Bloody Mary

I used to hate tomato juice so a Bloody Mary was never my thing - but then I had a really good one with a friend at a little bar in Ludington, Michigan and it changed my thinking...it was a little spicy but not too much, celery salt around the glass edge, and I can't remember what else. I just remember that I loved it so I've been experimenting with making them at home. My favorite brand for the mix is  Zing Zang - I doctor it a little bit of course and it's good with or without alcohol. I add sliced olives with some juice, a pickle spear if I have them (especially a spicy pickle spear - yum), a splash of lemon juice, and coarse pepper - if you want to spike it you can add vodka or whatever but my new favorite thing is to add a splash of Fireball Whiskey. I looked online and found a recipe for Fireball Bloody Mary - they renamed it a "Bloody Ball" which just doesn't sound good and I'm sticking with "Bloody Mary with Fireball in it" haha. I'm not sure why but the addition of a little cinnamon flavor is so good - it doesn't take much though to get the taste, not sure if I would like it with a full shot added. Try it (either virgin or spiked) and see what you think.

I drank mine before I remembered to take a picture haha - but really, it just looks like a glass of tomato juice with olives floating in it!

2019 update: I had a bloody mary at Uncle John's Cider Mill in St. Johns, MI that included pickled mushrooms, pickled dilly beans, and pickled asparagus along with olives and a spicy pickle and it was bloody fantastic.

Fireball Hot Toddy

Haha, like my including alcoholic beverages in a cozy winter scene? I've never had a hot toddy before so not sure how this stacks up, but I'm cold and feeling like a warm drink and saw this recipe...cinnamon whiskey mixed with honey, lemon, and hot water. Very easy and it's just a little glass so I thought I'd try it. I read that hot toddy's are good for the common cold - excellent, I can now honestly say my drinking is medicinal!

1 shot Fireball Whiskey (I used 1 ounce, Dave says a shot is more like 1 1/4 ounce)
1 T. honey
2 teaspoons lemon juice
1/4 cup boiling water

Stir all ingredients into a mug until the honey melts. Garnish with a lemon slice or cinnamon stick (I had neither and it looks just fine without!).

I only have giant mugs so I poured it into this cute little glass instead - plus it doesn't seem so much like drinking whiskey this way :). Medicine that tastes good, nice!