The classic Bloody Mary is the ultimate hangover cure, but a tom yum Bloody Mary will bring your body and senses to full attention. Fiery, sour and spicy tom yum paste, which can be purchased from your local Asian supermarket or online, is a roasted blend of chiles, galangal, lemongrass and lime leaves that hails from Thailand. The distinctive and uncompromisingly sharp character of tom yum works beautifully in this version of the vodka- and tomato juice-based cocktail. It adds an alluring Thai fragrance with just the right amount of heat to warm the mouth instead of the traditional Worcestershire sauce and Tabasco.
There are endless varieties of store-bought tom yum pastes. Some are more citrusy, others spicier, others heavier on umami. If you’re vegan or vegetarian, check that it doesn’t contain dried shrimp. Use this recipe as a guide, but the final seasoning will come down to your preference and your brand of paste, so have a little taste as you mix it all together.
Try to avoid thick, black tamarind concentrates from India for this recipe, which will overpower the drink. Instead, look for the brown-colored tamarind pastes or concentrates from Thailand or Vietnam, which provide a more delicate sour balance. I prefer my Bloody Mary with a single shot of vodka, but you can increase this to your liking. If you’re looking to make yours a virgin, just omit the vodka altogether.
ERIC NELSON — EEM, PORTLAND, OREGON
A bootlegger’s reimagining of the swanky Sidecar, straight moonshine added to cointreau, lemon juice, and cognac will rev up your engines for chasing down a great time from one mountaintop to the next.
Struck with a little white lightning, this revamped Manhattan is high proof that moonshine—especially cherry-infused, including a hooch-soaked maraschino cherry—can even make perfection a little more perfect.
Cava has always been a celebration drink in Spain, but with prices being so affordable these days I thought I could make a sangria with it. The result is so refreshing, fruity and sharp.
A Prairie Home Compansion host Chris Thile has been obsessed with sherry lately. He shares this recipe for a sherry cocktail for the holiday season.
Tamarind is a tropical pod with a sticky brown flesh that is both tangy and sweet. Dissolved in varying concentrations, it can be used to make a thin, tart water or a thick, pulpy puree.
What you need:
1. Combine the lime zest, agave syrup, and sea salt in a 32 oz Mason jar.