Green Beans Are The Perfect Garnish For This Classic Cocktail

Whether it's a Sunday brunch or Friday night cocktails with friends, when it comes to a Bloody Mary, the garnish is as important as the cocktail ingredients. It's one of those iconic drinks that is served loaded up with vegetables and even meats. But there's much more to it than simply piling on any random foods. Each selection is made with the goal of balancing flavors and textures across the drink, and, of course, making it look appealing, too.

Traditional garnishes for a Bloody Mary include celery and olives, and it's not uncommon to see cured meats like crispy bacon or pepperoni sticks. But a lesser-known addition is green beans. While these are sometimes pickled green beans, which are definitely an excellent choice, you can also grab green beans fresh from your garden. Fresh green beans look great on a skewer with other ingredients or dropped directly into the glass, alone or alongside a stalk of celery and other garnishes.

Sure, your perfect Bloody Mary might be just fine adorned with a simple lemon wedge and celery stalk. But green beans make an ideal substitute if you don't have celery on hand. Plus, you don't have to make excuses if you don't care for celery. Green beans will give you the same crunch with a mildly sweet flavor that many people idolize. The flavor of green beans isn't overbearing, so it can nicely counterbalance the more predominant spicy and earthy notes of your drink.

If you do want to go with store-bought or homemade pickled green beans, you can use them to ramp up the flavors of the drink instead of diffusing them with a neutral, fresh bean. Because pickled green beans are created by soaking them in vinegar, they offer a touch of acidity that marries well with the tomato juice and Worcestershire sauce typically found in the drink. Similarly, the dill in pickled greens gives an aroma and flavor combination of herbs, citrus, and a touch of sweetness that balances out the tart accents of a Bloody Mary.

Although you might choose to snip the ends off your green beans before using them in your Bloody Mary, they are essentially whole beans. That means there's no need for an additional stir stick in your glass — these are functional cocktail garnishes. When it's time to combine the classic flavors of tomato juice, vodka, and a squirt of lemon alongside your favorite sauces, simply give your drink a whirl with your green beans. The best part is that you don't even have to wash any additional dishes since you can simply eat the beans when their job is done. How's that for a convenient and tasty inclusion?

With the broad options available to customize a Bloody Mary, you can create the flavor that best works for you. From plain or spicy tomato juice to the type of vodka you choose, you can highlight tangy or earthy notes. And from there, the addition of sriracha or even horseradish can give it some zip. But however you combine the primary ingredients, don't discredit the power of a good garnish. While green beans are a perfect match for a spicy Bloody Mary with a bacon-salt rim, that doesn't mean you need to cut back on briny olives, fermented vegetables, pickles, jalapeños, or even cubed cheese. We say, load it up.