When you think of a Bloody Mary, you probably think vodka or maybe even gin. A lonely celery stick, a basic pickle, or maybe a whole fried chicken. With so many variations and so many different recipes, the history of the Bloody Mary can be equally convoluted. There are no less than three stories about the popular brunch cocktail’s origins, but in light of spooky season, I have chosen my favorite… The story of Mary Tudor- The original Bloody Mary.

Queen Mary was the first ever Queen of England to rule, following a short-lived reign of her half-brother, Edward VI. During her five-year reign, Mary had hundreds of Protestant heretics executed, most of which were burned alive in an utterly barbaric manner. When Mary died in the mid 1500’s, her very Protestant sister, Elizabeth I, took the throne.

During Elizabeth’s reign, a Protestant writer named John Foxe wrote his famed “Foxe’s Book of Martyrs” in which he depicted in detailed images, Mary’s executions. It was this bloodied and nightmarish lineage, put to pages, that earned her the name “Bloody Mary”.

We don’t love Bloody Marys just because of their gorey past. We love them for their shocking simplicity and ability to morph into a mini meal, fit for a Queen.