Spice It, Spike It, Sip It – The Perfect Infused Bloody Mary

Speaker 1 00:00:03 Greetings, friends. Welcome to episode 299. And today we're doing an infused Bloody Mary. Welcome to Bite Me, the show about edibles where I help you take control of your high life. I'm your host and Certified Ganjier Margaret. And I love helping cooks make safe and effective edibles at home. I'm so glad you're here. Welcome back, my friends, to the podcast that explores the intersection of food, culture and cannabis. I am so glad you're here. I would love to know where are you listening from? Send me a message. I would love to hear it. I always love to hear where people are listening from because this has become a truly worldwide podcast, which is kind of cool. We're all gathered for the same reason a love of cannabis, a love of edibles, and a certain amount of curiosity about both those things and the world at large. It's an educated bunch of folks that are listening to this podcast, and I am grateful that you're here. If you're just tuning in for the first time, you are in a in for a treat with the infused Bloody Mary.

Speaker 1 00:01:08 Because where I am in Canada, spring has finally sprung. It was a long, cold winter, and at the time of this recording, the weather has been absolutely stunning and that brings my mind to more beverages. Now, perhaps a Bloody Mary isn't a traditional spring drink, but as someone who also loves things that are more on the savory side than the sweet side, I thought it was important to pay homage to those folks because I. As if you've been listening to this podcast for a while, and thank you to those longtime listeners who are here sharing their time with me. You know that I have a wicked sweet tooth, something I have to keep in check. And I thank my father for that. Who, if you didn't know, I live with. He is in his early 90s and doing remarkably well, but I do provide an invaluable amount of in-house tech support. I definitely got the sweet tooth from him when I observed some of the things he likes to consume. And you know who can blame them? The sweets are great, but sometimes we have to branch out.

Speaker 1 00:02:09 We have to push our boundaries, and this infused Bloody Mary is going to be one way that we're going to do that. Now, of course, if you haven't listened to the episodes on tinctures and making tinctures, I would highly recommend you go check out Liquid Gold The Art of Cannabis Tinctures. It was only a few episodes ago, and I had mentioned that I was going to do an episode around a cannabis infused beverage because, as I mentioned, spring is sprung, and I think that's a time when a lot of people start to think about drinking their cannabis, because why not? In the meanwhile, have you checked out the Bite Me Cannabis Club yet? If not, check out join Bite me.com because we continue the conversation over there. Before we get into today's episode, I am feeling the trivia today, so I'm picking a random card out of the stone of trivia race to 420 card game. I'm going to pick one from the middle of the deck, and hope that it's not one that I've already done before.

Speaker 1 00:03:09 Although you'd think with the number of cards in this deck it would not be that difficult. But alas, I think the last time I did this, I picked a card that I'd already chosen. Today's question. Unjust bust. Which actor was arrested for selling bongs over the internet in 2003? Was it Cheech Marin, Tommy Chong, or Woody Harrelson? 2003 sounds like such a long time ago. That must have been like at the like the birth of the internet, selling bongs over the internet back in 2003. Wild. Which actor was arrested for selling bongs over the internet in 2003? Cheech Marin, Tommy Chong or Woody Harrelson? If you guessed Tommy Chong, you would be correct. And fun fact for those that didn't know, Tommy Chong is a Canadian stoner. That's right. Now, I don't think he's lived in Canada for quite some time, but he is indeed Canadian. So put that in your pipe and smoke it. In any case, shall we get on to the subject at hand today? And that is the Bloody Mary.

Speaker 1 00:04:26 This particular recipe that we're going to be covering today. I have chosen to do nonalcoholic. Many of us out there are attempting to drink less alcohol. I thought it was important to do a virgin version of this, although do call Virgin if it's infused with cannabis. I don't know. That's a really good question, but there's no alcohol in this particular recipe. If you're so inclined, you can always add it if you wish. That's totally up to you. But you do have to recall that the crossfade is an advanced move. So if you're drinking and consuming cannabis at the time, at the same time. That is definitely advanced and you need to be really careful around that, because cannabis will amplify the effects of the alcohol and depending on how you combine them, when there's all kinds of factors, it can also amplify the effects of the cannabis, frankly. So a lot of the times it's actually just better to avoid mixing the two. So this particular recipe as well is going to be for all skill levels.

