It's Soju Cocktail Hour: Soju Bloody Marys

Typhoon Meari hit the Korean peninsula this Sunday morning, leaving our prospects of hitting up the beach bleak. The rain wouldn't relent, so we relented and cozied up with some fine homemade Bloody Marys from fresh summer tomatoes. Here's how you can make some of your own to ride out the storm.

Step One: 
Chop some fresh tomatoes into chunks, and drizzle a bit of olive oil over them. Season with some salt and pepper. Roast in your toaster oven until the tomato looks soft and delicious. Don't overdo it too much; ten to fifteen minutes is all you need. If you want to skip the hassle, use tomato juice, but I would recommend V8 from Costco if you're in Korea-- Korean tomato juice is really sweet. If you want to try Korean tomato juice, no worries, just add extra salt.

Step Two: 
Throw your roasted tomatoes into a blender. I use one medium to large tomato for each small drink you want to serve. Add hot sauce to taste and a dash of Worcestershire sauce. Blend it all up nice and good. Check your consistency; if your Bloody Mary mix so far is really thick like tomato sauce, add a splash or two of water. Don't add too much, you've still got the soju that is going to thin it down as well.

Step Three: 
Strain your concoction. No one wants to be drinking seeds and tomato skins in their cocktail.












Step Four:
Pour your mix into a glass full of ice. Add a shot of soju. I chose the brand Cool 168 (so named because it contains 16.8% ABV) that we found at Mega Mart because it looked like a fun bottle. A lot of people prefer to shake this cocktail instead of stir, so go right on ahead if you've got the equipment. Otherwise, give it a swizzle around.

Step Five: Garnish that bad boy! Squeeze in some lemon juice, add olives, pickles, or whatever other tiny veggies you've got. Then taste test. If it needs it, feel free to season further with salt, pepper, hot sauce, or herbs like rosemary or basil.






Now, drink up! You've worked hard to create this delectable work of art, so enjoy. 
May all your typhoons pass quickly.