St. Regis and the Bloody Mary: Aspen

Photo: The Downhill Snapper, available at St. Regis Aspen

In 1934, Fernand Petiot, the bartender at The St. Regis New York’s King Cole Bar, perfected the recipe for a vodka-and-tomato juice cocktail he dubbed the Bloody Mary. Deemed too racy a name for the hotel’s more refined clientele, he rechristened it the Red Snapper. While the latter moniker may not have stood the test of time, Fernand’s zesty concoction certainly has.

The tradition of Bloody Marys continues to be a cornerstone of St. Regis resorts, with each location showcasing its own signature spin on the classic. We put our tastebuds to the test and sampled four different recipes.

Red Snapper

While it may not be as inventive or exotic as some on the list, you can’t go wrong with a classic. The original St. Regis Bloody Mary hits the spot with the perfect amount of salt and spice.

1 oz. Premium vodka

11 oz Bloody Mary mix (recipe below)

1 lemon wedge

Fill 12 oz Bloody Mary glass with ice. Add vodka. Fill glass with Bloody Mary mix and garnish with lemon.

Juice of 3 lemons

2 ½ #10 cans tomato juice

5 oz Worcestershire sauce

10 dashes Tabasco sauce

2 T ground black pepper

2 T cayenne pepper

1 T ground celery salt

2 T whole black peppercorns

Pour ingredients into a container and shake well. Use immediately or seal and refrigerate. Strain when ready to use.

Downhill Snapper

With inspiration drawn from the drastically changing seasons in the Colorado Rockies, this garden to glass cocktail from St. Regis Aspen uses dill to evoke the subtle tastes of winter, with basil and citrus mimicking the bright summer days.

1 oz tomato juice

1 oz V8 juice

Juice of 6 lemons

Juice of 6 limes

½ oz Bloody Mary seasoning

1 ½ oz vodka

1 ½ oz tabasco sauce

5 dill sprigs

5 basil leaves

2 T cracked black pepper

2 olives for garnish

1 pickle slice for garnish

1 lime wedge for garnish

Prepare Bloody Mary mix by combining the tomato and V8 juices, lemon and lime juices and seasoning. Let it sit for 24 hours. Add vodka, Tabasco sauce, muddled dill, basil and cracked pepper. Pour over ice into a footed tumbler and garnish.

Harry’s Texas Bloody Mary

Combinations of vodka, tequila and jalapenos make this Houston Bloody Mary a true Texas concoction. The bold seasonings and spices make it one of our favorite St. Regis Bloody Marys to date.

1 oz vodka

1 oz tequila

5 oz Bloody Mary mix (original)

1 lemon wedge

1 lime wedge

4 slices jalapeno

½ t sugar

2 olives

1 tomato slice for garnish

1 celery spear for garnish

Combine all ingredients over ice and shake. Pour into an 8 oz highball glass filled with crushed ice. Garnish.

Shogun Mary

Shogun Mary from St. Regis Osaka is spiked with wasabi and soy sauce, adding a truly Japanese edge to the classic cocktail. Floral notes from the yuzu and gin balance out the spicy and salty notes.

1 slice yuzu (or lime)

¼ t yuzu or lime juice

Wasabi powder

1 pinch salt

1 oz vodka

½ oz dry gin

¼ t soy sauce

3 oz tomato juice

Rim a 6 oz martini glass with yuzu juice and dip rim into a mixture of salt and wasabi powder. Combine vodka, gin, soy sauce, yuzu and tomato juice with cubed ice. Shake and pour into martini glass.

For diehard Bloody Mary lovers, St. Regis has released a hardcover recipe book detailing how to make your own cocktail at home. Each recipe is accompanied by a great illustration by renowned artist Bil Donovan.

Stay tuned for more as we sip our way through more St. Regis locations across the globe!

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