Wild Cocktails - The Heirloom Tomato Bloody Mary

by Warren Bobrow

The essence of the late Summer farm comes in a compact little package.  The heirloom tomato is sometimes ugly to look at but delicious to eat. They may be speckled like a chicken egg, or even the color of the deepest purple eggplant. Sometimes they are covered in bumps and creases.  When crushed and strained through a fine cheesecloth, these flavors combine to become the new taste of the late Summer.

Greetings to the heirloom tomato: White Bloody Mary.

In a non-reactive stainless-steel bowl, cut several varieties of heirloom tomatoes in half, then remove the seeds.  Roughly chop and then mix the pulp together with a dash of sea salt and freshly cracked pepper, then add a good scraping of fresh horseradish. If you enjoy hot and spicy drinks, combine the ingredients of your choice at this time. Add a bit of both pureed cucumber and if desired, some celery. This mixture will resemble a crude Gazpacho soup.

Add the juice of 4 limes.  Mix well to combine and let the mixture sit in a cool place for about 30 minutes or if desired, overnight to meld the flavors.

Strain the tomato mixture through a cheesecloth into a glass container. Most of the color from the heirloom tomatoes will have stuck to the cheesecloth.   Add a several shots of vodka to a tall glass filled with hand cracked ice. Top off with some of the strained liquids from the heirloom tomatoes to taste.  If desired, add a tablespoon of the remaining tomato pulp for a bit of color and mystery.

Finish the cocktail by adding several different thin slices of heirloom tomatoes for garnish.

Prepare to meet the new classic “end of the summer cocktail.”

Warren Bobrow graduated from Emerson College with a degree in Film, concentrating in Visual Thinking. He worked for many years in the corporate world.

Warren grew up on a farm in Morristown, NJ.   His column, Wild Snack, appears every Wednesday on WRR@Large.

A wine expert, he can be found at Coolvines in Westfield, New Jersey.

Photo: Warren Bobrow