This month, our panel is called to the bar to argue the case for and against tabasco.
Salvatore Calabrese, bar manager, the Lanesborough Hotel, and author of Classic Cocktails (Prion)
The Bloody Mary was created in 1921 by Fernand Petiot, a bartender at Harry's Bar in Paris. It really took off in New York when Petiot moved to the St Regis Hotel there. These days, too many adjustments are made to the recipe. The classic recipe contains no spirits other than vodka. I like mine quite sharp, but it depends on the time of day: I make it spicy in the morning for an energising kick start, and lighter for a refreshing afternoon drink.
The Lanesborough Hotel, Hyde Park Corner, London SW1. Tel 020 7259 5599. (Bloody Mary)
Kevin Gould, grocer and writer.
Match in Clerkenwell serves the best Bloody Mary in town. The barman uses Wyborowa, a Polish rye vodka, and spices it with a mixture of Tabasco, Worcestershire sauce and lemon juice, in which they marinate red chillies. The tomato juice is never too salty, so you can taste the distinct flavours. For drinks parties, I inject cherry tomatoes with Wyborowa and a spice, lemon and salt mix for a surprising bite that gets guests quietly pickled. These Cherry Marys are a great way to start a Sunday.
Match EC1, 45 Clerkenwell Road, London EC1. Tel 020 7250 4002. (Bloody Mary £5)
Zéphène Du Plessis, assistant manager, The Grenadier.
People tend to drink Bloody Marys when it's cold outside. I don't like mine to be too spicy as the Tabasco can dominate the other flavours. Our Grenadier Bloody Mary is made from a secret recipe more than 35 years old, invented by a man called Tom who worked here for 26 years. His recipe won the 1999 Boisdale Absolut Vodka Bloody Mary award. We were the only pub to enter among smart bars and hotels.
The Grenadier, 18 Wilton Row, London SW1. Tel 020 7235 3074. (Bloody Mary £4.25)
Dave Broom, drinks writer.
I live in Brighton near Browns Bar where the staff are well trained and sympathetic to the hungover, but they will put a stick of celery in your glass. Let's face it, the last thing you need in a delicate state is a vegetable up your nose. When I mix Bloody Marys, I use good vodka, such as Absolut Peppar or Wyborowa. I like tomato juice, Worcestershire sauce, Tabasco, white pepper (black can be too harsh and leaves bits floating in your drink), salt, a tiny bit of celery salt, a splash of fino sherry and orange juice, to give it a citrus lift.
Browns Bar & Restaurant, 3-4 Duke Street, Brighton BN1. Tel 01273 323501. (Bloody Mary £4.35)
Guy Dimond, food & drink editor, Time Out.
The best Bloody Mary I've tasted was at a The Fog City Diner in San Francisco. All the ingredients were completely fresh, including the horseradish. I recently had a very good one at Congress near the Houses of Parliament in London. It had just the right level of spiciness. The barman had made up the mix in a bottle, which is not the best way to do it, but it had the right tang.
The Fog City Diner, 1300 Battery Street, San Francisco. Tel 00 1 415 982 2000. (Bloody Mary $7)
Congress, North Court, 1 Great Peter Street, London SW1. Tel 020 7654 3000. (Bloody Mary £6)
Ian Wisniewski, food and drink writer.
Bloody Marys are the best form of hangover first aid, although I like them so much that they are just as likely to be the cause as the cure. There's no room for compromise on the ingredients: it has to be Wyborowa vodka, and freshly made chilled tomato juice. I like plenty of seasoning: flakes of sea salt, Tabasco, Lea & Perrins, fresh horseradish (never sherry, which adds a revolting sweetness), and a squeeze of lemon juice. With a stick of celery, it's a meal in itself. My favourite 'clinics' are Che, the American Bar at the Savoy and Claridge's Bar.
Che, 23 St James's Street, London SW1. Tel 020 7747 9380. (Bloody Mary £6.20)
The American Bar, Savoy Hotel, The Strand, London WC2. Tel 020 7836 4343. (Bloody Mary £8.90)
Claridge's Bar, Claridge's Hotel, Brook Street, London W1. Tel 020 7629 8860. (Bloody Mary £7.50)
Jilly Cooper, author.
I used to drink Bloody Marys like mad, but now, because I try to do a bit of work every day, I find that the first one is absolute death to doing anything else in the day, except drinking more. So unless I am staying with people, I tend to avoid them like the plague. My husband, Leo, however, has the most dazzling recipe. It is as follows: one bottle of good vodka; juice of three lemons; a shake of garlic salt; and one litre of tomato juice. A Bullshot requires the same measures, just substitute cold consommé for tomato juice.
Jason Fendick, general manager, Zeta bar.
The Bloody Mary has stood the test of time, but, being a bartender, I am always looking for new ideas. I grew up in South Africa, where drinking freshly squeezed juices is a part of life, and I feel the need to convey the benefits of fresh ingredients. In my opinion, if you make a Bloody Mary using juices from cartons, it just doesn't taste as good as it can. I thought it needed a bit of a face-lift, so I developed the Bartender's Breakfast, a savoury mix with flecks of green. It is rich in vitamin C and folic acid, and stimulates circulation and digestion. What better way to start the day
Zeta Bar, 35 Hertford Street, London W1. Tel 020 7208 4067. (Bloody Mary £6).
Mark Dodd, Ideal Brands, sales and marketing agents for Absolut Vodka.
Having the heady responsibility of distributing strong liquor to London's grooviest bars, you could say I've had more than my fair share of the 'aqua vitae'. I've drunk everything from Absinthe Hammer of God to a Zubrowka No 6. Although I've sipped and slurped through the alphabet of drinks, sometimes I just can't seem to get past B. A good Bloody Mary is hard to beat. If you ever find yourself in Brighton with that Sunday morning feeling, check out the Bellevue pub, where the landlord will mix you the very best.
The Bellevue, 67 Buckingham Place, Brighton. Tel 01273 382312. (Bloody Mary £2.40)
Jonathan Goodall, author of The Classic Bar & Cocktail Book (Apple Press).
If you want to make a Bloody Mary at home but cheat, I strongly recommend 'Big Tom' ready-made mix. It really packs a punch and is incredibly spicy. All I do is add a healthy shot of Smirnoff Blue Label. Everything else is there. I think lemon juice is the single most important ingredient to lift it and give it a really refreshing zing - it's probably the ingredient you would miss the most if you left it out. If you have a really bad hangover, add a few drops of Fernet Branca.