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The classic Bloody Mary…a cocktail known to have been created in the early 1920s by Fernand Petiot, a bartender based at The New York Bar, later known as Harry’s New York Bar. The iconic drink is made up of vodka, tomato juice with salt, dashes of hot sauces, black pepper and garnished with a celery stick.

Why is it called a ‘Bloody Mary’?

It is believed that the cocktail was named after Queen Mary Tudor of England, due to cruel antics in the persecution of Protestants whom she burned at the stake in the hundreds. The cocktail symbolises this; the vodka representing the Queen’s wicked temper and the red colour of the tomato juice reflecting the sheer bloodshed that the Queen caused.

What does a Bloody Mary taste like?

You are initially greeted with the sweet, tangy taste and aroma of tomato juice when you take a first sip from a classic Bloody Mary, with a slight ‘earthy’ undertone. With the added dashes of Worcestershire sauce to the drink, you can also experience a subtle level of heat and spice.

Our recipe includes a Maldon Smoked Salt rim. This is an important ingredient to the cocktail as the flaky Maldon Salt elevates the overall flavour of the drink; intensifying the sweetness and counteracting the bitterness of the tomato juice. Additionally, the smoked salt element allows a gentle, warming undertone to come through when you take your first sip…utterly delicious!

Here is how to make our Bloody Mary Cocktail with Smoked Salt…

1. Start by preparing the glasses with a smoked salt rim.
2. Take 2 highball glasses and run a lemon wedge around the rim. Then pour some Maldon Smoked Salt onto a small, flat plate.
3. Take each glass and turn it upside down into the salt and turn and press it so the smoked salt sticks to the rim.
4. Set aside while you make the Bloody Mary.
5. Into a jug add the Ketel One vodka, spicy tomato juice and lemon juice and mix well. Then fill the jug with ice and add the Worcestershire sauce, Tabasco and cracked black pepper (to taste). Stir the ice round until it has chilled all the ingredients but not too long as to water it down.
6. Fill the Maldon Smoked Salt rimmed glasses with ice. Then pour in the Bloody Mary cocktail.
7. Garnish with a stick of celery, a wedge of lemon and some olives on a cocktail stick.

What to serve with a Bloody Mary Cocktail?

As the cocktail is primarily tomato-based, it makes sense to pair this drink with some ‘deliciously’ good savoury dishes…

We recommend serving a wholesome, homemade pizza, as the tomato and cheese toppings on the baked dough compliment the flavours perfectly with a Bloody Mary, creating a flavour-pairing that is a match-made-in-heaven!

Cheese itself is a ingredient that works great with tomatoes, spices and herbs…which is exactly what a Bloody Mary possesses! As a result, a side dish of scrumptious, arancini balls made with melting mozzarella and parmesan is ideal with the cocktail.

Is a Bloody Mary spicy?

Because a Bloody Mary includes a few dashes of Worcestershire and Tabasco sauce, the cocktail can be a bit on the spicy side depending on how many dashes you put into the mixture. To make it less spicy, simply reduce or take out the sauce elements from the drink and stick with just the Maldon Smoked Salt rim for a gentle, warming flavour.

Macaroons are considered dainty and beautiful treats and are surprisingly simple to make too. These delicious coffee ones have sweet almondy shells which are sandwiched between a salty and rich dark chocolate ganache – they are perfect when paired with the Salted Caramel Espresso martinis as an after-dinner showstopper.

In a food processor, place the icing sugar, ground almonds and espresso powder. Blitz together until fine in texture.

Sift this through a sieve into a large bowl and discard any larger bits that don’t pass through. In a separate bowl, use an electric whisk to beat together the egg whites until they resemble soft peaks. Slowly add the sugar – a tsp at a time – whisking to incorporate after each addition. Keep whisking until all the sugar is added and the egg whites are glossy and at stiff peak stage.

Tip the egg whites into the ground almonds and fold them through until fully incorporated, trying not to overmix.

Line two baking trays with baking paper. A good tip is to use a little of the macaroon mixture to stick the corners of the paper to the tray to ensure it doesn’t blow and flutter in the oven. Place the macaroon mixture into a piping bag with a small nozzle attached. Pipe 30 small circles (15 on each tray). Then bang the tray onto the work surface firmly a couple of times to knock any air bubbles out. Leave the macaroons to dry out at room temperate for 1 hour.

Preheat the oven to 180C.

