The Bloody Mary Blitz

It used to be the last thing I'd ever order; I could think of nothing worse than tomato juice. But then I used to spend an inordinate amount of time making them for hungover customers when I worked in bars and I thought I'd give it a go. 

Vodka, Worcestershire sauce, Tabasco, lemon, pepper, celery salt and horseradish all topped up off with a glug of tomato juice and that crunchy stick of celery - it's transformed my weekends and I make a mean one if I do say so myself.

Given the plethora of perfect brunch places these days in town, I thought it only fitting to begin The Bloody Mary Blitz a quest to find the best Bloody Mary in town. So far, the ones at Pollen Street Social and Mark's Bar at Hix (although he actually serves up a Red Snapper, made with gin instead) are topping the tables but who else will compare?

Spurstowe Arms

The Spurstowe was made for Sundays. Tucked away between Hackney Central and London Fields, it's one of our locals and one of those places you could sit in for hours. Having celebrated a friend's 30th the night before, we battled the September showers to meet some old friends - who were nursing much sorer heads than ours. We grabbed the empty round table by the stained glass windows (told you this place is good) and lined up the Bloodys (Ashley firmly believes these are his favourite in the whole of London). The enviable drinks are matched by a nice menu - from a local sausage roll at £5 to a whole chicken with all the trimmings at £14, there's something for everyone; I went for the porc rillettes and cornichons, and a side of hand cut chips with aioli. And would definitely recommend.

It's the sister to one of my favourite East End locals - The Royal Oak on Columbia Road - and well worth a visit. The Spurstowe's well-loved and has that welcoming come-one come-all feel (don't be deceived by the hipster address) that feels just a little bit like home. Come for the Bloody Marys and stay for the atmosphere, the mismatched furniture and the elusive pub cat.

Bloody Mary, Bloody Mary, Bloody Mary

Bloody Marys are the best go-to drink when you're feeling a little fragile from the previous night's overindulgence. The vitamin content of the tomato juice, the you-can't-taste-it vodka and the kick of the Tabasco just have that knack of setting you on your feet again.

There's a whole wealth of recipes to try, but for a simple, easy to make pick-me up, give this one a go.

You'll need

• Tomato juice
• 50ml vodka (or just a single shot of 25ml if you prefer). For non-drinkers you can leave the booze out completely
• A pinch of cracked black pepper
• A pinch of celery salt
• A pinch of grated fresh horseradish
• A couple of splashes Lee & Perrins Worcestershire sauce
• A splash or two of Tabasco (depending on how brave you're feeling)
• A slice of lemon
• A stick of celery
• If you're feeling extra fancy, you can even add in a splash of sherry, port or red wine
• Ice

How to

1. The simplest way is to just pour everything into a tall glass or mason jar and give it a stir.
2. If you've got a cocktail shaker to hand, add everything in, along with the ice and shake it up! Pour into the glass through a strainer, and drink straight away. 
3. Or, you can be a little creative and add a large olive or a cooked prawn as garnish, rim the glass with black pepper and salt, or switch up the alcohol to gin.

Feeling adventurous?

These three recipes from the A Beautiful Mess girls look and sound absolutely delicious...

a For spice fans, the sriracha one will suit.

b Like wasabi? How about this?

c And what about basil? 

Photos taken from A Beautiful Mess

Bloody and Blue

I've spent the weekend and the last couple of days lost in the world of the Hobbits and the Shire, brushing up on my French and the past historic tense. Having barely used the language since graduating almost two years ago, I'm pleasantly surprised at how quickly I got back into reading it.

It's not all been literature, though. Saturday night saw us dancing round our living room until the early hours. Sunday saw me fragile, but soothed by soul and all-day Bloody Marys at The Nelson's Head before settling down with the ever-so-slightly trashy but location-covetable Into The Blue. Yesterday was a busy day of work, work-outs and then my new favourite creation: warm roasted vegetable salad with sundried tomato croutons and grilled halloumi. And today I felt dramatic so I pulled on some big chunky-heeled boots, my housemate's cape and a slick of bright pink lipstick (sadly discontinued, but very much like Illamasqua's Immodest). Perfect.