Why drink a plain old Bloody Mary when you can have our Tuscan version? The night before serving, infuse the vodka with basil. There are basil- flavored vodkas for sale, but this is very easy (and fresher tasting) to make at home. The tomato juice base has balsamic vinegar to pump up the Italian notes. Part of the fun of indulging in a “Mary” of any nationality is the garnish, so if you want to stick a cube of salame or a pitted green olive onto the skewer, be our guest. Truth be told, we are purists and prefer a big celery stick as our stirrer . . . but that’s just us!
Recipe from “Super Tuscan. Heritage Recipes and Simple Pleasures from our Kitchen to Your Table”, Touchstone. Photography by Eric Wolfinger.