While the macaroons are drying, make the ganache. Finely chop the dark chocolate and place in a large heatproof bowl along with a pinch of Maldon salt. Pour the cream into a small pan and heat gently until it reaches scalding point but before boiling. Pour the hot cream over the chocolate and then without stirring, leave it to sit for 2 minutes. After 2 minutes, use a whisk to mix and combine the chocolate into the cream – it will thicken and become smooth and glossy. Set aside.

After an hour, put the macaroons into the preheated oven and bake for 15 – 20 minutes until crisp. Remove from the oven and allow them to cool completely.

Once cool, sandwich the shells together with the ganache. Dust them with cocoa powder and serve alongside salted caramel espresso martinis.

Salted caramel works beautifully in this take on a classic espresso martini. Delicious served after dinner alongside Coffee Macaroons.

1. Mix together the hot espresso with the caramel sauce and Maldon salt, stir together so the caramel and salt melt. Place this into the fridge or freezer to cool completely.
2. In a cocktail shaker add ice cubes, then the cooled espresso, vodka and coffee liqueur. Shake it well for 1 minute.
3. Then pour into martini glasses through a fine strainer, making sure to add all the liquid.
4. Dust half the top with cocoa powder and garnish with 3 coffee beans.
5. Serve immediately alongside coffee macaroons.

This recipe demonstrates just how simple it is to make flavoured sugar syrups at home – it is worth the extra effort for really spectacular cocktails. The hibiscus turns this Pisco Sour into a fantastic bright pink colour.

Start by making the hibiscus sugar syrup. Add the sugar, water and hibiscus to a small pan and gently bring to the boil. Allow the mixture to bubble away until all the sugar has dissolved. Then remove from the heat and allow to cool. Once cool, pass through a sieve to remove the flowers and store in an airtight glass bottle or jar in the fridge until ready to use.

To make the hibiscus pisco sour start by adding the pisco, lime juice, hibiscus syrup, Maldon salt and egg white to a cocktail shaker. Shake well for 1 – 2 minutes until foamy. Then add ice cubes to the shaker and mix again well. Strain this into cocktail glasses such as a classic coupe. Garnish with a few dots of angostura bitters and a dried hibiscus flower.

You will not miss the Amaretto in this alcohol-free variety! The combination of pineapple and almond extract tastes very similar to the original and makes a delicious sweet and sour cocktail.

In a cocktail shaker add the Maldon salt, sugar syrup and almond extract. Mix together well to dissolve the salt into the sugars. Then fill the shaker with ice and add the pineapple juice, lemon juice and egg white. Shake well again for 1 – 2 minutes.

Strain the mocktail into two tumbler glasses filled with ice. Garnish with a slice of fresh pineapple.

Did you know Havan, Cuba is where the the mojito cocktail originated from, with the main components of this refreshing cocktail being rum, or ‘aguardiente de caña’ which means burning water, with also the sweeter elements of lime, sugarcane juice and of course, mint!

We’ve taken on the classic and giving it our own refreshing twist with our alcohol-free mocktail which is bursting full of Summer flavours. The watermelon and basil is a fresh tasting alternative to the traditional lime and mint mojito, giving it a slightly sweeter flavour when a pinch of Maldon Salt is added to the sugar syrup mixture.

1. In a blender, add the watermelon and blitz until smooth – then pass this through a sieve to remove any pips.
2. In two tall highball glasses start with a handful of basil leaves in each, 1 tbsp of sugar syrup and a pinch of Maldon salt. Then muddle these together using a muddler (or similar) to break down the basil leaves and infuse the flavours.
3. Add the lime juice, fill the glass with ice and finally top up with the strained watermelon juice. Mix together.
4. To serve, garnish with a small triangle of watermelon, a slice of lime and some basil leaves.

A traditional Moscow mule contains Vodka, lime juice and ginger beer – this middle eastern version has the addition of pomegranate juice and fresh mint which works brilliantly alongside the Smoky Baba Ghanoush, perfect for hot summer evenings or BBQs.

In a tumbler glass add the vodka, lime juice and pinch of Maldon salt and mix together. Fill the glass with ice and then add the pomegranate juice. Top up with ginger beer and garnish with pomegranate seeds, a slice of fresh ginger and a sprig of mint. Serve immediately with smoky baba ghanoush and crudites.

