Happy Bloody Mary Day, Banff!

I’m not sure you’d find a day of the year with a higher per capita hangover rate than New Year’s Day. Maybe that’s why January 1 has been designated National Bloody Mary Day. The popular cocktail is said to be a hangover remedy: the vegetables are said to settle an upset tummy, the salt to rebalance one’s electrolytes, and the alcohol acts as an analgesic. I’ve always looked at Bloody Mary’s as a convenient way to deliver a salad and your morning shot of vodka in one handy highball glass. 

Whether you believe that a Bloody Mary has medicinal qualities or not, chances are if you enjoy this tasty cocktail it’s one you’ll consume with a hearty brunch, one of the most popular meals with which to serve one up.

Who Invented the Bloody Mary?

George Jessel in Love & Laugh, 1929 [By Fox Films - eBayfrontback, Public Domain]

Though one popular version of the history of the Bloody Mary says the cocktail was first served in Paris at the New York Bar in 1921, other evidence suggests it’s more likely that the basic recipe (half and half tomato juice and vodka) was actually invented by the comedian and vaudevillian actor, George Jessel, who is also said to have named the drink. 

Later, the bartender Fernand Petiot (who, confusingly, did work at the New York Bar in Paris) is said to have created the modern version of the drink while serving drinks at the St. Regis Hotel in New York, perhaps as early as 1934 by adding salt, black pepper, cayenne pepper, Worcestershire sauce, lemon and ice. [For a full and fascinating theory of how the modern Bloody Mary came to be, read this article at Diffords Guide.]

What’s in a Bloody Mary?

Wherever the drink may have originated, the modern version generally starts with a recipe similar to this official one published by the International Bartenders Association:

Bloody Mary Recipe

3 parts vodka
6 parts tomato juice
1 part lemon juice
2-3 dashes of Worcestershire sauce
Tabasco sauce
Celery salt
Black pepper

To preserve the viscosity of the tomato juice, the cocktail should be handled gently, stirring rather than shaking the mix. 

A celery stalk is the most common garnish, but you might also find an olive, lemon wedge, or dill pickle spear topping off the drink. Sometimes bacon or shrimp may also adorn the glass. 

How Did the Drink Get its Name?

Those who accept  Petiot’s claim (which does sound like a bit of revisionist history) that he invented the drink back in his Paris days may also believe his account that he named the drink after Queen Mary I, dubbed Bloody Mary for her fondness of executing others. Other theories attribute the name to Mary Pickford or a waitress called Mary who worked at the Bucket of Blood, a Chicago bar.

If the drink was actually first mixed by Jessel, his version of the story of the name is rather fascinating (if scary). According to Jessel’s autobiography (The World I Lived In!), the story goes that Jessel was in Florida and had been drinking hard all night. He wanted something to clear his head and ease his hangover. When the bartender offered him vodka, Jessel countered with asking for tomato juice, lemon, and Worcestershire sauce. Mary Brown Warburton, who had also been out carousing all night long, joined the conversation. When she tried the new concoction, some spilled on her white dress and she’s said to have declared, “Now, you can call me Bloody Mary…”

About a year later,  Mary’s sweetheart Ted Healey read a newspaper account that Jessel had named the drink after Mary. He apparently considered such intimacies as drink-naming to be inappropriate. Healey pulled out a pistol and took a shot at Jessel which, fortunately, missed. 

How is a Bloody Mary Different to a Caesar? 

A close cousin of the Bloody Mary, the Caesar was invented in Calgary by Walter Chell in 1969. The main difference between the two cocktails is that the Caesar includes clam broth. Clamato juice is a mix of tomato juice, clam broth, sugar, spices, and MSG and is commonly used as the mixer for a Caesar. To garnish, a wedge of lime is often added to the requisite celery stick. 

Where Can you Get a Great Bloody Mary (or a Caesar) in Banff? 

There are lots of options when it comes to finding a fabulous Bloody Mary in Banff. Here are just a few of our favourites.

Elk & Oarsman
119 Banff Avenue

The Elk isn’t know just for, you know, elk. Voted one of the top 12 mountain bars by Buzzfeed, you know your Bloody Mary is going to be a good one!

Bear Street Tavern
211 Bear Street

Settle into this comfy local favourite spot and see how they handle the Tavern Caesar (hint: the recipe involves pickle juice).

Ramsay Bar
405 Spray Avenue

Looking for a little pampering along with your Bloody Mary? The service at the Ramsay is without equal. Indulge yourself as you sip…

Wild Bill’s Legendary Saloon
2-201 Banff Avenue

Bloody Marys and mechanical bull riding go together like… bloody noses and mechanical bull-riding? White Stetsons and the Calgary Stampede? BBQ sauce and Wild Bill’s take on the classic Caesar? Check it out for yourself!

Rose & Crown Banff
202 Banff Avenue

If you’re like me and love live music, the Rose & Crown is a safe bet with live music pretty much every night. Pair some toe-tapping-tunes with a Bloody Mary and you know you’re in for a good time!

Not sure what kind of bartenders are mixing your bloody drinks? Check out our article on identifying bartender species likely to be spotted at local watering holes. 

Let us know in the comments where you’ve enjoyed the best Bloody Mary (or Caesar) in Banff. What made it so terrific?

Become a Menu Hunter!

To earn points and rewards as part of our Menu Hunter program, snap a photo of you and your Bloody Mary (or other beverage of choice) and then tag us (@tastebanff) on Facebook or Instagram. We’ll do the rest.