Speaker 1 00:05:22 There's nothing particularly difficult about making this drink. The difficulty may be in infusing your alcohol which is also super easy. So this is a great recipe to try. If you're relatively new to edibles, your biggest chore is going to be figuring out the potency of your cannabis tincture so that you can make sure that you're getting an appropriate dose and dosing this beverage in a mindful way. So we're going to be diving into crafting the perfect cannabis infused Bloody Mary. So let's get into it. Now I know what some of you might be thinking. Is Margaret a Bloody Mary is a complex beast. But like I said, it's pretty easy to throw together. You just need the right ingredients. Yes. I want you to throw cannabis into that big, beautiful, spicy tomato chaos. Because life's too short for boring beverages, boring brunches, boring whatever. And your homemade edibles game is about to hit a whole new level of sophistication. So whether you're a seasoned cannabis connoisseur who's been making your own edibles since long before it was cool, or you're just starting your dip your toes into the wonderful world of infusions, I promise you'll walk away from this episode with some killer ideas and the confidence to stir up some magic in your kitchen.

Speaker 1 00:06:41 And of course, you can pair this episode with other cannabis beverage episodes that I've done in the past. You'll find those in the show notes. It's going to be informative, fun, and I'd like to say a little bit edgy, but that's how I like things. I'm not sure it's going to get too edgy, but. All right, so before we get into the high notes, let's talk about what we need to make a Bloody Mary. What makes a Bloody Mary a Bloody Mary? It's more than just tomato juice and the vodka for the people who are putting alcohol in it. But it's a symphony of savoury, spicy, tangy, umami flavours that, when done right, they say can cure a hangover. Kickstart your day or just be a darn delicious drink. And of course, because this is a non-alcoholic version and your version of cannabis tincture could be a THC to CBD ratio, it could be a CBD cannabis tincture. It can be a high potency THC tincture. Kickstarting any part of your day that is totally up to you.

Speaker 1 00:07:42 You're taking control of your life, which is why making your own homemade edibles is so fabulous. Because you get to do what you want, how you want, when you want. It's all about you and the control over the edibles that you're enjoying. So first your base, you're going to start with tomato juice. And the nice thing about this is a lot of folks have the things you need to make a great Bloody Mary in their fridge already. Now, I have to admit I did not. Why, Margaret, you ask, you must have all these ingredients in your kitchen from years of doing fabulous infused recipes and also just feeding yourself and your family. Well, I did, I did until an ice storm hit and I had to throw everything in my refrigerator. And because I was uncertain about certain things, just everything had to go. And it doesn't seem like a big deal until you realize, oh wait, I had a lot of condiments and sauces and a random assortment of things, and now I have to replace.

Speaker 1 00:08:38 So it's sort of happening slowly, a bit at a time, because just to go out and buy it all would actually be probably pretty costly. I'll just replace it as I need it. There was definitely some things in that refrigerator anyway that had to go. as I mentioned, I lived with my father and I am certain there were containers of items in that fridge that had my mother's handwriting on it, which she passed away eight years ago. So it was a good a good thing to clean out the fridge when that happened. But in any case, what you need for this particular recipe is you need tomato juice. You may have to go out and buy that. I don't know, too many people are huge tomato juice lovers on their own. I do recall my grandmother always served it at meal times when we gathered for Christmas or Thanksgiving or Easter. I'm not really sure why. They were just always in small short glasses. Everybody got one. My grandfather was British. Is that a British thing? I don't really know, but I haven't really done it since.

