In what I really hope becomes an annual event, back on May 1 there was an incredible Kachka Horseradish Vodka Bloody Mary Bloc Party. At each of 5 stops, each ticketholder was able to enjoy a bloody mary sample by that restaurant/bar contestant using the Kachka and New Deal Distillery team up of Horseradish Vodka as well as a food bite. Then, at final stop Bit House Saloon, you decided on who was the best bloody mary among these neighbors. I’m not sure how American of a cocktail a Bloody Mary is – the origin may be in New York, or it may be elsewhere, but hey at least it’s got that pretty red color!

Here’s a look at each of the participants and the recipe for their bloody mary entry, which everyone received as part of their check-in!

• Kachka and Bull in China featured a Bull in China Bloody Mix that used pineaples, tomatillos, and beets as well as their Lemon-Honey Cordial and Frank’s Red Hot
• Oso Market’s version used Roma tomatoes, pimenton, chili, cayenne powder, fresh garlic and horseradish, pickle brine, and Tapatio
• Slow Bar used lots of Tabasco and Cholula sauce and threw in some Mezcal
• Dig a Pony balanced their San Marzano tomatoes with dill brine and cucumber juice with Crystal hot sauce and Cajun spice blend
• Bit House Saloon did a creative take using fermented tomato water

Kachka and Bull in China

Kachka (hosting Bull in China) was everyone’s first stop since that is where you checked in. You were welcomed with a sample of the Horseradish Vodka on its own so you can taste what wonder it offers and you get to keep the cute shot glass. Ever since I discovered this flavor every time I go to Kachka this is always one of the shots I order. It’s spicy but not too much unlike wasabi, and it has a touch of honey that offers sweetness to offset that burn into a perfect balance that is smooth is surprisingly easy drinking. It’s great with all the food at Kachka.

The Bloody Mary entrant from Bull in China (serving at Kachka) was called the Sitting Duck utilizing Kachka Horseradish Vodka, Bull in China Bloody Mix, Lemon-Honey Cordial, Jacobsen Salt Co. Chili Lime Salt, and Frank’s Red Hot.

This was served with Kachka brunch bite of Buckwheat Blini with salo lardons braised with onions and topped with lingonberry and pickled mustard seed relish.

Recipe for Sitting Duck, by Luke Plant and Daniel Osborne:

• 1 1/2 ounces Kachka Horseradish Vodka
• 1 1/2 ounces Bull in China Bloody Mix (recipe follows)
  • 1/2 pineapple (peeled/quartered)
  • 4 tomatillos (leaves removed/halved)
  • 1 large tomato (halved)
  • 2 golden beets (peeled/quartered)
  • 1 large red beet (peeled/quartered)
  • 1 jicama (peeled/quartered)
  • Directions for Bull in China Bloody Mix: On a hot grill, char pineapple, tomatillos and tomato. Remove and cool to room temperature. Use electric juicer to juice all ingredients. Mix. Refrigerate.
• 1/2 ounce Lemon-Honey Cordial (recipe follows)
  • 10 lemons (halved/charred)
  • 1/2 cup honey
  • Directions for Lemon-Honey Cordial: Juice lemons. In a saucepan, combine 1 1/2 cups roasted lemon juice with honey over medium heat and stir until sugar dissolves. Let cool to room temperature.
• 1 pinch Jacobsen Chili Lime Salt
• Dash Frank’s Red Hot sauce
  

Oso Market + Bar

Oso Market + Bar created a concoction called Sign of the Times with Kachka Horseradish Vodka, Roma Tomatoes, Pimenton, Chili, and Cayenne Powder, Fresh Garlic and Horseradish, Lemon and Lime Juice, Pickle Brine, Celery Salt, Tapatio, and Sea Salt with a brunch bite of Salt Cod and Horseradish Deviled Egg

Recipe for Sign of the Times, by Colin Howard:

• 2 ounces Kachka Horseradish Vodka
• 6 ounces Oso Bloody Mary Mix (recipe follows)
  • 6 pounds whole roma tomatoes, blended
  • 1/4 cup sea salt
  • 1/8 cup celery salt
  • 1/4 cup pimenton pepper powder
  • 1 tablespoon chili powder
  • 2 teaspoon cayenne powder
  • 3 garlic cloves, minced
  • 2 tablespoons freshly grated horseradish
  • 1/2 cup lemon juice
  • 1/2 cup lime juice
  • 1 cup pickle brine
  • 10 dashes Tapatio hot sauce
  • Directions for Oso Bloody Mary Mix: Rough chop tomatoes and place in bowl of food processor. Blend well. Add remaining ingredients and blend until fully mixed.

