Belvedere Bloody Mary Brunch
Belvedere has launched its latest maceration variant, Belvedere Bloody Mary.
The launch is being marked through a partnership with brasserie Randall & Aubin in Soho, London, where chef Ed Baines has worked with Belvedere’s head of spirit creation and mixology, Claire Smith, to produce a Brunch menu with accompanying Bloody Mary variant cocktails.
The dishes on the menu are inspired by different facets of both the cocktail’s history and that of Belvedere, such as the pork schnitzel which is believed to originally hale from Poland, brought over to Austria by Polish troops in the Battle of Vienna (1683), and the Omlette Arnold Bennett, named after the English novelist who was a fan of the smoked haddock, hollandaise and parmesan concoction made at the Savoy, a dish also enjoyed by Mary I of England, after whom the Bloody Mary is named.
Randall & Aubin, originally a butcher, is a buzzing yet relaxed venue on Brewer Street in the heart of Soho, and is an ideal location for a restorative brunch and a punchy Bloody Mary. Baines commented: “The Bloody Mary and brunch are intrinsically linked. The history of the Bloody Mary is varied and much debated. After studying its history I have created a selection of brunch dishes that celebrate the drink and capture its essence.”
Each of the dishes is paired with a Belvedere Bloody Mary based cocktail, ranging from the ‘Very’ Mary which is the closest to a standard Bloody Mary, made with Belvedere Bloody Mary, tomato juice, Merlot, Worcestershire sauce, Tabasco, bitters, and a dash of celery bitters; through to the Spicy Apple (vodka, ginger beer, apple cider and a dash of fresh lemon juice) and the Cucumber Fix (vodka, cucumber juice, elderflower cordial, lemon juice and Absinthe mist). All the cocktails are priced at £7.50.
Smith was quick to praise the vodka and its versatility: “I am very proud of the Belvedere Bloody Mary, it contains the most individual macerations of any of our products yet, incorporating seven ingredients which provide its complex and rich flavour aroma.”
Indeed, the vodka is remarkably smooth given the fiery flavour. Excellent in cocktails, it certainly holds its own served straight, although it requires stamina.
The brunch menu is available until the end of May. We recommend the Scotch eggs and the Randall’s burger with fried egg and blue cheese, washed down with a punchy Very Mary.
