Edward Piercy

Bloody Marys and Thai Noodles

Friday, 3. July 2009, 22:08:20

Thai on 1st.

There must be more diversity in terms of the various recipes for Bloody
Marys than any other drink out there. Different bars use different
recipes. And sometimes even at the same bar it depends on who is making
the drink. Over the past months I've drank a Bloody Mary at about six
different bars in downtown Spokane and Browne's Addition. And I didn't
like any of them.

Last night I went to town and made my way to The Satellite. I was a
little leery of ordering a BM there as I figured the probability was
that I wouldn't like theirs either and then have to buy another drink.
As it turned out though the one I had there was the best one so far
(although I have to emphasize that wasn't really all that difficult).
Since I was curious the bartender showed me how she made them. She
used some pre-made mixer (which surprised me, most mixers taste like
crap) and showed me the hot sauce they use, which they evidently make
themselves. I didn't even mind that they put vegetables in it (see
below), olives and asparagus, as well as a lemon slice, inasmuch as it
did taste good.

After consuming let us say X number of Bloody Marys it was time to eat.
So I called up my favorite Thai restaurant, Thai on 1st, and placed an
order for some spicy noodles with shrimp. After 30 minutes or so I left
The Satellite and walked the block or so to the restaurant. The noodles
weren't ready, in fact they hadn't even started making them yet (Thai
on 1st is kinda quirky in many respects), so I drank a beer and waited.
And while I waited I talked with the manager and eavesdropped on a large
table of people behind me, with one stout fellow telling some tale that
began "When I was in Hong Kong..."

There was a photo of some Buddhist monk on the wall. The only Buddhist
monk I would recognize would be the current Dali Lama, and this picture
wasn't the Dali Lama. So I asked the manager who it was. The manager
told me it was Loung Poo Wan, and he said that he was well-known in
Thailand. I had him write down the name for me to look him up. But I've
come up with a complete blank finding any information about him on the
internet. Too bad.

Noodles in hand (so to speak) I headed back to the Satellite. Having
drank a beer at Thai on 1st I decided to keep with the beer. I drank a
Corona and then headed to the city bus station. Downtown was like a
ghost town. Even the Transit Center was strangely empty. It was creepy.
Finding out I had missed the last bus back to Browne's Addition I had
no choice but to call a cab. Luckily is was easy with the new phone --
Sprint Navigation gave me a whole list of cab companies and I simply
selected one and called.

The STA bus plaza, night.

Once home I immediately started work on the noodles. I was a little
disappointed when I opened up the styrofoam box and found that the
noodles were spaghetti type noodles instead of the normal flat noodles
I always had there with that particular dish. And they tasted slightly
different too. Stil very good, but not the stellar noodles that I've
always gotten from them. I'll have to be sure to ask them about that
next time I go in.

Okay. Now since I don't go out very much, if I drink at all these days
it is usually at home. And even then I've been so tired lately that I
don't even do much of that. But having problems finding a good Bloody
Mary over a span of months I decided to have them at home and come up
with a formula that I liked for a Bloody Mary.

ED'S BRAIN DAMAGED BLOODY MARY RECIPE

1 jigger Stolichnaya vodka (or another good quality vodka)

vegetable juice (such as V8)

Red Devil Cayenne Pepper sauce or other tabasco sauce

1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce (1 tbls. for a large drink)

ice cubes

a glass, I prefer a regular short stubby cocktail glass that you might
use for bourbon. But I've also drank them in thin Collins glasses or
even in big 16 oz. beer glasses when I'm drinking out -- it's really
just the bartender's decision on that one.

As far as putting the thing together goes I have a specific sequence:

Put the ice cubes in the glass. Add in the teaspoon of Worcestershire.
Now add the tabasco, shaking vigorously for about 10 to 15 shakes. Pour
in the jigger of vodka. Fill the glass to top with vegetable juice and
stir a bit.

That's it. If you are using a large glass such as the beer glass you
might put in a little more of everything -- especially vodka (ahem!)
Don't go berserk on the Worcestershire sauce though or it will screw
things up.

Now here's the radical thing, and the thing that gives my drink the
"brain damaged" epithet:

I don't put salt or vegetables such as celery in mine. I keep it simple.
Very simple. No celery, no horseradish, no jalapena pepper, no olive...

I should mention too that these taste SUBSTANTIALLY better when you use
good vodka. BM's made with the cheap stuff aren't drinkable IMO.

Having had some back and forth over that past few days with Star and
Linda I should mention too that if you don't drink alcohol that I've
made these using the same recipe but without the vodka and they taste
pretty good. After tossing around several good names for the non-alcohol
version I've decided to call it a Brain Damaged Virgin.

Well have a great 4th of July folks. And if you are outside of the U.S.
I wish you a great weekend too and hope that you can join with us here
in spirit in celebrating, well, something or other.

My Bloody Mary.

Incidentally, that cocktail glass is one of
a set of 12 monogrammed "ECP" glasses that
my father received as a gift back in the
mid-1950s. It's the only one left.

Crazy / BeautifulFireworks

Comments

L2D2 # 3. July 2009, 23:25

Sounds very good Edward. After all those BMs and you were still able to walk? I was always so susceptible to alcohol that I could get a buzz on one drink, inebriated on two (therefore I was a cheap date!)

Hope you have a great holiday with people you love.

edwardpiercy # 3. July 2009, 23:37

"You were still able to walk?"

Uh...well that might be a subject for another post. That damn gravity!

I am with people I love, yes -- my mom and my dog and my Opera friends.

