Bloody Mary

Ingredients

2 cans whole, peeled or diced tomatoes

1 medium carrot

¼ cucumber

small handful of fresh parsley

juice of 1 large, ripe lemon

a few dashes Worcestershire sauce, to taste

a few shakes Tabasco hot sauce, to taste

celery salt, to taste

sea salt and cracked black pepper, to taste

15 ml vodka

15 ml Leopard’s Leap Classic Merlot

Celery leaves, lemon wedges and gherkins for garnishing

Method

In a blender, combine the canned tomatoes, carrot, cucumber, parsley and lemon juice. Blend until smooth.

Decide which texture is desired. If a thicker texture is preferred, leave as is, but if a less thick mix is wanted, add a little water and blend until the desired consistency is reached.

Pour the mixture into a jug and add the Worcestershire sauce, hot sauce, celery salt, sea salt and black pepper.  Add a little of each, at first.

Stir well, cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours to allow to chill thoroughly.

Fill a glass with ice, add the vodka and the wine, fill with the Bloody Mary mix and top with celery leaves, lemon wedges and gherkins.