Ever since I ended my love affair with the now-infamous unlimited brunch mimosa, I've since learned that I had been partaking in brunch in all the wrong ways.  Brunch just isn't the same without a good bloody mary, and up until a few years ago I wasn't a fan.  Not quite sure why considering my random and odd tomato cravings, and my obsession with anything and all things spicy, but regardless I seemed to have quite the aversion to the drink.  Now, you'll rarely see me without one at brunch. During my extended hiatus from the kitchen, I decided to put together a little something for one of my favorite holidays, Cinco de Mayo, by tweaking the brunch-time classic Bloody Maria.  The idea isn't anything groundbreaking, but then again here on TSS we're all about sharing the experimentation process.  So, I decided to take the classic bloody mary and change things up  by juicing half a dozen organic tomatoes, grating fresh horseradish, and adding a touch of cilantro to the mix.  This entire process could be simplified with a bloody mary mix, but there's really no fun in that.  Even though I have to admit that this recipe isn't the simplest -- partly due to the fact that I'm a proponent of freshly squeezed juices and if I can avoid canned/ bottled anything, I will -- but  the results rendered nothing short of satisfying.

Bloody Maria 4 cups of fresh tomato juice 1 tablespoon fresh horseradish, grated 2 tablespoons fresh cilantro, minced 3 dashes Worcestershire sauce sauce 2-3 tablespoon tabasco 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice Juice from 1 lime 1 teaspoon fresh ground pepper 1 pinch of salt 6 oz Reposado tequila

GARNISH Pickled radishes or jalapeños 1 celery stick 1 lemon wedge

Combine tomato juice, horseradish, cilantro, worcestershire sauce, tabasco, lemon juice, lime juice, and salt. Transfer mixture to a swing-top bottle (or something similar). Refrigerate for 1-2 hours, or overnight. Before serving, add tequila to mixture and roll. Do not shake. Serve over ice and garnish with pickled radish or jalapeño, celery, and lemon wedge.