mix on top. Garnish with the oyster shooters and lemon wedge.

Learn more about the birthplace of the Bloody Mary at stregisnewyork.com.