Salty drinks

[kchowder]

Can anyone recommend a savory, salty cocktail to try out? I am tired of getting looked at cross-eyed when I order Bloody Marys anytime other than mid-day. But I can't think of any adequate substitute - let alone any other salty cocktail- other than dirty martinis, and sometimes that's just not enough flavor.

[akadave]

Try the favorite drink of Mexico City...the Michelada. It has beer, V8, Clamato or Tomato Juice, Cilantro, Worcestershir Sauce, Soy Sauce, Tobasco or other hot sauce, lots of lime juice, and of course salt around the rim. They sometimes make it with hard liquor and lots of different spices. Very refreshing and great for a hot day!

[ed1066]

A michelada is awesome with a shot of good silver tequila on the side. I was introduced to these in Puerto Vallarta a few years ago by the proprietor of a restaurant there, who coincidentally was from Mexico City. Great stuff, I make them for friends at home and most people like them, even if they think they won't.

[Veggo]

A michilada in my experience is usually a set up with a salt rimmed glass with ice, lime juice, dried mexican oregano, Worcestershire and a few drops of hot sauce, cold bottled beer added as you go. A chilada, my beverage of choice in hot Mexican summers, is a cold Sol with a salt rimmed glass with just ice and lime juice.

[Greg B]

I wasn't aware of the time of day stigma associated with the Bloody Mary. Here in Nova Scotia there is certainly none associated with the far more popular offshoot of it, the Caesar. A Caesar is made with Mott's Clamato instead of tomato juice and is seasoned the same as a BM. Order one any time of day. The things are addictive though -- I am something of a saltaholic and can drink the clamato or it's cousin, Mott's Garden Cocktail Zesty, by the gallon.

[ciaogal]

The Wynn Hotel in Las Vegas makes a Savory Martini with blu cheese olives and rosemary infused vodka w/ a sprig of Rosemary.....

[MC Slim JB]

If you really want to freak people out, order your Bloody Mary up: it looks really odd strained into a chilled cocktail glass.

Also, as a former bartender, I think Dirty Martinis are a horror. I never order one unless the bar keeps a separate squeeze bottle of olive brine for the express purpose of making those drinks. The olive brine in that garnish tray is inevitably filthy.

One savory drink I can think of is the Michelada, a "cerveza preparada", kind of a Mexican beer highball. There are many variants. A recipe I like: juice half a lime, and rim a lime-juice-moistened highball glass with coarse salt. Throw a few ice cubes in the glass, then add the lime juice, a couple of dashes of Worcestershire, a dash each of soy sauce, Tabasco, and Maggi, and some fresh ground black pepper. Fill with a dark Mexican beer (I like Negra Modelo), stir, and keep topping it off with the rest of the bottle as you drink. Very refreshing on a hot day.

[kenito799]

That sounds really good! A way to improve crappy Mexican beer other than with a lime. Negra Modelo is, of course, one of the least crappy, but IMO not a great beer.
I bought a product in south Texas called "beer salt", in a tiny plastic bottle shaped like a beer bottle: fine, lemon-lime flavored salt for seasoning your Corona (or Bud, I suppose).

[4runner4ever]

Oh yes! I had a customer that would order her Bloody Mary's up! We ended up serving them that way a lot. And trust me, we bartenders love to create different and things for people-it makes our job fun and challenging.

[Mutt]

Who cares? I say that if you want a Bloody Mary at Midnight, who gives a s&*t what the bartender thinks. If he/she looks at you sideways, poke 'em in the eye with a celery stalk.

[kchowder]

Oh my god! A kimchi cocktail!!! That is a brilliant, amazing idea. That sounds perfect - even better than a bloody mary. Of course, you could never get something like that in a bar...could you?

[grocerytrekker]

Never say never. Who knows? For sure, a smart, forward-looking entrepreneurial bar owner will make moolah with a pricey top-shelf mix.

Someday.

[texascarl]

Salty Dog

5 oz grapefruit juice
1 1/2 oz gin (sub. vodka if you prefer)
1/4 tsp salt

Pour all ingredients into tall glass over ice, stir well.

[JK Grence the Cosmic Jester]

Eek. The salt shouldn't go directly into a Salty Dog; it's on the rim of the glass only.

[Quine]

I agree, the salt is on the rim and the perfect NOT sweet drink. :)

[Bobfrmia]

Perfect NOT sweet drink.
Yes, I would have to agree.

[CDouglas]

The savory part of the equation comes from the tomato juice in the Bloody Mary and to a lesser extent from beef bouillon or consomme if they are adding it (aka: a Bloody Bull). Salt accentuates the savory flavor. Grapes are considered to be savory in the unfermented state. I have seen sake described as savory and feel that may be an interesting substitute but what about the salt?

So, either you order a Bullshot and stare down all of the cross-eyed folks or you invent your own cocktail like miso soup/sake shooters or a Salty Dog with sake replacing the vodka/gin.

[cherie]

A margarita, ice cold and straight up, with a salt-rimmed edge scratches that itch perfectly for me.

[grocerytrekker]

Perhaps you are ahead of the curve.
People can be so conventional when it comes to drinks. You are talking about lots of insecure people trying to feel good with overpriced premium vodka (brand withheld) cocktails.

(premium vodka is a good topic for hype - another time. Don't get me started on Noka chocolate)

Here's a Bloody Mary reference and something you might want to try.
http://grocerytrekker.blogspot.com/20...