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Cocktail Hour: Bloody Mary Brunch

[dropcap2]N[/dropcap2]ow that the weather is warming up, it’s time for a little recharge after the winter doldrums. It’s important to celebrate the little things; for me, it’s those fleeting moments that I get to spend with friends. So to add to our month of celebrations, we planned a rustic Bloody Mary Brunch.  [quote_left]When I’m old and gray, I want to have a house by the sea. And paint. With a lot of wonderful chums, good music, and booze around.
And a damn good kitchen to cook in. ― Ava Gardner[/quote_left] I can’t think of a better way to spend a late lazy morning than with my girlfriends. Our lives on-the-go can take their toll, so we all need to make space to relax.

A brunch need not be fussy to be fun, especially since we’re all so busy. We invited our friend Tania over for some quality catch-up time, Ashley made a crustless quiche with a green salad, paired with a gorgeous cheese plate that Autumn brought, and naturally, I took care of the drinks. As far as cocktails are concerned, Bloody Marys are the perfect savory beverage. Bloody Marys are great both in the spring and fall, and right before the peak of the summer, when all you want is a cold beer or something refreshing with citrus and gin in it. I happen to love salt over sweet most days of the week, so this cocktail is one of my favorites.

The centerpiece of our brunch was the Build-Your-Own Bloody Mary Bar. I think a Bloody Mary should be overflowing with tasty things, so why not let your guests choose their own adventure? We filled our bar with celery stalks, Slim Jims™, (for those who like a little meat in their Bloody Mary), sweet pickles, dill pickles, cornichons, smoked olives and stuffed olives, cocktail onions, tiny sweet peppers, lemon wheels and fresh carrot stalks.

I love introducing people to tasty Bloody Marys because most people have only had terrible ones. First of all, your Bloody Mary mix will either make or break your Bloody Mary. It is EVERYTHING. I have tried making my own in the past, but this time Demitri’s Bloody Mary Seasoning took all the guess work out of making our Bloody Mary mix.  And now, I will never try to make my own mix again. This seasoning makes a flawless Bloody Mary. All you have to do is add it to your tomato juice. (Or to your Clamato juice if you like your Marys a little briny). We made a fun little video to show you how:

Demitri’s makes effortless Bloody Marys, and with four different flavors, there’s something for everyone. My personal favorite is the Chipotle Habañero because I love the spice. As an added bonus, Bloody Mary Seasoning doubles as a marinade or seasoning for food, or you can even use it to season some cocktail cousins: the Michelada or Sangrita.

That’s pretty much all you need to have a great mini celebration: great food, great friends and a Bloody Mary Bar!  We’re even going to throw in a little kicker, by giving you everything you need to throw your own Bloody Mary Brunch. Check out our fantastic giveaway below!

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GUESS WHAT WE’RE GIVING AWAY

Everything you need to have your own Bloody Mary Brunch

(1) 8oz Bottle of Demitri’s Classic Bloody Mary Seasoning
(1) 8oz Bottle of Demitri’s Chipotle Bloody Mary Seasoning
(1) 8oz Bottle of Demitri’s Chilies and Peppers Bloody Mary Seasoning
(1) 8oz Bottle of Demitri’s Extra Horseradish Bloody Mary Seasoning
(1) Tin of Demitri’s Rim Shot Bloody Mary Salt for your glasses
5 pack of Demitri’s Pepperoni Straws
(2) Demitri’s Printed Pint Glasses

Contest begins May 23, 2013 at 8:00am PST and ends June 01, 2013 at 11:59pm PST.
So many ways to win!
Start by leaving a comment below
sharing your favorite garnish for your Bloody Mary!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Comment Below to unlock your chance to win!

Don’t forget to TWEET about the giveaway! You can tweet once a day for the duration of the contest, so keep tweeting to supercharge your chances of winning! …and if you’re already a fan on Facebook or follow us on Twitter or Pinterest – you are already eligible for a few entries – so you might as well enter our giveaway! Good luck!
[divider] One lucky winner will be announced on our website on June 03, 2013 at 8:00am and will be emailed directly. Winner must contact us within 72 hours to claim prize, or a new winner will be named. You must be 18 years or older and a U.S. resident to win. For complete rules and restrictions, click here.

This May we’re celebrating celebrations! We’ll also share tricks that busy working women like us use to throw memorable bashes with minimal effort.
Follow our Petit Parties and Entertaining Pinterest boards for ‘celebration inspiration’ all year long!