Laura Zastrow
The Weary Traveler's Bloody Mary with a beer chaser.
Brunch in Madison means Bloody Marys, and the city has plenty of choices, from Sardine’s excellent manicured version to DLUX’s build-your-own Bloody Mary bar. A good Bloody should have body, a balance of spices and plenty of garnish. It shouldn’t get watery quickly, sting with a single note like horseradish or Tabasco, or taste like Campbell’s tomato soup. The whole point of the drink (aside from curing hangovers) is to let the various ingredients commingle into savory sips of ever-changing deliciousness and surprise. It’s also important to find something on the menu that pairs with it.
To that end, the Weary Traveler’s “Late Riser” brunch is a slacker’s paradise of epic Bloody Mary-ness. With remarkable clarity of purpose, the Weary Traveler’s Bloody Mary is a thick, well-garnished and balanced version. The recipe is secret, although a trick the bar may be using is a dash of Guinness or other beer in the mix. That provides body and a little sweetness. Another trick is to send pickles or cucumber through the food processor and into the drink. Whatever the secret here, it works.
Pair with the steak and eggs, featuring serrano pepper and lime-marinated flank, a dish seemingly constructed with the drink in mind. Just make sure your dining partner orders the French toast.
