Why Do People Put So Many Weird Things In Bloody Mary’s?

Long-celebrated as one of America's classic cocktails, the Bloody Mary has satisfied Happy Hour customers since its invention.  But unlike cocktails like the Manhattan or a Screwdriver, the ingredient list has become a complex sliding-recipe of various ingredients.

How did that happen? The answer is about as clear as the definitive recipe for the drink.

Three different people stake claim to inventing the drink that at its core contains vodka and tomato juice.  The International Bartenders Association includes a recipe for the cocktail on their official website:

• 4.5 cl Vodka
• 9 cl Tomato juice
• 1.5 cl Lemon juice
• 2 to 3 dashes of Worcestershire Sauce
• Tabasco
• Celery salt
• Pepper
• Stir gently, pour all ingredients into highball glass. Garnish with celery and lemon wedge (optional).

Sadly I can't remember the last time I've encountered a Bloody Mary made this way - other than in my own home.  Too often when you order a Bloody Mary at an establishment, you're served something that looks like the kitchen sink was thrown at the glass.  Shrimp.  Meat sticks.  Clamato juice.  Cheese sticks. Onions.  Asparagus.  Beets.  French fries.  Whole pieces of fried chicken.  Slices of pizza.  Hamburgers.  How did this classic cocktail get bogged down with such an outlandish assortment of garnishes?  And, perhaps the better question - why?

This year, the Minnesota Twins and Target Fieldmade the news when they rolled out garnished with a slice of pizza that sells for $19.

What do you prefer in your Bloody Mary?

[In the process of full disclosure, I should divulge my own deviance from the classic Bloody Mary recipe.  While I stay pretty true to the recipe listed above (I.E. - Tomato juice, vodka, celery salt, fresh ground pepper, Tabasco, Worcestershire sauce, a squeeze of lemon juice, and a celery stick) - I do on occasion add a pickle spear.  Dill pickle spears are the most ubiquitous, but I have also found Famous Dave's Signature Spicy Pickle Spears to be a delicious add in.   I also like Sacramento tomato juice - if you're keeping track at home;  It's the thickest on the market!]