Winejoy

Welcome back, Creme de Violette

According to cocktail historian David Wondrich, the Aviation cocktail appeared just over 100 years ago as both planes and cocktails were taking flight around the U.S., a blend of gin, maraschino liqueur, lemon juice and creme de violette. While planes continued to rise, Prohibition arrived and "The Great Experiment" changed not only how Americans consumed alcohol (under the radar) but what they were able to consume. This time marked the rise and fall of many cocktails on top of other popular beverages and producers.

The Aviation cocktail didn't go away but it certainly has been very quiet until recently. Soon after its creation, various cocktail books and guides would include it in their repertoire, but creme de violette was omitted. And during that early period, maraschino liqueur and creme de violette weren't necessarily common. With the absence of the creme de violette flavor and sweetness, you were throwing acidic lemon juice on lots of alcohol. Not the most pleasant drink.

Creme de violette basically became extinct about 50 years ago but finally made a comeback to the U.S. about five years ago with Rothman & Winter's brand from Austria's Destillerie Purkhart. What drove the return? The Aviation and a few other select cocktails that call for it like the Blue Moon, which is basically an Aviation without the maraschino liqueur. If you try an Aviation without the creme de violette, you'll quickly understand why it's not been popular until now. 

Rothman & Winter Creme de Violette

For Christmas, my sister-in-law Laura gave me a copy of Jim Meehan's The PDT Cocktail Book and bottles of Citadelle Gin and Rothman & Winter's Creme de Violette. Within a day, I combed through the entire book, but I already knew what I'd make with my new liqueur as the Aviation has been a favorite of mine but the availability of Creme de Violette locally has been limited until recently. I followed Meehan's formula, but decided to go with Aviation Gin (how fitting?) from House Spirits in Portland.

Aviation from The PDT Cocktail Book by Jim Meehan

2 oz Beefeater Gin
0.75 oz Lemon Juice
0.50 oz Luxardo Maraschino Liqueur
0.25 oz Rothman & Winter Creme de Violette

Shake with ice and strain into chilled coupe

A slightly out of focus Aviation

The few dashes of creme de violette not only creates the balance needed, but offers the most beautiful color for the drink. Local mixologist Cris Dehlavi from M at Miranova thinks of all the senses when making the cocktail. "First of all, it's color is so beautiful. In the bottle, it appears purple, but when added to other things it takes on a blue hue, hence the name of the classic cocktail, The Aviation."

She is also a big fan of Creme Yvette, made of violet petals and four berries from the folks behind St. Germain Elderflower Liqueur, as she says it's "very, very lovely and much more like what was used in the original Aviation cocktail." 

Visit Cris at M and you can order an Aviation if you don't have everything on hand to make the cocktail. You have to invest in both the maraschino liqueur (Luxardo is the way to go) and creme de violette, but you can make a lot of cocktails with a bottle of each. Here's also a twist on the cocktail that she created last year, the Violet Sour. 

Violet Sour by Cris Dehlavi, M at Miranova

1.5 oz Ohio Lavender infused Plymouth Gin
0.5 oz Cointreau
0.25 oz Lemon Juice
0.25 oz Creme de Violette

Shake all ingredients, strain into martini glass. Carefully drip an extra quarter ounce of creme de violette down side of glass so it will settle at the bottom, creating a blue hue. Garnish with edible purple flower.

Dehlavi also likes to make a Champagne cocktail with creme de violette, house-made lavender bitters and brut Champagne. Opportunities are endless. Do you have a favorite cocktail with creme de violette?

 

 

 

Great Lakes Christmas Ale Bah Humbug?

With a week left until we reach the Christmas holiday, many beer enthusiasts continue to scour Columbus area beer outlets for Great Lakes Christmas Ale to no avail. What gives? A lot of demand and not a lot of supply. Each of the last two years, the brewery has increased the production of Christmas Ale by 15-20% to a total of more than 20,000 barrels. Yes, that's a lot of beer, but the demand surpasses it.

The beer is allocated when it hits Columbus distribution, destined only to bars, restaurants and retail outlets that sell the other Great Lakes labels year-round. Makes sense, as this will create more awareness and loyalty for Great Lakes and the other brands. Many of the stores actually hide it in the stockroom and hold it for customers who ask for it specifically or frequent the business on a regular basis, as we've done in the past.

