Simple hangover cure or the secret to eternal happiness?
By Matt Sandy
Special to Metromix
“I’d hate to be a teetotaler. Imagine getting up in the morning and knowing that’s as good as you’re going to feel all day.” –Dean Martin
The origins of the Bloody Mary are somewhat disputed. Wikipedia credits singer, songwriter and producer George Jessel; while Tabasco gives the nod to Fernand Petiot, an American bartender at Harry’s New York Bar in Paris (hopefully they also give him royalties). Since the two sources are renowned for their historical truthiness we’ll assume there is a component of accuracy to both. The problem is, those explanations are simplistic and fairly mundane. I prefer to believe that on every occasion someone orders this manna from heaven, the spirit of Dionysus floats down behind the bar and possesses the bartender with the ability, albeit briefly, to create nectar worthy of the Gods.