Baba Ghanoush is a Lebanese dish which comprises of soft aubergine and spices – it’s a delicious alternative to Hummus and is works brilliantly with the fresh crispy crudites. Serve alongside pomegranate and ginger Mule cocktails.

Preheat the oven to 180C.

Place the aubergine on a baking tray and drizzle with olive oil. Place in the oven and roast for 45 minutes – 1 hour (depending on the size of your aubergine) until the outer skin is blackened and charred but the inside is soft and tender.

Allow the aubergine to cool, before slicing open and scooping out the tender flesh and discarding the skins. In a food processor add the soft aubergine, garlic, 2 tbsp olive oil, tahini, cumin, paprika and parsley and then a generous pinch of Maldon smoked salt and some cracked black pepper. Blend together until it is smooth.

Place the baba ghanoush in a bowl and drizzle with some olive oil, then top with a sprinkling of za’atar and Maldon smoked salt. Serve alongside crudites or flatbreads to dip and a delicious Pomegranate, Honey and Ginger Mule. 

Negroni Sbagliato Cocktail with Prosecco

Did you know ‘sbagliato’ in Italian means ‘mistaken’ or ‘bungled’. This is how the the delicious Negroni Sbagliato cocktail was invented…by mistake! A traditional Negroni is made from Campari, which is bitter tasting liqueur mixed with sweet vermouth and gin.

The Negroni Spagliato is a take on the classic, where Campai and sweet vermouth are added, however the gin is replaced with sparkling wine or prosecco. As a result, the use of prosecco will make it less alcoholic, with the bubbles adding an elegant flavour and gentle fizz as you take a sip.

As you would with a traditional Negroni, you can serve these in stem of flute glass, garnished with orange peel or grapefruit zest.

Why Add Salt To A Negroni Sbagliato?

Adding a pinch of Maldon Salt will counteract the bitter notes that a typical Negroni has, and intensifies the sweeter notes of the the Red Vermouth and Prosecco to come through.

1. Ahead of preparation, keep your Campari and Red Vermouth chilled in the fridges before use.
2. Add the measurements of Campari and Red Vermouth in to a champagne flute or stem glass. Add a small pinch of Maldon Salt.
3. Mix well with a bar spoon until the salt has completely dissolved into the spirits.
4. Top the glass with chilled prosecco.
5. To serve, garnish with orange peel or grapefruit zest over ice.

Join Chef Sabrina Ghayour in making these delicious tartines, topped with roasted pepper, spring onion and creamy ricotta cheese.

A tartine is an open-faced sandwich, consisting of a slice of bread (toasted or no toasted), with one or more toppings. These are great to have as a snack or as a light lunch during the warm, summer months.

We recommend roasting your peppers as they release a sweet, almost charred flavour which compliments the ricotta cheese that tends to have a mid, nutty flavour. With a generous pinch of Maldon Salt, these flavours are elevated to new heights, making you want to go in for another slice (or two!).

Here is how to make the tartines…

1. Blister whole red and yellow peppers gently on the BBQ.
2. Once blackened on all sides, place into a bowl and cover with clingfilm.
3. In a bowl, mix the ricotta with the pul biber, oregano and lemon zest and a generous seasoning of Maldon Salt and black pepper, stir until evenly combined.
4. Remove the blackened outer skin of the peppers and discard the core and seeds.
5. Slice the flesh into ribbons and set aside.
6. Char the sourdough bread and spring onions on both sides, remove and plate up.
7. Rub each piece of sourdough with ¼ of the garlic clove then divide the ricotta between the 4 slices and top with peppers, a spring onion each and a little drizzle of olive oil and sprinkle of Maldon Salt to finish.
8. Serve and enjoy!

How to roast peppers on the BBQ

When preparing to peppers on the BBQ, we recommend tossing them in a bowl with oil and a pinch of Maldon Salt. Once they are fully coated, place the peppers on the hot grill, cooking them until they begin to char on one side. When the side has become charred (slightly blackened), rotate the pepper carefully. Continue this rotations until all sides are evenly charred. Now you have peppers with a slightly sweet, smoky flavour, perfect for tartines, salads and incorporated into dishes such as pastas!

Are there other sauces you can put on your tartines?

If you do not want to spread the ricotta cheese on your tartines, we recommend a gorgeous pesto sauce, which will give a nutty, slightly garlicky kick to your dish.

Additionally, pairing a homemade fig jam will give a delicious, sweet kick to the tartines, elevating the smokiness of the peppers and spring onions.