Drink Recipe: Homemade Bloody Mary Mix

I admit, I am not a fan of Bloody Marys. I just don't care for tomato juice. But my father loves a good Bloody Mary, and at the cocktail class at Sur la Table, we learned how to make a homemade, spicy tomato juice, which can serve as a mixer for Bloody Marys. I made the juice, canned it in a pretty jar, and had a nice, homemade present for my dad!

INGREDIENTS:

• 5 pounds tomatoes, cored and chopped, or canned tomatoes (I definitely took the easy way out and used canned)
• 1 small, chopped onion
• 3 crushed garlic cloves
• 2 jalapeno peppers, halved and seeded
• 1/4 cup lemon juice
• dash Worcestershire sauce
• horseradish to taste

DIRECTIONS:

• In a large pot, simmer the tomatoes, onion, garlic, and peppers until they are soft (about 15 minutes).
• Puree the tomatoes in a food mill (I dont have the fancy Sur la Table contraptions, so I left this step out. As a result, my mix didn't make as much juice). Strain the tomatoes through a fine sieve. This is very important! Otherwise, you will have tomato pulp (even if its very fine) and seeds in your mix.
• Add the lemon juice.
• You can freeze, can, or serve the juice. I attempted to can mine, so that it would last. I hope I was successful...
• When ready to serve, mix the juice with the Worcestershire sauce and horseradish. Add vodka and ice.