A surprising byproduct of the Russian Revolution.
Ferdinand Petiot, a French bartender in the 1920s, wasn’t sure how he could sell the bland spirit—vodka—that escapees of the Russian Revolution brought to Paris with them, so he mixed the liquor with American tomato juice. Eventually, Petiot moved to New York to run the King Cole Bar, where his signature cocktail was further seasoned for more flavor—and renamed by some to the Red Snapper. While many argue over the classic ingredients (bloody mary cocktails include some combination of Worcestershire sauce, Tabasco, celery salt, lemon juice, horseradish, black pepper and cayenne), this Prohibition-era cocktail has become a brunch mainstay.