Speaker 1 00:09:35 You're going to need olive or pickle juice and Worcestershire sauce. Hot sauce. Horseradish. Black pepper, lemon, lime juice, sea salt. Now, like I said, you probably have most of these things in your fridge already. And if you have to go out and buy some, then you can pick them up. Also, don't forget that you're going to need your cannabis tincture as well. This isn't really one of those recipes where you have to do a dry run first, if you will. And there are definitely recipes I would recommend that for, where if you've never infused it, it's best to try the recipe out without infusion in case it messes up. And I have done that many times before because you don't want to waste your precious infusions, you just don't want to waste it. This is not one of those recipes, because the tomato juice is sort of the star of the show. You're going to want to make sure you get a pretty decent quality tomato juice. Now, when I picked up mine, there were only a certain number available.

Speaker 1 00:10:29 So sometimes, depending on where you're shopping, you kind of have to buy with what you can get. But you would try and aim for something rich and flavorful, not watery and sad because it is the blank canvas for this masterpiece. At the end of the show, I am going to talk about Caesars a little bit. So you Canadians out there just wait. I know you're probably yelling into the ether right now, but Margaret, what about the Caesar? I'll get to that. The flavor powerhouses that you're going to be adding to this, as I mentioned, are all those things. The Worcestershire sauce is a non-negotiable for that deep savory umami, a few good dashes of that. The hot sauce Tabasco is typically a classic. I did pick some of that up, but I mean, you could play with other ones as well just to see how it changes up the flavor profile. I've also heard some people prefer a less spicy hot sauce to go in it, but that's totally up to you. Horseradish I am a lover of horseradish despite my sweet tooth.

Speaker 1 00:11:23 Yes, I do love things like this. And that brings a pungent sinus clearing kick, which is maybe why I like this recipe right now. Is somebody who seems to deal a lot in allergies, and all the trees are budding right now. I like that sinus clearing kick. Fresh lime or lemon juice is going to be that acid that you're going to need to bring the essential brightness and tang. If, of course, you don't have fresh squeezed the bottle stuff will do as well. And of course, don't forget your spices. The celery salt is a must. Cracked black pepper, Maybe a pinch of smoked paprika. And of course, the garnish. Now the garnish is where the Bloody Marys go from good nice delicious to wow. Because it's all about the presentation. So you have your celery stalk, maybe a lemon wedge, some green olives. You can put those on a cocktail stick or whatever, but those are kind of going to be what can also take a Bloody Mary from a drink to almost a meal.

Speaker 1 00:12:23 And it really makes your drink look fun and festive, even if you're just doing it for yourself. Why not? I would say garnish it up because treat yourself. That's what we're doing all the time when we make our own edibles too. We're treating ourselves. We're treating ourselves to feeling good or treating ourselves to our medicine, or treating ourselves to relieving stress. We're treating ourselves. And no matter how it is that you do it, it's important that you do it beautifully. And you are worth those beautiful garnishes on your own drink, so don't skip that part. So as far as putting together your Bloody Mary, you're going to get out a large pitcher or container and you're going to combine your tomato juice, your horseradish, your Worcestershire sauce, your hot sauce, lemon juice, maybe black pepper, celery salt and your tincture. So just remember that when you're putting it into this jug, this is going to be for all the drinks that it makes. And that's an important thing to remember. So bear in mind.

Speaker 1 00:13:23 Who is going to be drinking this with you. Perhaps you're just drinking it yourself and maybe not all in one sitting, but that is something to keep in mind, which is why it's important to know how potent your cannabis tinctures are. If you are sharing, sharing is caring, but it's not very caring if that person gets really high and uncomfortable. So just keep that in mind. You're going to fill two glasses with ice cubes. Pour the Bloody Mary mixture over the ice. You're going to garnish with your lemon wedge your your pickles, your olives, your celery stick, all those things I already said because you want to create a beautiful beverage for yourself. That's Instagram worthy. Maybe. And, that's it. That's what's so great about this drink, is it's so easy to make. You just mix it all in, add some, add some ice, throw on some garnishes, and you've got something cool that's fun to share. And another way to use that cannabis tincture that you are making have made will make am I right now? Of course, like anything, there's lots of ways that you can modify this particular beverage to suit your own tastes.

