From mimosas to Bellinis, cocktails are to brunch what comics are to Sunday mornings at home—a tradition. But besides classic libations, many restaurants are putting their own twists on early-day drinks. Woodberry Kitchen, for instance, packs a lot of creativity into The Full Monty—its version of a Bloody Mary. Ingredients include candied bacon, a whole smoked shrimp, and a scallion garnish. To add a local kick, the glass is rimmed in Old Bay and served alongside a four-ounce shot of Natty Boh. For diners at The Wine Market, bartenders use interesting ingredients like house-made pickled green beans for a garnish instead of celery or soju, a Korean rice liqueur.
Grapefruit Soju Cocktail
2 ounces soju
Dash salt
Splash of simple syrup (see recipe below)
2 ounces fresh-squeezed pink grapefruit juice
Combine ingredients in a shaker. Shake, and serve in a chilled martini glass with lychee fruit.
(Simple Syrup: Bring 1 cup water and 1 cup sugar to a boil in a saucepan; simmer until sugar is dissolved. Let cool completely. Store in refrigerator for up to a month.)
Courtesy of The Wine Market
English Breakfast Martini
3 ounces Crop Organic Cucumber Vodka
1/2 ounce Pimm's No. 1 Cup
Dash Angostura bitters
Fresh cucumber
Combine ingredients in a shaker, shake, and serve in a chilled martini glass with fresh sliced cucumber in the glass or on the rim, depending on how you slice it.
Courtesy of The Wine Market
Bloody Mary
1 3/4 ounces Prairie Organic Vodka
3 ounces Bloody Mary mix (recipe below)
1 scallion
Lemon slice
In a Tom Collins glass, add vodka and fresh ice. Top with Bloody Mary mix and stir thoroughly. Garnish with whole scallion and a lemon slice. To re-create Woodberry Kitchen's version called The Full Monty, add a chunk of candied bacon and a whole smoked shrimp. Or simply rim with Old Bay.
House Bloody Mary Mix:
46 ounces tomato juice
2 1/2 ounces lemon juice
2 1/2 ounces lime juice
5 teaspoons Tabasco sauce
2 1/2 tablespoons horseradish
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
1 1/2 teaspoons sea salt
1/2 teaspoon sweet paprika
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
1 tablespoon Old Bay
Combine ingredients well.
Courtesy of Woodberry Kitchen
