My little habit of appreciating a Bloody Mary sometime during any given Sunday probably started years ago at the Colgate Inn in Hamilton, N.Y., back when drinking at age 18 was still legal and Sundays weren’t ruined by multitasking or by knocking back a few at brunch.
Named for Queen Mary I of England who had a reputation for having ‘heretics’ burned at the stake, the cocktail is the perfect mix of red and fire: tomato juice, vodka, and horseradish with a bit of Tabasco and Worcestershire sauce for good measure.
Photo credit: M. Ciavardini
A place a bit closer to my current home in Westchester County and, with a reasonable drive, accessible to city dwellers, is the Beekman Arms in Rhinebeck, N.Y. Have a cocktail in the Tap Room if you are inclined to travel back in time—you’ll feel like a revolutionary plotting for independence.
—Lori Tripoli