Create a fun brunch mood with just a little effort by setting up a superior Bloody Mary Bar! Your guests will feel comfortable serving themselves. Here are the steps and garnish list to build YOUR Bloody Mary bar.
My friends, Annie, Cindy, Kim, and Juliet are joining me with their own suggestions for festive beverages! Their links are at the end of the post.
What Is a Bloody Mary?
A Bloody Mary is a cocktail containing vodka, tomato juice, Worcestershire sauce, hot sauces, herbs, horseradish, black pepper, lemon juice, and celery salt. Garnishing the drink with celery, pickled carrots, etc. gets to the fun part. Many people consider it to be a hangover cure. While we are planning this for Christmas brunch, it could come in handy on New Year’s Day! 🙂
I like Bloody Mary’s without the vodka, too, or with a bit of beer (similar to a Mexican drink called a michelada). Let your guests pour their own vodka into their drink.
Bloody Mary Tomato Juice Recipe
You buy a good prepared mix like Zing Zang or make your own:
- 6 limes juiced
- 3 tbsp prepared Horseradish
- 2 quarts tomato juice
- 2 tbsp hot sauce
- 1 tbsp Worcheshire sauce
- celery salt and pepper to taste
-
Combine the lime juice and horseradish in a pitcher. Pour in the tomato juice, hot sauce, and Worchestershire sauce; season with celery salt and pepper. Stir everything together to combine. Taste. Chill until ready.
Superior Bloody Mary Bar Garnishes
Here is my recipe for Pickled Carrots (makes a nice homemade gift too). We pepper thick sliced bacon and bake at 400 degrees until crispy. For ease, we bought already cooked jumbo shrimp at the upscale grocery market.
Glasses, Ice, Jigger and Skewers
Tall wicker glasses are nice for these drinks (the wicker keeps them from being slippery). A double jigger (a fancy present by the way) lets guests measure their own vodka. I bought the bamboo skewers here.
Small Bowls, Glasses and Stand To Elevate Garnishes
For display, it helps to elevate some of the ingredients on a cake stand…and creates more room. One new idea here was to put a small dish with grape tomatoes, basil leaves and mini mozzarella balls,so that a little caprese can be skewered.
I love to collect small bowls and they come in handy here for olives, marinated cocktail onions, shrimp and lemons and limes.
The Cheers cocktail napkins can be found here.
And Cheers To YOU!
You may also like Party Ideas With Citrus: Tablescape, Hummus Platter, Fresh Lime Margaritas.
Let’s Get Some Inspiration From These Elegant Hostesses:
Cindy Hattersley Design
Most Lovely Things
Northern California Style
Make Mine a Spritzer
Hi Mary Ann,
I love this idea. I enjoy bloody Mary’s with brunch or even breakfast. I appreciate you sharing Howard’s recipe for the Bloody Mary mix. What a great idea to let people dress their own BM.
Merry Christmas to you and your family. I hope you can share fond memories of your dear mother during this holiday.
xo,
Karen B.
Mary Ann you look so cute here and I love how you made this bar so pretty and inviting. I totally want to do this for brunch for the holidays. I like that you can do a non-alcoholic one easily too. Great idea with the veggies and choices. It feel like a luxe bar at fancy restaurant with your pedestals and bowls.
This was a lot of fun and I enjoyed everyone’s great ideas!
Happy Holidays my friend. xo Kim
Thanks, Kim. The non-drinkers in my family love this too.
Oh my gosh Mary Ann, aren’t you just the most clever hostess with the mostest! This Bloody Mary serve-yourself cart is a terrific idea, you thought of every Little thing and went above and beyond. I’d love to be a guest at one of your gatherings!
You would definitely have to hide the olives and pickled veggies from me though, I’d be happy with just those and a couple of caprese skewers! Yum.
Holidays look like extra fun at your house!
Xo Heidi
Thanks so much, Heidi!!
Mary Ann! You look gorgeous! A Bloody Mary bar, what a fantastic idea! I’ve never thought of this, but what a great idea, The colors are just so vibrant and colorful! Looks so festive! Totally want to plan a party now!!
Thanks, Annie. We need to plan a party!!
Hi Mary Ann,
Everything is amazing what you put together, you think of everything, and then some, really like the menu
“BUILD YOUR OWN” EAT DRINK ANS BE MARY! Heavy on the “MARY,” are you sure you did not add anything
to your Bloody Mary. You are all beautiful Christmas smiles 🙂 that is why I was asking.
Enjoy your day.
I DO look pretty happy, Katherine…but I think it was more about the “brunch in a glass”. Thanks so much for the lovely Christmas card by the way!!
I told Howard to say something funny to make me smile!!
love this! putting this on the company Christmas party menu, thank you!
That will be a fun party, Debra!!!
What a festive idea!!! I’m printing the garnish menu! Thanks so much.
The smell of bacon will wake everyone up!!
I forget about skipping the alcohol but love that idea! All the goodies and no buzz!
Wow, I don’t drink, but these beautiful cocktail bars make me want to start! Love your extra goodies like pepper bacon, mozzarella balls and more!
Looks like you’re ready for the holidays!
Thanks, Gail. You could have it without the alcohol like I did…like brunch in a glass 🙂
First of all adorable pic of you. Now if that bloody mary bar doesn’t make everyone want to try one I don’t know what will. Absolutely fabulous in every way. The garnishes, the presentation…so impressive. Maybe I will try it for Christmas morning?
I have NEVER had a Bloody Mary nor would I!
SOUNDS DISGUSTING TO ME!
Nor am I a drinker so NO MEDICINAL NEED!!!!
MERRY CHRISTMAS!!
You must not like tomato juice, Elizabeth!
Happy Holiday’s, Mary Ann! Is it too early to be on your doorstep? My goodness … your Bloody Mary Bar is spectacular, I can’t wait to share this with my soon-to-be daughter-in-law who is a Bloody Mary connoisseur. I’d love to put this together for her … maybe the morning after the wedding. That will get our official in-law relationship off on the right foot! Love your presentation … and OMG the bacon. It’s not even 8 o’clock and I haven’t had my cocoa … but you’ve got me thinking of something a little stronger. Cheers! xo
Ha! I’m sure she loves you, Juliet. Thank you for leaving the nicest comments. I loved your post and pinned it.