A Bloody Mary Good Morning!

Published Jan. 1, 2010 at 7:16 a.m.

Welcome to the first day of 2010! Chances are that if you are on my website this morning (or what seems like morning to you right now) you are looking for some relief from that nasty hangover. While there are many remedies that range from drinking orange juice, sports drinks or some protein drink that will make your stomach curdle to (I love this one) the old Irish way of burying the ailing person to their neck in river sand, there is one tried and true hangover "cure" that is simple: drink a Bloody Mary.

How to Cure a Hangover
Photo Courtesy: Colleen Graham

Yes, this relief is found in yet another alcoholic drink, but they do say that the "hair of the dog" is the best remedy. In this case, however, it's not a strong drink and the Bloody Mary has other invigorating ingredients. The tomato juice gives you vitamins, the spices and heat wake up your senses, and the lemon brings in a touch of acid for the stomach. When combined together these elements really do relax the aftereffects of last night's party (though they are not a "cure," simply relief).

There are many ways to make a Bloody Mary and it is not hard to do so from scratch - so forget a quick dash to the convenience store for one of those bottled Bloody Mary mixes - with everything you need being right there in your kitchen, hopefully. Here is the base recipe for a Bloody Mary and if all the vodka was consumed last night you can go with the Bloody Maria (tequila), or use gin for an old-school variation, or you can simply skip the booze altogether and mix up a quick Virgin Mary. One variation I don't recommend for the hangover sufferer is any of the Bloody Caesars - there's something about clamato and nausea that are usually not the best combination.

With all of that said, mix yourself up one of these drinks to find relief for today is also, quite appropriately, Bloody Mary Day. Even if you are one of the fortunate few without a screaming headache this morning you have a good excuse to enjoy this favorite drink. A Bloody Mary, football and brunch are one of the best ways to start off the New Year!

Hangover 101...

Follow me on Twitter or Facebook.

A Bloody Mary Good Morning! originally appeared on About.com Cocktails on Friday, January 1st, 2010 at 07:16:47.

Permalink Comment Email this

Back | Read more at About.com Cocktails