Bacon Bloody Mary

San Francisco welcomed me for a week with open arms, and yes, I left a bit of my heart there, but I returned with some recipes. A celebratory cocktail, the Bacon Bloody Mary, inspired by visit to a warm and most wonderful restaurant – cheers to Mother’s Day from Bijouxs.

Travel always inspires my tastebuds, new foods and new sites, arriving home with a list of recipe ideas to explore. San Francisco is a city that has provided me with a lifetime of memories, beginning with yearly shopping trips as a child for fall school clothes and this recent visit added to my already overflowing memory bank of this beautiful city.

This San Francisco visit was all about catching up with a dear friend, going all the way back to our young ‘tween’ days, and of course it included lots of food and shopping. Our on-foot wanderings, along with some fine recommendations led us to the Elite Cafe on Fillmore for a warm welcome and a delightful brunch. We also learned a little about how they make their famous bacon vodka, so back home I had some friends over to taste test a Bacon Bloody Mary.

Using the basic instructions for the Elite’s bacon vodka, I added Bijouxs Bloody Mary mix recipe and voilà, a bacon-infused Bloody Mary, Bijouxs style. The process is really quite simple, both the vodka and mixer should be made the day ahead, which makes the celebration day even easier.

COOK’S NOTES: I used Black Forest bacon, but applewood smoked bacon is also a nice choice. Use freshly grated horseradish – not sauce – look for it in the refrigerated cases at the market. You may substitute Tabasco sauce for the Sriracha sauce. The tomato juice mixture also makes for a very tasty alcohol-free beverage.

Thank you San Francisco for your warm welcome and friendly faces! Please visit the Elite Cafe when you can. Happy Mother’s Day!

As always, enjoy. B