While many cocktail fads have come and gone, there is one that has stood the test of time. Although the Bloody Mary has always remained quietly behind the scenes, it is consistently one of the most popular drinks year after year and decade after decade.

According to legend, an American named Fernand "Pete" Petiot of the Paris based Harry's New York Bar was accredited to serving the first of this, soon to be famous, cocktail in the early 1920's. Just being introduced to vodka, Petiot began experimenting with different drink concoctions, one of which was equal parts vodka and tomato juice. Legend states that an unknown American entertainer coined the name Bloody Mary, saying it reminded him of a girl named Mary he knew at the Bucket of Blood Club in Chicago.

However, the story of this cocktail's origin comes with some questions. Canned tomato juice was not readily available until the late 1920's; so did Petiot use fresh squeezed tomatoes in his drink? Also, the drink did not appear in Harry's New York Bar's drink book that was published during this time period; so did they decide not to publish this drink for some unknown reason?

Spicy Bloody Mary Mix 1 Bottle Daily's Thick & Spicy Bloody Mary Mix 3 cubes Beef Bouillon (dissolved in 3 oz. of hot water) 2 tablespoons Horseradish 1 tablespoon Worcestershire Sauce 1 tablespoon Olive Juice 2 teaspoons Tabasco Sauce 1 tablespoon Lemon Juice (freshly squeezed) 1 tablespoons Lime Juice (freshly squeezed) 1-1/2 tablespoons Celery Salt 1/2 tablespoon Old Bay Seasoning 1/2 tablespoon Black Pepper (fresh ground) 1/2 tablespoon Red Pepper (ground) Mix all of the above ingredients in a serving pitcher and chill in refrigerator until ready for service. Spicy Mary 2 oz. Stolichnaya Vodka (or your favorite non-flavored brand) 4-6 oz. Spicy Mary Mix Use a shaker glass to mix above well. Pour over ice cubes in a tall chilled glass. Garnish with: Celery Stalk (peeled to remove strings) Marinated Green Beans Thin Slice of Lemon (on rim) Thin Slice of Lime (on rim) Top Drink with a dash each of black pepper, red pepper, celery salt and Old Bay.

The origin of the name is disputed as well, some historians say it is named after Mary I of England, who was nicknamed "Bloody Mary" because of her tendency to put people to death. Even one of the garnishes of the Bloody Mary comes with controversy. Chicago seems to be the town that started garnishing the drink with celery, but of course, like everything else about the drink, no one can agree to which bar did it first.

One thing is for sure, Petiot spiced up the original recipe once he moved back to the states after prohibition in 1933 when he started bartending at King Cole Bar located at the Hotel St. Regis. In fact, the hotel changed the name of the cocktail to the Red Snapper because they thought the name Bloody Mary sounded too vulgar. However, the other bars in New York stuck with the name Bloody Mary and the St. Regis soon changed the name back to follow suit.

One of the nicest aspects of this classic cocktail is the fact that there are endless ways to serve it and no one recipe is neither right nor wrong. Every Bloody Mary aficionado has his or her own secret recipe - and so do I. Everyone claims to have the best, and of course, I'm no different. But one thing I can tell you for sure is that everyone who has tasted my "Spicy Mary" has said it is one of the finest they have ever had. I hope you agree as well. Now, my secret is no more. Enjoy!

Mexican Maria - Substitute vodka with tequila and garnish with a salted rim and a lime. Bloody Shame - Virgin Bloody Mary. Fishy Mary - Equal parts Bloody Mary Mix and clam juice, garnish with Old Bay and a lemon wedge. Bloody Biker - Add one half ounce of each pickle and olive juice and three drops of Tabasco. Bloody O.J. - Equal parts Bloody Mary Mix and O.J., use either vodka or bourbon. Bloody Molly - Substitute Irish whiskey with vodka. Original London Mary - Substitute vodka with your favorite gin. Indian Mary - Add 1/2 teaspoon of curry powder to Mary Mix.

Bluegrass Mary - Substitute vodka with bourbon. Jamaican Me Crazy Mary - Substitute vodka with rum. Asian Mary - Add 1/4 tsp. of wasabi, 1/2 tsp. of ginger and 1/4 tsp. of teriyaki sauce to Mary Mix. Margarita Mary - Substitute vodka for tequila and add 1/2 oz. of Triple Sec and 1 oz. sours mix. Garnish with a salted rim and a lime. Bloody Greek - Add 1/2 ounce of olive juice to Spicy Mary Mix and garnish with feta stuffed Greek olives. Blue Mary - Spicy Mary garnished with olives stuffed with blue cheese. Chesapeake Bay Mary - Spicy Mary garnished with grilled shrimp, lemon wedge and Old Bay.