The iconic Bloody Mary cocktail, the signature drink of The St. Regis, was invented in 1934 right after the repeal of Prohibition, much to the delight of thirsty New Yorkers on Fifth Avenue. Acclaimed barman Fernand Petiot perfected the spicy vodka and tomato-juice recipe in the hotel’s King Cole Bar. Originally christened the Bloody Mary, it was renamed the decidedly less risqué “Red Snapper” so as not to offend the elegant hotel guests. While the name may not have stood the test of time, the savory comfort cocktail surely has.
Now, every hotel and resort in the St. Regis portfolio has crafted its own unique, locally inspired interpretation of the signature cocktail, and the residential portfolio is getting in on the action as well. The newest recipe addition to the St. Regis’ Bloody Mary legacy is the “Boston Massacre,” served only at St. Regis Residences in Boston, opening in 2022.
The Boston Massacre, a deadly riot that occurred on King Street in Boston in 1770, is an important part of Boston and Revolutionary War history, energizing anti-British sentiment and paving the way for the American Revolution. The “Boston Massacre” cocktail pays tribute to this significant event while touching, tongue in cheek, on the signature St. Regis cocktail, The Bloody Mary.
Residents at The St. Regis Residences, Boston, the first St. Regis in the historic city, will be able to enjoy their cocktails from an entire floor of luxurious amenity spaces overlooking the beautiful seaport. They will even be able to charter a yacht from the waterfront property to celebrate at sea.
The St. Regis New York Red Snapper, circa 1934
ingredients:
- 1 oz / 30 ml premium vodka
- 11 oz / 325 ml bloody mary mix?
- 1 lemon wedge, for garnish?
- the signature bloody mary mix:
- juice of 3 lemons
- 2 1/2 #10 cans / 2 1/2 large tomato juice
- 5 oz / 150ml worcestershire sauce
- 10 dashes / 3 ml tabasco sauce
- 2 tbsp / 30 g freshly ground black pepper
- 2 tbsp / 30 g ground cayenne pepper
- 1 tbsp / 15 g ground celery salt
- 2 tbsp / 30 g whole black peppercorns
directions:
- Fill 12 oz (1/2 L) bloody mary glass with ice.
- Add vodka.
- Fill the glass with bloody mary mix and garnish with lemon.
- Pour ingredients into a container and shake well.
- Use immediately or seal and refrigerate. Strain peppercorns from the mix before adding alcohol.
- Makes 3 gallons (11 L).
