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Mary Go Bragh! Go Green Inside And Out

Photo by Michelle Baker

Get your St. Patrick's Day party going with a Green Mary - it could very well be the best Bloody Mary you've ever had.

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By GREG and MICHELLE BAKER

Tribune correspondents

Published: March 12, 2009

By now, you know us. It's been a year, after all, since we first met.

You know we have champagne tastes with a beer budget. You know that Greg has a man-crush on chef Thomas Keller and that we both love Cox's Seafood, the Publix at West Hillsborough and Armenia, and the Taco Bus.

You've seen the wedding photos. You've met Fisty the Cat and Ricky Bobby the puppy. You know that Greg secretly longs to be Italian and that Michelle is "Sex In The City's" biggest fan. You know that even though our last name is Baker, bakers we are not. And, of course, who could forget about what happens when we drink too much Prosecco?

It's been a wonderful journey over the past year, and if we have opened only a few eyes to a wonderful world of delectable delights, then sharing deeply personal mishaps and public embarrassments has been worth it.

So why are we yammering on about the good ol' days? Because, it's another alcoholiday, y'all!

There are plenty of reasons to eat and drink obsessively these days, but you don't need a reason on St. Patrick's Day. (We understand it has something to do with a British dude from the 4th century who was uber cool to the Irish ... and something about snakes.)

Cities across the world throw gigantic festivals to honor this lucky day, but your cash-strapped Sherpas won't be partying in public this year. Instead, we're throwing our own little soiree, and we're serving up Michelle's signature green-goodness cocktail, The Green Mary, to get things going. It could very well be the best Bloody Mary you've ever had.

Speaking of green, save some by throwing your own St Patty's party. You don't have to drop $300 on food and decorations - just throw a potluck party and ask guests to bring a potato-themed dish. Get it? Irish ... potatoes?

OK, they can bring whatever they want. Just be sure to open with this toast:

My friends are the best friends.

Loyal, willing and able.

Now let's get to drinking!

All glasses off the table!

THE GREEN MARY

Serves 5

5 pounds green tomatoes (green Heirloom tomatoes are the best to use)

1 bunch of flat leaf parsley

1/2 cup fresh lime juice

3 cloves of garlic

1 jalapeno pepper, seeded

1 tablespoon sea salt

1 tablespoon black pepper

1 tablespoon celery seed

1 tablespoon horseradish

1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

1 teaspoon chili powder

1/2 cup vodka

5 celery stalks, cleaned and cut into 5 inch pieces

5 long wooden toothpicks

1/2 cup green olives

Remove the stems from the washed tomatoes. Cut each tomato into fourths. Put the cut tomatoes into a food processor and process until tomatoes are almost liquefied. Add the parsley, 1/3 cup lime juice, garlic cloves, and jalapeno. Process until completely liquid.

Strain the tomato mix through a fine mesh sieve, pushing the tomato mix through to discard any seeds. Add 1 teaspoon of sea salt, 11/2 teaspoons black pepper, celery seed, horseradish, Worcestershire sauce, and chili powder to the strained tomato mix. Using a wire whisk, mix very well until completely incorporated.

Mix remaining salt and pepper. Using remaining lime juice, dip the rim of each tumbler into lime juice, then dip the rim into the salt and pepper mixture.

Fill tumblers with ice and pour 1 ounce of vodka in each glass. Pour the tomato mixture over the ice and vodka. Add a celery stalk to each glass. Pierce olives onto wooden toothpicks and add to the tumbler alongside celery stalks.

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