Slow Bar

Slow Bar spiced things up the most with their Reign in Blood based on their house Bloody Mary with Kachka Horseradish Vodka, Vida de San Luis Mezcal, Slow Bar Bloody Mary Mix, and Kosher Salt Rim served with a brunch bite of Deep Fried Sausage with honey. The olive on their bloody mary surprised everyone by being stuffed with hot sauce.

Recipe for Reign In Blood, based on their house Bloody Mary

• 1 1/2 ounces Kachka Horseradish Vodka
• 1/4 ounce Vida San Luis del Rio mezcal
• 6 ounces Slow Bar Bloody Mary Mix (recipe follows)
  • 46 ounces Tomato Juice
  • 2 ounces lemon juice
  • 2 ounces lime juice
  • 1 1/2 ounces Worcestershire sauce
  • 5 dashes Tabasco hot sauce
  • 3 dashes Tabasco chipotle
  • 1/2 ounce Cholula hot sauce
  • 2 tablespoons freshly grated horseradish
  • 1 teaspoon celery salt
  • 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
• Kosher salt rim

Dig A Pony

Dig A Pony was ultimately declared the winner of the five by popular vote. They offered a bloody mary called Blood on the Bayou with Kachka Horseradish vodka, San Marzano tomatoes, fresh lemon, Worcestershire, dill brine, cucumber juice, Crystal hot sauce, Cajun spice blend, pepper, Jacobsen black garlic salt. Yes that is a hot puppy garnish too on the bloody mary.

The Dig A Pony brunch bite of The Devil Eats His Tail with lobster tail and asparagus deviled egg with cajun spice, potato crisp, edible flowers and Crystal hot sauce

Recipe for Blood on the Bayou, by James Ault and David Benedetti

• 2 ounces Kachka Horseradish Vodka
• 3 ounces San Marzano tomatoes (blended and strained)
• 1/4 ounce lemon juice
• 1/4 ounce Worcestershire sauce
• 1 dash dill brine
• 1 dash cucumber juice
• 1 dash Crystal hot sauce
• 1 dash Cajun spice blend
• 1 dash black pepper
• Jacobsen black garlic salt rim for the glass
  

Bit House Saloon

Bit House Saloon on the other hand was my personal vote for the winning bloody mary. I liked how their version was risky and unique. They named their bloody mary Red Herring and crafted it with Kachka Horseradish Vodka, Fermented Tomato Water, Fresh Tomato Water, Lime Juice, Kummel, Tabasco, and Worcestershire.

They offered a brunch bite of Cheddar Biscuits and Sausage Gravy

Recipe for Red Herring, by Chauncey Roach

• 3/4 ounce Kachka Horseradish Vodka
• 3/4 ounce fermented tomato water (recipe follows)
  • 1 gallon water
  • 1 cup kosher salt
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 4 ounces horseradish root
  • 12 garlic cloves
  • 5 pounds tomatoes
  • Directions for Fermented Tomato Water: Bring water to a boil and whisk in salt and sugar to dissolve. When cool, add horseradish, garlic and tomatoes, and keep submerged. Cover tightly with cheesecloth. Brine in cool, dark place for up to 5 days until it starts to ferment (gets fizzy). Take tomatoes out of brine and chop them up. Pulverize in food processor. Hang processed tomatoes and pulp in cheese cloth. Collect the liquid and toss the tomatoes.
• 3/4 ounce fresh tomato water
• 1/2 ounce lime juice
• 1/4 ounce kümmel
• 1 ounce water
• 5 dashes Tabasco hot sauce
• 5 dashes Worcestershire sauce
  

Which of these Bloody Marys or Brunch Bites sounds like it would be your vote?

Fantastic time today at the Bloody Mary Bloc Party featuring the Kachka @kachkapdx New Deal @newdealpdx collaboration of Horseradish vodka with bloody mary with best bloody mary competitors from @bullinchinapdx @OsoMarketBar @digaponypdx @slowbarpdx and @bithousesaloon paired with Brunch Bites #pdxeats #pdxfood #eatpdx #eeeeeats #foodanddrink #bloodymary #bloodymarys #bloodymarygram #pdxevents #PDXnow #pdxdrinks #drinkportland #pdxcocktails #brunch #pdxbrunch #horseradishvodka #clinkdrinkeatrepeat #bloodymaryblocparty

A photo posted by Pechluck Laskey (@pechluck) on May 1, 2016 at 2:26pm PDT