Source ingredients from small farmers and you’re likely to get food that’s not only top-of-the-line fresh but unique enough to inspire the creation of a dish – or drink – centered around such items. Such is the case this week, when yellow and white heirloom tomatoes from YellowTree Farm star in Bloody Mary Blanc, Farmhaus‘ white-blooded take on the traditional boozy brunch cocktail.
Farmhaus’ general manager Eric Scholle uses the small orbs to create a delicious house-made Bloody Mary mix, which serves as the base for his riff on the classic red tomato-and-vodka cocktail. The mild tomatoes, along with yellow onion, celery, garlic, manzanilla olives and anchovies, are puréed into a thick, spoonable tonic that’s just spicy enough to clear the sinuses. Next, he adds vodka infused with togarashi – a Japanese seven-spice mixture of ground chile peppers, orange peel, black and white sesame seeds, Japanese pepper, ginger and seaweed. Scholle lends a touch of his personality to the drink by adding a splash of his beer of choice: Miller High Life. And rather than using water-based ice cubes that would dilute the drink, Scholle opts for juiced celery that’s been frozen into a long, thin cube perfectly paired to fit the narrow Collins glass in which it’s served. The drink is finished with a skewered yellow tomato garnish.
No red blood gets spilled in the making of this Bloody Mary. But considering the tasty Bloody Mary mix, a peppery yet well-pitched vodka infusion, subtly flavored veg ice and a garnish that brings the drink full circle, there will be blood if you try to snag it out of our hands.
This article appears in Aug 1-31, 2011.