Believed to have originated during the prohibition era in New York City (some say in the original Harry's New York Bar), Bloody Mary is made with a combination of vodka, tomato juice, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, tabasco, celery salt, and pepper. With numerous spicy sauces used in its preparation, Bloody Mary has gained a reputation of a great hangover cure and, being a restorative beverage, it is even recommended to drink it in the morning.

Typically, the cocktail is served in a tall highball glass with a celery stalk (used for stirring the cocktail). It is commonly garnished with olives, lemon wedges, cheese cubes, and even dried sausages and shrimp. Film fans can see the cocktail in Michael Ritchie's Fletch, starring Chevy Chase.