Intro
Once in a great while you come across a person that ‘gets it’ just like you do. You see the world through the same set of eyes, and just maybe, you taste things the same way too! That’s what happened when Local Taste got together with the creator of Toma Bloody Mary mix, Alejandro López, to chat Bloody Marys.
We discovered that we share a vision for a world (or at least Westchester, NY) where bad Bloody Marys no longer exist! Alex was so determined to see this vision come to fruition, that he set to work on a creating his very own Bloody Mary mix that could be made available to the public and to restauranteurs, so all could enjoy this complex cocktail at any time, without disappointment.
Alex is of course not the first person to create a Bloody Mary mix. After all, there is a surplus of Bloody Mary mixes on the market today. So what makes Toma special? Actually, quite a bit.
Something Special.
Like all great things, Toma comes from a place of passion. Alex has always enjoyed cooking for his family and friends, especially Brunch. And you can’t serve Brunch without serving a Bloody Mary. But Alex didn’t just serve up any ordinary Bloody. He went as far as to actually create his own sriracha and chipotle tomatillo sauce, whereas the rest of use a jar of hot sauce. Worcestershire sauce? Yep, he made that too. That, my friends, is commitment. And it was also delicious. Delicious enough that he decided to take his operation large scale and bottle his recipe. And so Toma Artisanal Bloody Mary Mix was introduced to the world.
Tell me about it
The Toma mix has a smooth consistency, without over blending the ingredients. This means you can still see the specs of pepper and horseradish, but the ingredients don’t add unwanted texture and certainly nothing that will get stuck in your straw. Just by looking at it, Toma’s deep, dark, red color tells you it is going to be good. 4 parts mix to 1 part vodka, Toma delivers slightly smokey heat, well rounded acidity and a overall savory flavor that keeps you going back for more. The use of tomatillos, chipotle and of course, Alex’s housemade sauces, combine to produce a remarkable Bloody Mary.
Around Town
Toma is quickly becoming the Bloody Mary mix of choice for restaurants in the Westchester region and that is no surprise. Since we are so often disappointed with house mixes and/or their choice of pre-made mix, Local Bloody Mary lovers would welcome it at most establishments. Just imagine a day when you are at brunch and order a Bloody Mary and are given a choice, just like when you order a glass of wine or a beer! They would ask you, “Would you like the house mix or Toma mix?” Oh the joy that would bring! So we look forward to the expansion of Toma into bars and restaurants in the Local Taste stomping ground.
The Final Say
Local Taste conducted an in-house taste test of Toma. 4 tasters participated and after our tasting session, all 4 deliberated if it was to be named ‘The Best Bloody Mary they have ever had.’ Of course, we drink a lot of really good Bloodys around here, so this is a tough determination to make. But c’mon… the fact that this was the conversation we were having should probably tell you something. That, combined with the fact that we drank it faster than any other Bloody Mary we have ever had, certainly means it is a Bloody Mary worth seeking out.
Want Some?
In addition to a growing list of Westchester food eateries, Toma is also sold at select shops which are listed on the Toma website. Or, without leaving the comfort of your digital device, order online! Toma ships to most states around the country.
