Before the story, a practical note: I've assembled the ready-made list of every ingredient you'll need to try this one at home. Onto the tale.
The Bloody Mary was born in Paris in the 1920s, at the legendary Harry's New York Bar on Rue Daunou, where bartender Fernand "Pete" Petiot started mixing vodka, still an exotic ingredient, with canned tomato juice brought by American expats. It was an instant hit with the Lost Generation, from Hemingway onwards.
The name's origin is a mystery worthy of a crime novel: some claim it refers to Queen Mary I of England, remembered as "Bloody Mary"; others to a waitress at Chicago's Bucket of Blood; others still to silent-film star Mary Pickford. Petiot himself later perfected the drink at New York's St. Regis Hotel, where it briefly went by "Red Snapper" to please more delicate clients.
The best way to honor these historical cocktails is to serve them with the right attention. A complete barman kit on Amazon is the fastest way to get started and make a good impression from day one. And if you want to go deeper and give your house the proper bar vibe, a professional cocktail bar station is the final, definitive touch.