Bloody Mary Mocktail

Ripe market tomatoes are destined to become part of a delicious tomato salad topped with fresh herbs and cheese, but they also remind me to make a Bloody Mary, the quintessential brunch drink that encourages you to garnish with abandon.  This garden-in-a-glass mocktail relies on bottled tomato juice, but a skewer with tiny ripe tomatoes gives you something to snack on while you sip.  Add enough raw and pickled vegetables to suit your fancy plus a thinly sliced wheel of fresh lemon.

When I make a tomato-based drink, I think of my father, who often would pour me a diminutive glass of pure tomato juice right before dinner.  Something about the size of the glass compared to the savory richness of the drink inside made it feel decadent.  In that spirit, I often enjoy keeping a Bloody Mary non-alcoholic.  This version includes fresh cucumber juice to up the vegetal flavor.

Ingredients

Bloody Mary Mocktail

⅛ teaspoon celery seeds (not celery salt)
½ ounce fresh lemon juice
½ ounce fresh lime juice
5 ounces chilled tomato juice
1 ½ ounces chilled fresh cucumber juice (recipe below)
¾ teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
¼ teaspoon hot sauce (or to taste based on your heat preference)

Cucumber Juice

1 English or seedless cucumber
⅓ cup filtered water

How to Make Cucumber Juice

When using an English cucumber or another thin-skinned variety to make the fresh cucumber juice, there is no need for peeling.  Roughly chop the cucumber and add to a blender or food processor with the filtered water.  Process until juicy and mostly smooth.  Set a fine mesh sieve over a small bowl or liquid measuring cup and use a wooden spoon to help strain the juice.  Gently press any cucumber solids that remain using the spoon to release additional juice.  Refrigerate until needed.

How to Make a Non-Alcoholic Bloody Mary

If you have a favorite brand of tomato juice, you certainly can use that for this recipe.  Since some brands have a high amount of sodium, I tend to pick an organic one that has a lower amount than others.

Muddle the celery seeds with a splash of the lemon juice in the bottom of a glass.  Add the rest of the lemon and remaining ingredients, stir well to combine and top with plenty of ice.  Make sure to customize the amount of hot sauce based on your heat preference.  It’s always easier to add less and work your way up if you prefer drinks on the milder side.

Garnish with a wheel of fresh lemon or lime, fresh dill, and plenty of raw and pickled vegetables. 

For even more tomato goodness, you may enjoy this heirloom tomato salad with basil blue cheese vinaigrette or this one topped with a fresh apricot vinaigrette.