Bloody Mike

The temptation at times like this is to channel your inner Thug Kitchen but that would be only a pale imitation of a living classic. Since this is about a libation let the inspiration be Straight--No Chaser if only because the punny name sounds as cool as the music.

It has been a longstanding mystery in TOD why folks take a perfectly good drink and spoil it either by adding booze to a good drink or worse yet pouring water or something worse into perfectly fine spirits. Michaeleen O'Flynn had it right.

Today's libation is a "manly" derivative of a Shirley Temple literally and figuratively beefed up. Booze is optional and frankly not recommended. Mise en place seem more than it really is but most items are those required for any good Bloody Mary (IE: not from a mix):

• V8 (low sodium preferred)
• Horseradish
• Worcestershire Sauce (is there any other than Lea & Perrin?)
• Tabasco sauce though any preferred hot sauce can deliver the heat

Beefing up the Bloody Mike brings these to the party:

• Beef Stock (avoid bouillon or high salt products)
• Beef-sicle swizzle stick (a small kabob of steak tips, charred on the outside, bloody raw on the inside)

Assembly could hardly be simpler:

1. add a skosh of horseradish to a glass with adequate ice
2. one splash of tabasco
3. two splashes of worcestershire
4. two shots beef stock, stir to mix base ingredients
5. top up with V8, stir to mix
6. fresh ground pepper to taste
7. top off with that beef-sicle swizzle stick--no umbrellas here

And...Bob's your uncle!