Celery is one of the standard garnishes that always seems to disappoint me. Without question, celery is part of the classic combination of Bloody Mary garnishes, but it is often dried out or wilted and flavorless when served at most establishments. It certainly lets me down more than it doesn’t. If it were up to me- I’d replace every single piece of mediocre celery stuck in a Bloody Mary with a Spicy Dilly Bean. Yup- I said it and it’s a bold claim. But it’s the truth.
If you have never have a spicy dilly bean, then you have no idea what you are missing. I highly recommend that you stop reading this right now, get your ass in the car, and go get some.
Question: What do I love about spicy dilly beans?
Answer: Um… everything.
They have it all- crunch, spice, sour, seasoning and salt. This is the perfect compliment to a Bloody Mary and so much more interesting than celery! Go ahead- try to argue that with me. I dare you.
In addition to being delicious, dilly beans are really easy to make on your own in the summer when the beans grow faster than a household can keep up with. I know home jarring is not for everyone and truth be told, my homemade ones are good, but they don’t come close to Matt & Steve’s Extreme beans. These things are G-R-E-A-T.
Matt & Steve’s Extreme Beans have this incredible tang that hits you in the form of vinegar, then it’s immediately balanced out by the heat and followed by the layers of seasoning that make up their brine. They use long beans so they are nice and hearty and add a solid crunch. What can I say- I am in love.
You know what else makes a great Bloody Mary? Seasoning your rim. Rimmers and Spicy Beans (and maybe a shrimp) make for excellent Bloody Mary accouterments and, personally speaking, make me very happy.
If you are ready to take your homemade Bloody Mary hosting skills up a notch, grab yourself some Matt & Steve’s Extreme Beans and some Matt & Steve’s Bloody Mary Rimmer. Oh what the hell- go get some fresh shrimp while you’re at it and finish off our favorite Bloody Mary recipe the right way!
Cheers.