Is the beer actually good and the craze warrented? In the end, yes. I'll begin by saying that fall and winter seasonals aren't the most complex beers but they definitely fit the season. Some of the holiday ales taste like the spices from the fruit cake you got from your boss or the Christmas tree in your home. A seasonal match. 

When you look at a traditional holiday ale, Great Lakes seems to fit the style of a malty, somewhat robust beer with a complex mix of spice and other additives to make it festive and delicious. Great Lakes' particular additives are a lot of honey, ginger and cinnamon. I feel like ginger is a little dangerous, because too much makes a beer (or anything for that matter) basically offensive. It's definitely noticeable but balanced with the sweetness of the honey.

This week, Bill (House Wine team member, beer enthusiast, guy who can bake killer poppyseed bread) and I tasted the current release along with a Christmas Ale from last year's "vintage." Our question was whether or not this stuff can hold up since it has 7.5% alcohol, teetering on the higher end if you'd like to celebrate Yuletide with a few ales. The answer is not really. Last year's Christmas went the direction of a rye whiskey, with a lot of biscuit, grainy texture, a hint of caramel and spice and the alcohol coming through. The intention isn't to age this stuff but we thought it would be interesting to compare.

Every year, people evaluate the Christmas Ale and try to compare year to year. Maybe a bit much when it's meant for general enjoyment over the holidays? Well, we'll compare anyway. The beer is overall solid. Beautiful orange/copper hue, sweet malt and with a little spice/heat kick with the ginger and cinnamon. With the higher alcohol level, I wish it had a little more body and richness, but it's still one of the best holiday ales on the market.

As with other seasonals, many breweries are shying away from this traditional style, whether it's the additives or going to different category of style altogether. What are some of your favorites? Your thoughts on Great Lakes Christmas Ale? Whether it's Great Lakes, another beer, a Manhattan or a splurge glass of wine, cheers to you and yours whatever is in your hand.

Beer Snob Vs. Wine Snob

After four years in the wine business, I'm still very fond of good beer. I find it funny that I'll often get the reaction of "I'm surprised you're not drinking wine" when I run into a customer at a bar during off hours. After a long day, my wife and I might be out for a bit and I'll want a cocktail or beer, not only because I've been around wine all day, but because I know exactly what it will (or at least should) taste like. 

I fell in love of wine because of the mystery but also specificity of it. You never know what each bottle or glass will hold while you eventually have a good idea of the source, as far as location, grape, winemaker, etc. Beer is a different animal. While I enjoy trying various types of beers, if I want a Bell's Two Hearted Ale at the end of the night, there's no secret or mystery on what it will taste like. It's comfortable. 

I wholeheartedly admit that I'm a beer snob and don't think of myself as a wine snob, although throwing around some jargon and having access and opportunity to taste some stellar wines might make you think otherwise. The basics of beer are malt, hops, water and yeast. Wine is grape juice and yeast. Simple, right? But when it comes to beer, there are so many types of each of ingredient. With wine, it comes down to the quality and type of your grapes.

Most of your beer is water. The source and quality of your water is key, just like drinking water at home out of the faucet. It can be good or bad. Same applies to the rest of the brewing ingredients. Craft, micro and nano brews, with a lot more flavor, will use higher quality grains, where your macrobreweries will fill in with cheaper rice and corn grains to save money. Your Miller Lite ads will tell you that their beer is "triple hopped," which basically means hops are added three different times. I'd say that their target audience isn't even familiar with hops as a main ingredient and I'd also question the amount and quality of the hops used. Most hoppy craft beers actually use more than 100 times the hops of Miller Lite per fluid ounce. Yeast is another key ingredient that can change the flavor of the beer to make it unique and brewers will have a type in mind for their various beers. With respect to the price you pay, it's a lot cheaper to make the domestic "pilsners" (which are nothing like the authentic styles of pilsners), which leaves more money for commercials and other advertising.

There's a big difference between "cheap" beer and craft beer, even more so than the spectrum with wine. The beauty of it is that you don't have pay 10 times more for the better beers. And both markets continue to grow. There are more and more wines hitting the market, as far as access to long-lost varietals or newer producers and mass-marketed labels. With beer, brewers are becoming more imaginative with their twists off classic styles or incorporating foodie-like ingredients for an experience. 

Why do wine bars and shops have a more pretentious, confusion-laden feel but not beer stores or beer bars? The beers are just as complex and interesting. Beers also pair with food just as effectively as wine, but this comes down to your drink of choice. Spicy shrimp tacos? Don't force wine to pair with everything. Hoppy pilsner, please. 

