With the possible exception of the Martini, there is no cocktail more personal than the Bloody Mary. Love it or loathe it, everyone seems to have an opinion about this tomato-based drink. After years of bartending and bringing along my personal variation to countless friendly gatherings, I have come up with what I can confidently call a crowd-pleasing mix. If you're already a Bloody Mary-lover there's no doubt you'll have your own personal tweaks, but if you're new to the mixology of the Mary, this recipe is guaranteed to provide you with a yummy starting point.

Recipe after the jump.

1 Large Bottle of Tomato Juice

Pimento Stuff Green Olives

Pepperoncinis

Celery Salt

Horseradish

Worcestershire Sauce (If you are a vegetarian, Annie's Naturals makes a veggie version free of the anchovies included in the standard issue)

Tabasco Sauce

Black Pepper

6 lemons (4-5 for juicing, reserve 1 for garnish)

1 lime for garnish

1 head of celery for garnish

Other great additions include: spicy green beans, thick slices of salami, shrimp, pickled okra, and for the truly adventurous, oyster shooters at the bottom of the glass!

Mix a ½ cup of fresh squeeze lemon juice with 2 rounded tablespoons of horseradish, 1/8 of a cup of olive brine, 1 tablespoon of Worcestershire Sauce, 3 teaspoons of celery salt, 2 teaspoons of black pepper and a splash of pepperoncini brine in a large measuring cup. For the Tabasco, how much or how little depends on how spicy you like your drinks! For these ratios, start with 6-8 drops and then add to taste once your mix is completed.

The simplest way to mix this all up is to pour out about a cup of tomato juice from your bottle and then pour in the mixed spices. Put the lid back on and shake it up! To serve, pour over ice with as much or as little vodka as you would like then add 2 olives, 1 stalk of celery, 1 whole pepperoncini and a slice each of lemon and lime.