Demitri’s: Bloody Mary Is The Girl We Love

CAPSULE REPORT: Despite those ubiquitous Martinis and Cosmos, Bloody Marys remain among the country’s most popular cocktails. Depending on the market, Mary is the number one, two or three best-seller at restaurants and bars, and generally the most commonly served cocktail at home.

And it’s a healthy drink—at least, it is when you use a good mixer that doesn’t add sweeteners other than those in the Worcestershire Sauce. Just for starters, there are antioxidant lycopenes in the tomato juice,* antioxidants in the citrus juice (vitamin C and others) and a mild antibiotic benefit from the horseradish. An ocean’s worth of Bloody Mary mix is sold each year. Even bars buy mixers rather than take the time to make their own.

*Lycopene may prevent prostate cancer and some other forms of cancer, heart disease and other serious diseases.

While we do mix our own, seeking out the best tomato juices, we also keep tabs on the best Bloody Mary mixers. Recently, we tried three from Demitri’s: Classic, Extra Horseradish and Chilies & Peppers. Demitri Pallis was a frustrated bartender who noted that, “from bartender to bartender, day to day, a customer couldn’t count on a consistent and delicious Bloody Mary.” He developed his mixers for bars; now you can buy them, too. Add two ounces of Demitri’s seasoning to one quart of tomato juice, mix with vodka and toast to the holidays. Read the full review below.

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INDEX OF REVIEW

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• Page 1: Capsule Report
• Page 1: Introduction To Demitri’s
  Bloody Mary Mix
• Page 2: What Makes The
  Best Bloody Mary Mix
• Page 3: Varieties Of Demitri’s
  Seasonings
• Page 4: Demitri’s Bloody Mary Recipe
• Page 4: Garnishing Your Bloody Mary
• Page 4: Other Uses For Demitri’s
• Page 4: Buy Demitri’s Online

MORE TO DISCOVER

• More Favorite Bloody Mary Mixes
• The History Of The Bloody Mary
• THE NIBBLE’s Cocktails Section
• Other “Top Pick Of The Week” Beverages
• PRODUCT DISCOVERY #2: Types Of
  Charcuterie
  Know the differences among boudin, galantine, pâté, saucisse, saucisson and more.
• RECIPE: Cranberry Cheesecake
  Serve this recipe in squares with a whiskey buttercream sauce.

Introduction To Demitri’s Bloody Mary Mix

Demitri Pallis was working at a jazz club in Seattle when the career-transforming idea hit him: that, there was room for a better Bloody Mary. Instead of trying to get an ever-changing roster of bartenders to follow a complex recipe, he thought, why not give them a mix that they could simply add to tomato juice—one that would create a consistent “house” Mary? They’d whip up a quart of spicy tomato juice as needed, it would always be fresh, and most important, it would always have the exact same flavor and consistency that the customer wanted.

Demitri created a seasoning that any bartender could mix into a quart or gallon of tomato juice, to create the same excellent Mary time after time. The customers as well as other bartenders in the neighborhood loved the recipe, and Demitri soon found himself selling his “secret seasoning” to other bars in town. You can’t keep a good Mary a secret for long: Today, Gourmet Mixes, Inc., Maker of Demitri’s All Natural Bloody Mary Seasoning, sells its products to bars, grocery stores, hotels, nightclubs and restaurants in all 50 states.

Classic is peppery. Product photography by Daniela Cuevas | THE NIBBLE .