I will care more about the beer in my glass before the wine in my stem (okay, that sounds snobbish) when it comes to quality. Cheap wine is simply overcropped fruit made on a grand scale, but the basic elements of winemaking are the same. Squeeze and ferment. Not as good, but simple and easy to drink. Beer on the other hand? If I want to drink something light and flavorless, I'll drink water. 

Yes, Cleveland Rocks

After our wedding a couple weeks ago, we wanted a night out to put away some food and drinks and splurge a bit. So we went to Cleveland for what we called a "minimoon." After returning and numerous people asking us where we went, we noticed that most thought we were joking when we said a) we went to Cleveland for a getaway and b) we went to Cleveland for their food and drink offering. We saw similar responses after a night in Cleveland last fall. The reaction seems to come from people who haven't been to Cleveland outside an Indians or Browns game (which isn't a winning proposition) or not really into food. Notice that people don't understand what we have to offer in our own fine city until they experience it firsthand?

Our overnight trip was focused around dinner at The Greenhouse Tavern and augmented with several stops of places we haven't visited. We began our evening (actually, early afternoon) at Great Lakes, where we tried the beers we don't see in Columbus, enjoying the Rye of the Tiger and Wright Pilsner. The menu had an extensive list of noshes for the beer but we were staying liquid for the most part. The beer seems to take focus at the brewpub, which is comfortable and dated with the dark wood tones and lower lighting.

We headed one block toward West Side Market to check out the buzz behind Market Garden Brewery. A beautiful, expansive space with the setup of an indoor and outdoor beer garden. While we weren't impressed with any particular beers (okay, the Hop Soup was pretty tasty), they fit what appears to be the mission of Market Garden. A gathering place for people to get together over some food and drinks. The branding and design of the space were impressive and memorable. The brewery is a part of a group that includes Bier Markt, Bar Cento and Speakeasy, all across the street.

Market Garden Brewery

Done with the brews, we ventured a couple blocks to Velvet Tango Room. We've heard about this cocktail haven for a few years but couldn't fit it into our schedule on the last trip. VTR is located outside of the buzz of Ohio City's core, smack in the middle of a neighborhood. We didn't get a sense that it was the most secure neighborhood, but it's a short walk from Market Garden. The feel and decor of the space is that it's stuck in time, taking you back to the era of some of their vintage cocktails.

You can call your drinks but we ventured through their cocktail binder, separated by category with the story on each of the offerings. We happened to be there during happy hour (we did start in the afternoon), so cocktails were $10 (normally $16). The prices will shock many, especially anybody who thinks a Manhattan consists of bourbon, Martini & Rossi and a neon cherry on ice. VTR makes their syrups and a house bitters and the cocktails are executed to perfection. The lovely lady behind the bar also encouraged us to try something different and offered a replacement drink if we didn't like it. The cocktails, service and atmosphere definitely put this at the top in our state when it comes to cocktails. Highly recommend. And thank you to the Ninth Ward for really getting my energy up for the night to come.

After checking into our hotel, we had time before our GHT reservation and ventured to Chinato. GHT, Lola, Chinato, House of Blues and a few other restaurant spots are within a bustling block of East 4th Street that's cut off to traffic. On our previous trip, someone recommended that we stop at Chinato for drinks before dinner, and after a positive experience the first time, we wanted to go back. While it seems that the restaurant is better known for their Italian fare, the bar offering is expansive. Signature cocktails of interest on top of a thoughtful wine list with an Italian focus.

The Greenhouse Tavern brings it altogether. Michael Symon, owner of Lola, Lolita and B Spot, began to bring attention to Cleveland's food scene after becoming an Iron Chef on Food Network a few years ago, on top of Michael Ruhlman being a face for the city in the culinary scene. Then GHT came along in 2009, and while the rest is history, there's history being made with this place. Chef Jonathon Sawyer has taken gastropub fare to another level of concept, flavor and execution. 

The menu is separated into four categories and the best way to experience the restaurant and menu is the chef's tasting, one item from each category for only $44. A couple standbys that are favorites are the chicken wings (have never tasted wings this good in my life) and the "40 clove" chicken roasted in brioche, which we passed up this time for the fish and pork chop. The rotating "Fifth Quarter" dish brought us a crispy, fried duck leg with brussels and sausage. Chef Sawyer also gave us a slice of the 40-day, dry-aged ribeye steak, the best taste of beef I've had in a while.

