Hail Mary

The classic hangover cure gets a new twist, giving vegetarians (and anchovies) hope for the new yea

All over the world on New Year’s Day, hung-over revelers stumble into brunch seeking a little hair of the dog, but only in Seattle do they ask the waiter, “Are your Bloody Marys vegan?” Turns out it’s not an entirely ridiculous question. According to the folks at Cafe Flora, Madison Valley’s revered vegetarian mecca, “Most Bloody Marys aren’t vegetarian, much less vegan.” (Countless anchovies died for that spicy blast of Worcestershire!) But now locals can ring in 2009 with a bloodshed-free take on the classic drink. Part of Cafe Flora’s new cocktail menu (launched last month), the Golden Mary is made with organic yellow tomato juice, orange juice, and cayenne- and lime-infused vodka. Ah, so this is what they mean when they sing, “We’ll take a cup o’ kindness yet, for auld lang syne.”