Melvyn Minnaar : Potable pleasures
Despite a multitude of folkloric fixes and other frivolities – or the remedies mothers-in-law dictate over the phone when the baby needs to be fed at dawn – there is no instant cure for the hangover.
If you haven’t taken enough Essentiales or Prohep (that means a handful) the night before with plenty of water (that’s tap- water, skip the designer stuff), you’ll suffer.
Of course, the irony is that, if you remember the night before, you’d probably be going to bed sober enough and not have a hangover anyway.
The Spartan remedy consists of litres of water with perhaps some dissolved glucose or sugar -and sweat. Mild physical exercise, like a slow, early-morning jog along the beachfront works wonders.
On the other hand, the stylish panacea is the Bloody Mary.
It is heaven-sent in that it requires you to stay in bed late, have an early lunch or late breakfast and thus conjure up a good reason to justify the administration of hirsute-dog product. (There seems to be medical evidence that renewed intake of a small quantity of alcohol is of medicinal value in countering alcohol poisoning. But don’t take my word for it!)
The Bloody Mary is the mother of all cocktails. It is also the perfect drink for brunch. In fact, add a croissant and a double espresso and that could be the meal.
The secret is to use the best ingredients, get the combinations right and prepare, serve and drink it with sufficient verve and delight. Use sparkling, tall highball glasses and not too much ice. (Very stylish is to freeze bits of lemon peel in nifty- shaped cubes of mineral water.)
Vodka is a magnificently pure form of alcohol and as such, the basis of many cocktail combinations. In the basic Bloody Mary, tomato juice, lemon and other condiments are added. There are numerous variations, but getting the vodka right is a good start.
According to the official description, “Vodka must: 1. Be distilled from any harmless vegetable article in a rectifying or fractionating column; 2. Not have any distinctive characteristic, aroma, taste or colour; 3. Have an alcohol content of at least 43%.” (To rectify is to purify by repeated distillation; to fractionate is to separate parts of a mixture through their different physical properties.)
What the “harmless vegetable article” is, is not prescribed, but vodka is usually distilled from grain. Mielies are often used, but the best is said to be winter wheat. In premium brands such as Stolichnaya, Absolut and Smirnoff great care is taken with the selection of grain.
Although the rules say “no distinctive taste”, there is a surprising variation of tastes if one compares different brands. The top brands are certainly best and more interesting.
So splash out on a bottle of Russian-made Smirnoff Black Label and stick it in the refrigerator to cool down to a delightful oily consistency for that perfect Bloody Mary day.
Use the best tomato juice you can find (imported V8 is great). Pour into the glass about a teaspoon of dry sherry, a dash of Tabasco, two or three dashes of Worcestershire sauce, some lemon juice (depending on the level of acidity in the tomato juice), salt and pepper to taste and a few small ice cubes (not too many, it dilutes the mix too much). Stir (preferably with a crunchy celery stick).
Now pour in the vodka (a double tot will do), add a slice of lemon and fill the glass with tomato juice.
One can say “Cheers!” in Russian, but then a true-blooded BM is as comfortably domesticated in Mellville, Bellville or Bel Air.