Crispy Chicken Wings Confit

Pork Chop Saltimbocca and Seared Market Fish

Overall, the menu focuses on fresh, seasonal ingredients from local purveyors and farms, creating dishes that are approachable yet sophisticated. The wine list has an eclectic mix of wines that fit the foods they serve, including a page and selection dedicated to Chave. We enjoyed Champagne and Sauvignon Blanc from St. Bris to get the meal going and transitioned to Chave's Cotes du Rhone bottling for the heartier part of the meal. The next time you're in Cleveland, make it a point to experience their food and drink scene, especially The Greenhouse Tavern and Velvet Tango Room. It will be reason enough to want to go back to Cleveland. Which rocks.

Zuani Vigne of Collio

Today, we had the pleasure to meet with Caterina Zanon of Zuani, a project that involves her and her mother and brother. The Felluga family has been involved with other wineries and winemaking endeavors, but the goal behind Zuani is to create a white wine that epitomizes both their property and local varietals blended with some outsiders. On a hillside vineyard in the Collio region, they grow and blend equal parts Friulano and Pinot Grigio with Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc. What you end up with is a flavorful white wine that shows freshness and range of flavor. I had never heard of "ponca" soil until Caterina mentioned it, which is a mineral-laden soil base of blue and gray rock and clay, which gives the area a distinctive terroir.

Zuani has only existed for about ten years and Caterina herself says they're still learning what will come of the wine now and down the road, just recently tasting a vertical of their wines before leaving for the U.S. We tasted the 2009 and 2010 together, and while both are simply delicious, the extra year and general vintage variation (especially when you use the same proportions every year) will hand you different wines. 

The 2009 ($21.99) was definitely a bit more complex with the 2010 ($23.99) so fresh and dominated with more fruit. I found white peach skin, fresh basil, sweet green apple and a light nutty note from the extra year in bottle for the 2009. A very rich midpalate balanced with a kiss of acidity to make it lively. The 2010 was more of the tropical variety, with mango and guava, a hint of mineral and white flowers. The wine seemed to dance a bit more on the palate. 

The 2010 is getting press in Italy that's as good as you can get. The American critics haven't reviewed it (apparently their scores come out around the same time the particular vintage is already gone) but Gambero Rosso gave it 3 Bicchieri and Duemilavini scored it 5 Grappoli. If you'd like to go with a wine that doesn't scream out the varietal and offers a solid value over $20, highly recommend the Zuani Vigne.

Larmandier-Bernier

While Terry Theise has the powerhouse book of some of the best Champagne produced today, he obviously can't have them all. One of the favorites around outside his catalog is Larmandier-Bernier. The producer is two Champagne-producing families that came together in 1971 and is led today by Pierre Larmandier. Since 1999, he's grown fruit biodynamically and even uses natural yeasts for fermentation. If you think that's hardcore, they still plow their vineyards by horse.

Larmandier-Bernier is known for zero or little dosage so the wines are mostly classified as Extra Brut. Dry to the extreme but still enjoyable. More often than not, zero residual sugar on cooler climate wines like Champagne and Riesling are almost astringent because of the high acid and nothing to flush it through.

We tried a couple yesterday that were quite a surprise...and intriguing.

The Tradition Premier Cru NV ($49.99) is composed of 80% Grand Cru Chardonnay and 20% Premier Cru Pinot Noir. Both grapes really do their part. The flavors range from pretty straight-forward Granny Smith apple to sugar cookies to mushrooms and ripe strawberry. A very complex wine that's a lot of wine for the price.

The Rose de Saignee Premier Cru ($72.99) is a weird animal but perfect to throw in a mix. A wine made of 100% old vine Pinot Noir (rarity for Champagne), it has a red soda pop quality. Cranberry, strawberry, ripe cherry. Lots of fruit and body to it with a hedonistic nose. There's a touch of fresh herb too. Very broad on the palate. Sappy and delicious. It would be interesting to share but it could throw some people for a loop. The wine spends six months on the lees and the vines are 45 years old. Interesting to note is the bottle. The wine bottle is frosted. Since Champagne is very sensitive to light, this might be their way to protect the wine as much as possible but let the dark pink hue come through to the consumer. Smart? 

Try the pair together and you can take the Tradition very seriously and just not think too much when you quaff the rose. Before you know it, the bottle will be empty whether there are one or five of you.

