Drinks

Bronson van Wyck’s Hellfire Bloody Mary

Name: Bronson van Wyck’s Hellfire Bloody Mary
Ingredients: 2¾ cups tomato juice; ⅓ cup olive “juice” (strained from jarred green olives); ¼ cup red wine vinegar; 3 tbsp. Peppadew peppers, finely minced; 1 tbsp. garlic, finely minced; 1 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce; 1 tbsp. light-brown sugar, packed; 2½ tsp. freshly squeezed lemon juice; 1 tsp. fresh serrano or jalapeño peppers, finely minced; 1 tsp. fresh dill, finely chopped; 1 tsp. freshly ground black pepper; ¼ tsp. freshly grated lemon zest; ½ tsp. celery salt; Vodka, to taste

The event designer takes the hair of the dog to new heights

Recipe by Bronson van Wyck

November 13, 2020

Photo: William Hereford

At home with his family in Tuckerman, Arkansas, the international event designer Bronson van Wyck kicks off Christmas morning with a Bloody Mary bar, “fully stocked first thing.” Naturally, the setup is an event unto itself, with plenty of tartan, silver, crystal, taxidermy, and vodka. Van Wyck’s recipe for his cocktail mix zings, too, with a trifecta of salty, spicy, and sweet flavors from ingredients such as olive juice, serrano peppers, and brown sugar. “The best way to serve a Bloody is by allowing guests to make their own,” van Wyck adds. “It’s so much fun to curate an assortment of unexpected garnishes: Peppadew peppers, dried citrus, bacon, shrimp, even oysters.” —Haskell Harris

Ingredients

Hellfire Bloody Mary (Yield: 1 pitcher)
- 2¾ cups tomato juice
- ⅓ cup olive “juice” (strained from jarred green olives)
- ¼ cup red wine vinegar
- 3 tbsp. Peppadew peppers, finely minced
- 1 tbsp. garlic, finely minced
- 1 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tbsp. light-brown sugar, packed
- 2½ tsp. freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 1 tsp. fresh serrano or jalapeño peppers, finely minced
- 1 tsp. fresh dill, finely chopped
- 1 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
- ¼ tsp. freshly grated lemon zest
- ½ tsp. celery salt
- Vodka, to taste

Preparation

Mix all ingredients except the vodka in a large pitcher until well combined. Serve immediately, allowing guests to add vodka to their individual servings to taste, or transfer to an airtight container and keep refrigerated.