Bloody Margaret
A gin-based variant of the Bloody Mary cocktail.
Bloody Margaret is a variation on the cocktail Bloody Mary, made with gin instead of vodka. It is also more often known as a Red Snapper or Bloody Gary in the United States, and Ruddy Mary is an alternative name.
Quick Facts
- Ingredients
- 45 ml vodka / 90 ml tomato juice / 15 ml fresh lemon juice / 2 dashes of Worcestershire sauce / Tabasco sauce / Celery salt / Black pepper
- Served
- On the rocks: poured over ice
- Garnish
- Celery and lemon wedge (optional)
- Prep
- Stir gently all the ingredients in a mixing glass with ice, pour into rocks glass.
- Drinkware
- Highball glass
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
According to web site FoodRepublic.com, the Red Snapper originated in post-Prohibition New York City. A French barman named Fernand “Pete” Petiot left Harry's New York Bar in Paris to work at the King Cole Room at the St. Regis Hotel in NYC. Petiot had been known in Paris for the tomato-juice-and-vodka cocktail, the Bloody Mary. Vodka was scarce then in New York, so Petiot swapped it for gin. The Astors, owners of the St. Regis, didn't like the name Bloody Mary, and thus Red Snapper (originally a fish) was chosen instead.
Reader's Guide
The Bloody Margaret, also called Red Snapper or Bloody Gary, represents a notable variation of the classic Bloody Mary. Its creation is tied to the same bartender, Fernand Petiot, who is credited with inventing the modern Bloody Mary. When Petiot moved from Paris to New York in the post-Prohibition era, vodka was scarce, leading him to substitute gin. The Astor family, owners of the St. Regis Hotel, objected to the name 'Bloody Mary,' so the drink was renamed Red Snapper after a fish. This variation demonstrates how ingredient availability and cultural preferences shaped cocktail evolution. The Bloody Margaret is essentially a Bloody Mary made with gin, and it remains a recognized alternative for those who prefer gin's botanical flavors over vodka's neutrality.
Did You Know?
- Fernand Petiot swapped vodka for gin when creating the Red Snapper because vodka was scarce in New York.
- The Astors, owners of the St. Regis Hotel, disliked the name Bloody Mary, leading to the name Red Snapper.
More in Cocktails with gin 1-24
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