Coming Soon...

A couple years ago, I quit posting here, plain and simple. We got very busy with the shop, newsletter and outside events, and I became quite overtaken with a lot of things happening outside the shop. What's the first thing to go? Blogging. It's more of a public journal and doesn't necessarily do much for our business. We just like to talk to you.

Now I hope I can spend some time occasionally to share some thoughts on all things liquid and anything of interest around food. I'm definitely interested in both subjects. I'm not looking for us to get attention because of this platform. It's just a blog. But we like to share thoughts, ideas and much more, so when topics come across that we'd like to share, you'll see some of it here.

Look forward to conversing with you, whether it's here or in person.

Cheers,

Donnie

Local Matters - Local Foods Week

Let's start with some facts.  Did you know that less than 1% of the food grown in Ohio actually stays in Ohio?  That one in three Ohio children are expected to get diabetes in their lifetime?  And the obesity rate among Franklin county preschoolers is almost 20% and among third graders is 45%?  The statistics are astonishing.

While House Wine strives to work with local businesses for a common cause, we like to step outside the shop at times and work with organizations that improve the community in which we work and live.  That's why House Wine has partnered with Local Matters to bring you Local Foods Week, October 3-9.

 

Local Matters is a not-for-profit based in Central Ohio, whose mission is to make local, healthy, sustainably-grown food equally accessible to everyone in our community.  There's a good chance they're in your children's schools today, teaching them about the benefits of healthy foods.  You might find their Veggie Van in Franklinton or Linden, giving lower income families access to locally-grown fruits and vegetables they otherwise can't reach.  Next week, we hope you see partners of Local Matters wherever you go.

 

Traditional farming has been pushed aside by mass production, industrial farming.  When you visit your local grocery store or fast food joint, do you have any idea where the food is from?  Fortunately, many of us today have the ability to visit farmers' stands and markets, buy locally-grown, healthy foods at a reasonable cost, and shake the hand of the farmer who grew it (and support their families as well).  Our food supply chain has been jeopardized and it is organizations like Local Matters that step up to promote local farmers and their products as well as educate us and our children on the benefits of local foods.  If you're not familiar with "local foods," I encourage you to take part in Local Foods Week.  We need to make an effort to change our habits and how we look at our foods before it becomes completely homogenized.

 

The schedule is full of events to promote local foods, which includes dinners, beer & wine tastings, and market events.  House Wine will host a "Local" tasting next Thursday, October 8th, which will include wines from Firelands in Sandusky and Ferrante in Geneva, as well as beers from Thirsty Dog in Akron.  The cost is only $15/person.  Part of the proceeds from this event will be donated to Local Matters.

 

Our neighbor, The Worthington Inn, has a long-standing tradition of sourcing local, sustainable foods.  I invite you to join me at The Worthington Inn for a benefit dinner for Local Matters on Tuesday, October 6th, with a special menu highlighting foods from local farmers.  The dinner is only $40/person and you can call 614-885-2600 for reservations.  If you look at the schedule for Local Foods Week, there are many options for you throughout the week at other partnering locations.  Like House Wine, you can also become one of the 1000 Friends of Local Matters to support Local Matters and maintain its programs.

By attending these events, you're accepting an opportunity to learn more about Local Matters and the food we eat.  In the long term, you're supporting a cause that will greatly benefit your lives as well as your children and future generations.  And don't we need a little more delicious in our lives? 

Opus One - A Napa Valley Red Wine

Opus One's 30th vintage has arrived this year, and it appears that the only understanding of the wine is that it's an expensive red wine.  I've heard many say, "I'd never pay that price for this wine."  Then I respond, "Would you pay that price for any wine?" The answer is typically "no." 

Opus One began in the late 1970's as a joint venture between Robert Mondavi, a visionary for Napa Valley, and Baron Philippe de Rothschild of Chateau Mouton Rothschild, a first growth Bordeaux.  The goal was to not only create a great red wine, but a Cabernet-based blend that would rival the first growths of France.  At the time, there were no ultra-premium wines in California and no such thing as a "cult wine."  Yes, there were cults that might enjoy some Napa red, but no boutique wineries that brought on a cult-like following of their wine as you see today. 

The fruit that goes into Opus One comes from estate vineyards, including To-Kalon Vineyard, and the best growers in the region.  The blend changes every year but the wine is always dominated with Cabernet Sauvignon.  As long as the wine includes at least 75% Cabernet Sauvignon, Opus One can legally put the grape on the label, but that's not the way of the French.  But it's still considered a Bordeaux-style blend. 

