A great bloody mary is required for any game-day brunch. I created this smoky version by adding chipotle peppers. For the best flavor, shun salty mixers and canned juices and look for a bottled, no-salt-added pure tomato juice. It’s also quite easy to make your own tomato juice. Cut about 4 pounds of fresh tomatoes into quarters and purée them in a blender, then strain to remove the skins and seeds. This should give you 1 quart of juice. A version of this recipe originally appeared in my cookbook Fan Fare: A Playbook of Great Recipes for Tailgating or Watching the Game at Home, published by Harvard Common Press. Serve them in University of North Carolina cups, of course.
1 quart tomato juice
1 1/2 tablespoons chipotle purée (see Note)
1/3 cup fresh lime juice
1 1/2 teaspoons salt, or to taste
1 teaspoon garlic powder
Vodka
Cilantro sprigs and lime slices
Combine the tomato juice, chipotle purée, lime juice, salt, and garlic powder in a large pitcher. Stir well to combine. To serve, pour the mixture into tall glasses filled with ice and stir in the desired amount of vodka. Add a cilantro sprig to each glass and garnish the rim with a lime slice.
NOTE * To make chipotle purée, put a can of chipotle peppers in adobo sauce in a blender and process until smooth.