Hope the same for you.

L2D2 # 4. July 2009, 00:48

I am alone as usual. I spend most holidays by myself. If I get the opportunity I go somewhere but if not, it's OK. My Opera friends keep me company.

Stardancer # 4. July 2009, 01:42

Would you believe I have never had a Bloody Mary? And vodka was my drink of choice, when I drank. Unless bourbon was available. Or beer. Or gin. Or bourbon. Or vodka.

Wait....

L2D2 # 4. July 2009, 01:47

I never learned to appreciate the tast of beer (even though I got soused on it couple times), and I hated brown liquors unless the taste was thoroughly disguised. I liked mixed drinks made from clear liquors like rum, vodka and gin. I DO like eggnog with a goodly dollop of Southern Comfort in it.

Was more than happy to give alcohol up when I did. Never did like the high from alcohol.

PainterWoman # 4. July 2009, 02:08

Have only had a Bloody Mary twice, both times enroute somewhere on a plane. Have no idea how the flight attendant made it, but it was good. Now I'm thirsty for one.

Love the night scene at the bus plaza.

edwardpiercy # 4. July 2009, 03:44

@ Linda

That egg nog, now that stuff will get you ripped.

@ Star
:
lol:

You forgot rubbing alcohol and Listerine. .

@ Pam

Everthing tastes good on a plane. Anything alcoholic, that is.

My traditional pre-flight and flight drink is a screwdriver. It's the only time I drink them. Their use is shrouded in the mists of time, but I think I started drinking them because they're easy to slam down real fast.

Incidentally, I'm not afraid to fly.

I'm afraid of crashing.

PainterWoman # 4. July 2009, 04:18

Crashing....from the Screwdrivers?

Every once in a while, I'll order a gin and tonic on the plane. It's the only time I drink those. I find them very refreshing.

Stardancer # 4. July 2009, 04:52

It's been almost 20 years since I've had anything to drink with alcohol in it. It was too easy for me. Never had a hangover, and never got sick. Could match anybody drink for drink, and then some. The first time I ever got drunk, it took a fifth of bourbon.

I didn't drink very often, though. Just never saw the point.

L2D2 # 4. July 2009, 04:54

I tried a martini one time. Too neat for me. I don't like the taste of any unmixed liquor except Tequila, and I like to do the salt and lemon or lime thing with the shots.

Well, I have had a good buzz or two off eggnog Edward.

I liked Screwdrivers and Harvey Wallbangers. But my preferred alcoholic drink was wine and I still like wine, although it has been a long time since I drank any.

I drank one glass of German white wine flying home from Europe on Lufthansa Airlines.

edwardpiercy # 4. July 2009, 05:24

It seems that a good number of my Opera friends don't drink, or drink rarely.

Maybe I should have joined Blogger.

(Joking!)

L2D2 # 4. July 2009, 05:45

Or join us?

edwardpiercy # 4. July 2009, 05:51

As they say in Seattle, "Yeaaaah,......no."

L2D2 # 4. July 2009, 06:12

Wouldn't it be a truly boring world if eveyone agreed on everything?

gdare # 4. July 2009, 06:17

You drank 10 BMs? Wow!!!

Of course, I guess you know X is Roman`s for 10

I liked BMs that was prepared for me in a bar that my friend held several years ago. He employed a bartender who was a magic for cocktails. He used Stolichnaya too, sometimes Moskovskaya, but I remember he said once Stolichnaya is better.
For me, drinking comes with a occassion. If I am going to dinner in restaurant or during family celebrations, I like to drink fruit brandy, made of appricot or mulberry. After eating I like to have a beer or a glas of wine. On partys, I drink beer and sometimes whisky/bourbon/plum brandy but I hate mornings after

In Japan, I`ve tried several types of sake and I liked it, especially warm one. But if you want to get drunk you need to drink a lot

I rarely drink at home, usually a can of beer after lunch, once a month.

L2D2 # 4. July 2009, 06:33

Dare, I am glad to hear you drink in moderation because I was just thinking swords and alcohol do not mix. I shudder to think what would happen to anyone who had a training session with a drunken Dare--or what the trainee could do to you. OMGoodness. What a thought.

edwardpiercy # 4. July 2009, 06:44

Friends don't let friends fence drunk.

gdare # 4. July 2009, 07:02

When I was practicing kendo, we tried to see how hard the impact of alcohol is when you need to defend yourself when drunk. So once we spend the day in pub, 4 of us drinking a beer (I think I drank more than six 0.5 liter bottles, I was drunk as hell) and went to training after that. Of course, in kendo a bamboo sword (shinai) is used so there was no life threatening situations, but to my surprise, after initial confusion, my brain worked pretty well considering the state I was in. By the end of 2 hours training I was almost sober. Thirsty and tired but felt good. We tried it once more and the result was the same. But I would never tried it with live blade, possibility of getting wounded or even killed is too big

Kendo http://classes.design.ucla.edu/si/07/web/week2/kevin/

L2D2 # 4. July 2009, 07:38

Originally posted by gdare:

after initial confusion, my brain worked pretty

It's that initial confusion that could get you killed. After that the exercise burnt up the alcohol in your body, but should a real attacker have accosted you, you could have been dead.

edwardpiercy # 4. July 2009, 13:01

Isn't there a Jackie Chan movie like that, the Drunken Master?

gdare # 4. July 2009, 14:54

Well, it was a test, of course, because I have never been in a situation like that. So, I hope is something bad happens I will be ready, even though I am distracted by beer or some handsome waitress