I’ll Have the Snapper
The history behind everyone’s favorite brunch beverage
The Bloody Mary was first invented by barman Fernand Petiot in 1934 at The St. Regis New York’s famed King Cole Bar. The vodka and tomato juice cocktail was originally christened Bloody Mary for its distinct red color, but was later renamed the “Red Snapper,” so as not to offend the hotel’s refined clientele. Today the popular beverage is known the world over and reigns supreme as New York’s brunch beverage of choice. If you find yourself at the King Cole Bar be sure to order the famous Red Snapper. But if your travels take you elsewhere, the St. Regis’ sister properties have crafted an entire portfolio of locally inspired interpretations of the brand’s signature cocktail.
The Red Snapper
The St. Regis New York
The 1934 classic has been replicated the world over, but tastes best when served over ice at the King Cole Bar.
Ingredients
1 oz premium vodka
11 oz Bloody Mary mix
1 lemon wedge, for garnish
The Signature Bloody Mary Mix
Juice of 3 lemons
2 ½ #10 cans tomato juice
5oz Worcestershire sauce
10 dashes Tabasco sauce
2tbsp freshly ground black pepper
2tbsp ground cayenne pepper
1tbsp ground celery salt
2tbsp whole black peppercorns
Directions
Fill 12oz Bloody Mary glass with ice. Add vodka. Fill glass with Blood Mary mix and garnish with lemon. Pour ingredients into a container and shake well. Use immediately or seal and refrigerate. Strain peppercorns from mix before adding alcohol. Makes 3 gallons.
Courtesy of The St. Regis New York
Courtesy of The St. Regis Venice
The Santa Maria
The St. Regis Venice
Served in a bespoke handmade Murano glass coupe glass with a crystal clear chunk of ice, the Santa Maria is inspired by one of the most important food ingredients in the region, the grape, and by the original Red Snapper.
Ingredients
4.2 oz Clarified Tomato Juice
1.5 oz Horseradish-Infused Absolut Elyx Vodka
0.8 oz Verjus du Perigord
3 drops Homemade Salt Solution
3 drops Homemade Spicy Tincture
Dash of Cayenne Pepper
Dash of Black Pepper
Poli Grappa to spray on top
Directions
Add all ingredients to a shaker with ice and throw 4–5 times. Serve in a coupe glass with a crystal-clear chunk of ice.
The Canto Mary
The St. Regis Hong Kong
Inspired by the cultural identity and heritage of Hong Kong, the Canto Mary is an infusion of Cantonese flavors with western influences.
Ingredients
1.35 oz Vodka
1 bar spoon Peaty Scotch whisky
1 bar spoon Fresh lemon juice
0.6 oz Bloody Mary mix
3.45 oz Tomato juice
Bloody Mary Mix
Generous dash of sea salt
Ground black pepper
Ground star anise, cinnamon
1/2 oz dry tangerine peel
1/3 oz ground fennel seeds
1/3 oz ground clove
1.7 oz Worcestershire sauce
1.7 oz Kowloon light soy sauce
5 bar spoons Dao Ban Cheung
10 dashes celery bitters
Directions
Use two shaker tins and apply rolling technique to achieve required dilution, temperature, and aeration of the ingredients. Serve in a highball glass over big ice cubes and garnish with orange zest and green olives on cocktail skewer.
Courtesy of The St. Regis Hong Kong
Courtesy of The St. Regis Washington, D.C.
The Capitol Mary
The St. Regis Washington, D.C.
The Capitol Mary is inspired by the commercial and cultural heritage of the nearby Chesapeake Bay. Its base is gin, the spirit of choice of the city’s social set, particularly when summering around the bay. The cocktail incorporates signature spices used in preparing a classic Chesapeake Bay crab feast.
Ingredients
5 oz tomato juice
1/2 oz lemon juice
1/2 tsp horseradish
Dashes of Tabasco sauce (to taste)
Dashes of Worcestershire sauce (to taste)
Pinch of salt and freshly ground black pepper
Pinch of Old Bay® Seasoning
2oz premium gin
1oz clam juice
Juice of 1 lemon
1 shrimp tail fan attached, for garnish
Oyster crackers
Directions
Mix the first seven ingredients and then combine with remaining ingredients in a shaker. Shake well. Pour into an 8oz wine glass filled with ice. Garnish with tail-on shrimp and serve with a small bowl of oyster crackers.