Summer Cocktail: A Twist on the Standard Tomato Cocktail

East meets West with this kimchi-based Bloody Mary.

Kimchee Mary_by Tuan Huynh.JPG

Kimchee Bloody Mary

Kimchi, Sriracha and soy sauce add salty Asian flavors to this tomato-based cocktail.

Photo by: Image courtesy of Tuan Huynh

Image courtesy of Tuan Huynh

Kimchi, Sriracha and soy sauce add salty Asian flavors to this tomato-based cocktail.

No matter where you live, tomato season is a big deal. Long before the calendar says it's summer, people start stalking farmers' markets in search of the juiciest fruit in the field. In Atlanta, the JCT. Kitchen Attack of the Killer Tomato Festival is like Tomato American Idol, with 42 chefs and 16 mixologists competing for the best tomato-based dish or drink. 

Mixologist Arianne Fielder at the Atlanta restaurant Seven Lamps knows you can't serve up a regular old Bloody Mary and expect to claim the crown, so she's working on something special, like a Kimchi Mary made with fermented vegetables and soju, a barley-based spirit. 

"I've been obsessed with Korean food lately and my favorite thing to snack on is kimchi," she says. "It's the perfect mix of spicy, salty and a little bit funky." 

Fielder says the ingredients aren't as exotic as they sound: Korean chili powder and kimchi can be found at most ethnic grocery stores. 

"This is a much less thick version than most Bloody Marys," she says. "The tomato really complements the spicy and pickled flavors of the kimchi." 

Kimchi Mary

By Arianne Fielder, Seven Lamps, Atlanta, Georgia

2 ounces soju 

4 ounces Kimchi Mary mix*

Put the soju and mix in a glass and garnish with a piece of kimchi or your favorite pickle. 

*Kimchi Mary mix

14 ounces whole tomatoes, with liquid

5.5 ounces Clamato juice

6.5 ounces kimchi, with liquid

2 cloves of roasted garlic

1 ounce lime juice

.5 ounce Sriracha sauce

4 dashes soy sauce

1 pinch Korean red chili powder

1 dash sea salt

Ground black pepper to taste

Blend and strain the tomatoes, Clamato, kimchi and roasted garlic in a fine mesh strainer. Add lime juice, Sriracha, soy sauce, Korean red chili powder, sea salt and black pepper. Mix well. 

Interested in sampling even more tomato cocktails? Try these cocktails featuring tequila and heirloom tomatoes or the Pineapple Express incorporating a pineapple-tomato chutney.

Next Up

How to Can Spaghetti Sauce

Learn how to can homemade spaghetti sauce that will allow you to savor ripe summer tomatoes all year long.

Cocktail or Mocktail: Preserve Fresh Fruit as a Sippable Shrub

Got a bumper crop of berries? Lucky you! Learn how to turn fresh fruit into a centuries-old sip: a shrub, or drinking vinegar, that can be enjoyed as either a cocktail or an alcohol-free restorative. And, bonus, because shrubs rely on the juice extracted from fruit, you can use very ripe and even overripe fruit for maximum fruity flavor.

How to Can Tomatoes

Canning tomatoes is a great, easy way to preserve the season's harvest so you'll have fresh tomatoes all year long. Learn how to can tomatoes with these simple steps for the water bath canning method.

Hot White Russian With Salted Caramel Cocktail Recipe

With its rich flavor and kick of caffeine, this hand-warming version of the classic White Russian cocktail is a great adult alternative to hot chocolate.

Hot-Buttered Bourbon Cocktail Recipe

For a comforting and yummy twist on classic hot buttered rum, try this bourbon cocktail to keep you warm all winter. It’s a cozy drink that's perfect for chilly winter nights.

Warm Old-Fashioned Cocktail Recipe

Perfect for relaxing on a cold winter night, this drink will warm up the evening with a hot version of the classic cocktail.

Blood Orange Hot Toddy Cocktail Recipe

Swap out the lemon in your standard hot toddy with the sweet raspberry citrus flavor of seasonal blood orange for a delicious variation on the classic cocktail.

Amaretto Sugar Cookie White Cocoa Cocktail Recipe

Try this decadent twist on white hot cocoa during chilly months. The smooth almond flavor of Amaretto liqueur adds warmth, while the whipped cream and cookies are fun garnishes for this grown-up version of hot chocolate.

Halloween Shimmering Cherry Mocktail or Cocktail Recipe

This bewitching concoction combines the deep, rich flavor of cherry with lime and presents a touch of eerie elegance with its shimmering appearance. Perfect for Halloween parties or simply indulging in the supernatural flavor of dark cherry.

Make This Mother's Day Cocktail Gift Basket

Whip up a floral-inspired gift basket that’s as easy to assemble as it is to enjoy. Plus, this blackberry simple syrup recipe will easily become your seasonal go-to.

Go Shopping

Get product recommendations from HGTV editors, plus can’t-miss sales and deals.

On TV

Follow Us Everywhere

Join the party! Don't miss HGTV in your favorite social media feeds.