Speaker 1 00:14:31 Some substitutions if you will. You all know I'm a big lover of substitutions or tweaking things to make them more suitable for your own preferences. And like anything, the Bloody Mary is highly, I say, highly adaptable. I mean, you have the really, you have sort of a base way to do it, and then people tweak it based on their preferences. Now, there's a lot of folks out there. I have seen many recipes out there who don't use horseradish, so if you're not really a big fan of that ingredient, you can always leave it out if you want to make it a vegan option. The only ingredient you may need to watch out for is Worcestershire sauce, which is often made with some kind of anchovies, so you might be able to find a Worcestershire sauce, or maybe instead use soy sauce as an option. The garnishes. Again, as we've already mentioned, you can have fun with this part. It is the most fun part of making the drink, and you can always garnish the outside of the glass with salt out of celery.

Speaker 1 00:15:33 Stalk a lime wedge. Olives. Pickles, bacon. I mean, we've probably all been in those restaurants where they have like Bloody Marys and Caesar's that come out looking like it's a meal on top of a glass. And of course, if you want to make this a little less spicy again, forgo the horseradish. But you can omit the hot sauce or use something like a green hot sauce, it's not going to be as spicy. So those are a few ways that you can modify this to your own preferences. The nice thing about a Bloody Mary two is that it's a great cocktail to make ahead of time. So if you are expecting some company, you want to wow them with something fun. This is a great way that a great recipe that you can put together to showcase your beautiful cannabis tincture. And with all those flavors in there, whether you use a freezer version of the cannabis tincture that's going to have less taste, the less of a green taste, or whether you use a more traditionally made cannabis tincture like on your countertop at room temperature, that typically has a stronger cannabis taste.

Speaker 1 00:16:30 This is the perfect cocktail to mask those flavors because ingredients, of course, like the tomato juice and horseradish and Worcestershire hot sauce, they're all so good at masking those flavors, so it's a great beverage to make, but you can make it in a large pitcher. Let the flavors meld together overnight, and then you just have to pour it into your glasses with ice and your garnishes, and you're all set. Now you're going to want to also opt for high quality tomato juice and fresh fruits whenever possible. Using fresh ingredients, of course, is going to over enhance the taste of this cocktail. But of course, sometimes you have to work with what you've got, and if you have everything else but you haven't had a chance to go to the store to get fresh lemon and lime. Well, I mean, nobody's really going to know. Nobody's going to know. The best part about this one is experimenting and having fun. You sort of have to be in the mood for a Bloody Mary sometimes to really get into this beverage.

Speaker 1 00:17:21 It's not necessarily one that I go to. Well, I shouldn't say that because I am as a Canadian, I'm not sure if you know, but apparently I have heard that Caesar's are Canadian and that in the US they don't have this Caesar. Is this true? Maybe somebody can let me know. But that is what that is. The word on the street are Canadian, and I have had many a Caesar. I love a good spicy Caesar. And I think the main difference between the two is the juice. Bloody Marys are made with tomato juice, and the Caesar is made with a clamato juice, which is a blend of tomato and clam juice. So if you're also on the vegan side or vegetarian, maybe that's not for you, but that is sort of the difference between the two. And I found an article that talked about the differences between Bloody Marys and Caesar's. Oh, and it says right here Bloody Caesar is the version Canadian of the Bloody Mary, first made in 1969, in Calgary, Canada, with a blend of tomato juice, clam juice, which we know here as clamato juice.

Speaker 1 00:18:29 The rest of the ingredients are actually very similar. And of course, like anything you can make, there's lots of variations on it. There is a bar in my town that specializes in Caesar's, and again, they're garnished to the hilt. So it looks like you have a glass of food coming to you. But I do love a bloody Caesar. So that is something you could probably try. Instead of just using the the tomato juice, switch it up and try the clamato and see how you like the difference. See if you notice the difference. I mean, I think they're both delicious. I just tried this Bloody Mary for this one because I thought, hey, there's a lot of Americans who listen to this particular show, and I like to branch out and try different things. And I really did enjoy. I really did enjoy it. I don't know if I could honestly say I noticed a huge difference. Now, what if you don't have a cannabis tincture on hand when you're making this? I mean, you could probably infuse it with an oil, but there's definitely some drawbacks to that, which, as many people have probably noticed.