Winemaker Michael Silacci has been at Opus One since the 2001 harvest and keeps a firm attachment to what's happening in the vineyards.  He decides the time to pick based on phenolic ripeness (is the grape ripe and developed?), not sugar ripeness (measured in "brix").  The grapes are harvested by-hand overnight while the temperature in the vineyards is cool.  Then the grapes are sorted a few times and destemmed by hand.

Opus One is released every year on October 1st, never missing a beat.  The wine is sold in 160 countries around the world and always sells out, a reason you'll never see the price go down, which you're now seeing with other ultra-premium wines (i.e. Caymus Special Selection).  The 2006 Opus One will release next month at $195.99.  Over the next three years, the volume will be reduced by about 20% because the winery replanted and is waiting for the vines to mature.  The 2006 vintage is made of fruit cut back to only 1.5 tons per acre, concentrating the wine into a frame that can hold up for a long time to come.  Every vintage sees about 16 to 18 months in new French oak. 

Yesterday, I had the pleasure of tasting the new 2006 vintage as well as the 2001, with Gina Voci of Opus One.  Definitely decant the wine, especially the younger vintages.  The 2006 is comprised of 77% Cabernet Sauvignon, 12% Merlot, 5% Cabernet Franc, 3% Petit Verdot, and 3% Malbec.  A dance with all five red Bordeaux varietals.  It's actually the lowest amount of Cabernet Sauvignon ever used. 

The 2001 was a pleasure, showing a lot of dried fruit and a kiss of oak and dried herb.  The 2006 will show off a lot more after it's been decanted or open for a number of hours.  This wine is silky, velvety goodness.  Layers of fruit and tannin, stacked on top of each other.  A hint of leather, both in flavor and texture.  Throw in some currant and chocolate and you've got a winner. 

Not everybody, especially in the current state of our economy, can spend $196 on a bottle of wine.  But if you have $200 for a bottle of wine and can't get your hands on a first growth of Bordeaux (because you'll pay a lot more), you should give Opus One a try.  If you're a House Wine customer and want to visit Opus One, I'm happy to assist you with an appointment to tour the winery and experience what is Opus One firsthand.

Bayou Bloody Mary

Sunday brunch.  Saturday morning tailgate.  Hair of the dog.  When it comes down to it, a Bloody Mary fits many occasions or circumstances.  As for us, we had our Supper Club this past Sunday, and with the "Down on the Bayou" theme, we made an oyster po boy Caesar salad paired with a Bloody Mary.  So, Bayou Bloody is more of the a play on words than anything.

What was different about this Bloody Mary?  We used 20 pounds of heirloom tomatoes from Wayward Seed Farm, which turned out about 12 servings.  Yes, it's some work, but you get a more tangy, fresh experience.  To bring it closer to the salad and theme, we threw in anchovies and extra Tabasco.

Due to time constraints, we skipped some steps that others might follow, like putting the tomatoes in boiling water and removing the skins.  First, we processed the tomatoes through a food mill, which separated the skins, leaving us juice, pulp and seeds in the bowl beneath the food mill.  The larger the food mill, the quicker you'll get through your batch of tomatoes.

 

In batches, strain the juice mixture through a sieve to separate the pulp and seeds from the juice.  The juice came out more red and flavorful than we expected, so we were happy with the pulp-free juice.  Cooking down the tomatoes a bit will incorporate more of the pulp into the juice, or you can simmer the pulp-free juice to thicken it up a bit.  We had to run our hand along the inside of the sieve to keep the seeds and pulp from blocking the juice to run through the sieve and into the second bowl. 

 

Now you have your fresh juice.  Add a splash of fresh lemon juice and salt to taste, and you're set.  And for the Bloody?  If you have about 4 to 5 cups of juice in your blender, throw in one or two anchovies, couple pinches of celery salt, fresh ground black pepper, spoon of horseradish, a few dashes of Tabasco, and Worcestershire, and add to your liking.  Oh yeah, add some vodka.  Pick something that's got a clean flavor but not too expensive.  We went with Smirnoff Silver.  You'll be able to tell if you need more of anything.  Keep the tomato juice and vodka chilled so you don't have to add ice. With some extra lemon juice and celery salt, line the lip of the glass for more flavor and a little decoration.  Enjoy!