Lea & Perrins – the vital ingredient in a Bloody Mary

It’s getting to that time of year when only a Bloody Mary becomes the perfect  accompaniment to a festive brunch. There are several vital ingredients to a Bloody Mary (and equally essential in the vodka-less Virgin Mary) – with my definitive recipe below – but one of the must haves is Lea & Perrin’s classically flavoured “Worcestershire Sauce”.

Lea & Perrins’ “Worcestershire Sauce” was first sold in 1837 by Messrs. John Wheeley Lea and William Henry Perrins, who were chemists with a shop in 68, Broad Street Worcester. Other chemists in the immediate vicinity also sold similar products which have suggested some confusion of its precise provenance. Naturally the precise recipe is a secret but it is known that the ingredients comprise in part vinegar, molasses, sugar, salt, anchovies, tamarind extract, onions and garlic.

Lea & Perrins is a subsidiary of the mighty Kraft Heinz but unlike others who have been assumed into mega-food groups, Lea and Perrins continues to operate from its Midland Road, Worcester head quarters from where it produces the version sold in Europe – which differs slightly from the US version as the UK version contains malt vinegar whereas the US version uses distilled white vinegar.

The UK version of Lea & Perrins Worcestershire Sauce is instantly recognisable by its bottle and its orange and black label.

Ok so here goes, Mark’s definitive recipe for a Bloody Mary:

Into a large jug mix Vodka – the best you have – a few decent glugs! I am a big fan of Stolichnaya Vodka and my Russian friends tell me it is one of Russia’s favourite too.

Add a small handful of ice, V8 Juice (see our previous post here – V8 Vegetable Juice ), if available, or Tomato Juice about eight to ten times the volume of vodka used, the juice of one lemon – no pips, two tea spoons of Lea & Perrins (see our previous post here Lea & Perrins Worcestershire Sauce, one tea spoon of Tabasco Chipotle sauce (see our previous post here Tabasco Chipotle Sauce), one tea spoon of horse radish sauce, two table spoons of Spanish fino sherry, celery salt and freshly ground black pepper.

Stir together well and garnish with sticks of very crisp celery. Serve in a tall Duralex Picardie glass (see here Duralex Glass – Picardie).

Equally delicious for the designated driver is a Virgin Mary – a separate jug with all the above ingredients except the Vodka and Fino.

Get your ingredients for the perfect Bloody Mary by clicking the following AMAZON shopping links. …..And why not ask for your purchases to be gift wrapped to make the perfect gift?

Stolichnaya Vodka Stolichnaya Russian Premium Vodka 1 Litre

Lea & Perrins Lea And Perrins Worcestershire Sauce 150Ml

Tabasco Chipotle Tabasco – Chipotle smoky BBQ pepper sauce 60ML

V8 Juice V8 Original Vegetable Juice, 1l

Coleman’s Horse radish sauce Colman’s Horseradish Sauce ( 250ml x 6 x 1 )

Schwartz Celery Salt Schwartz Celery Salt, 72g

Gonzalez Byass’ Tio Pepe Fino Sherry GONZALEZ BYASS Tio Pepe Fino Sherry 75cl Bottle

Duralex Picardie glasses Duralex Picardie 1029AC04 Box of 4 High Ball Glass Tumblers Transparent 36 cl

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Images Lea & Perrins, Stolichnaya, Tabasco and V8

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