Speaker 1 00:19:31 Do you mix an oil in with a drink? Even if you give it a really good stir, it's going to separate. The oils are going to have a flavor unless you're doing something like an MCT oil, which tends to be a more flavorless. But a coconut or an olive oil is going to affect the flavor of your beverage. How does that translate to a Bloody Mary. Well, because it's a bit different than a tincture. Oil and water, as I just mentioned, don't actually mix. So that's the biggest challenge that so the biggest challenge is mixing it and the flavour. So how might you make it work in a drink that's pretty much water based? Well you've got a few options. One, you could just go for vigorous shake in your cocktail shaker, even though you're not having to put this in a cocktail shaker, or just give it a really good stir, which will temporarily emulsify the oil into the drink, but it is going to separate it. And if you're sipping on your beverage, it's just going to separate.

Speaker 1 00:20:19 That's just the that's just the science here, folks. So even for a small amount of oil, I mean, it might be okay. Perhaps if you're dosing each individual drink, that might not be a problem. You could add something like an emulsifier. But then of course, that seems like a lot of overkill for like one picture of a drink. And also that it's also going to potentially affect the flavor. And you don't want to do that. A simpler approach in one that I think is kind of cool is that you could use the Infused oil as a float or drizzle on the top of a Bloody Mary. Maybe just do a nice little drizzle of your oil right on top. And of course, you're not even necessarily going to see it depending on how much garnishing you have on your Bloody Mary. But that is one way that you could do it. So you get that initial hit of the cannabis flavor, you know, just accept it as it is. The tincture is obviously going to be a much better way to infuse this, but I recognize that not everybody has a tincture on hand.

Speaker 1 00:21:13 And you may say, Margaret, I really want to make this still. So you could do it artistic. Do it artistically. Drizzle it on the top. You're going to have that bit of that taste at the at the beginning. And again, using a more mild UN flavor. Actually the olive oil could potentially work pretty nicely for this too. Now that I'm thinking about it, finally, you could also try using a cannabis infused salt rim or spice rim. And if you if you don't have cannabis tincture, whether you have cannabis infused salt on hand is debatable, but it is a way that you could infuse this. And it's a, you know, salting the rim is also it's a really nice touch. Caesars almost always have a salt rim. I have much less experience with Bloody Marys beyond. I don't know if I've ever had a Bloody Mary until the until I made this, this particular version. I've had lots of Caesars though, because they are delicious. You could use an infused salt to make a salt rim, and that's another way that you could do it.

Speaker 1 00:22:07 So there's a few different ways you can infuse this. Obviously, the tincture is your best option. The infused oil is your next best, best option, and then you can go from there. But I would love to hear how you infuse this particular beverage. If you're doing something a little out of the ordinary, and if you're not, tag me or join the Bite Me Cannabis Club and show your versions in the group. Because the fun part about these are, of course, let me let's all say it together. The garnish is. Yay! I hope you enjoyed this episode my friends. Please consider sharing it with those who may be interested in making delicious infused Bloody Marys next week. I have a guest on that I think you're going to find very interesting Mike de Villiers. He wrote a book called Buzzkill The Corporatization of Cannabis. And I think he has a really important message that's good to share with people in the cannabis community, maybe a bit of a departure from perhaps what we normally talk about on here.

Speaker 1 00:23:03 But it is important, and I thought it was a really interesting conversation. I read the book not that long ago, and it was eye opening and quite fascinating, especially from the perspective of a public health policy. So stay tuned for that. I'm really proud and excited about that episode. And then the next week I'm talking about infusion experiments, because I have tried some things out in my home kitchen, and I want to share those results with you, because who else am I going to share it with? Let's be honest. But that's it. As I mentioned, as always, check out the Margaret Recommends page on my website at Bite Me podcast. Com. Join me. Com for learning more about the Bite Me Cannabis Club. And until next week, my friends. I am your host, Margaret. Stay high.