When TABLE Magazine asked The Speckled Egg owners Jacqueline and Nathan Schoedel if they were up for hosting a Bloody Mary party, the duo was immediately intrigued. So, one Sunday afternoon under the grand architecture of downtown’s Union Trust building, The Speckled Egg’s restaurant family gathered in this soaring space’s bustling atrium. (While this is its original restaurant location, Speckled Egg now has an outpost in Southside Works, too.)
Taylor Mickey and three of the Bloody Marys invented at The Speckled Egg (l to r): Waking Up in Mexico was inspired by the best Latin flavors. The All American is a monument to big eating. Sauce Is On is a tribute to Speckled Egg co-owner Jacqueline Schoedel’s mother and a lifetime of spaghetti Sundays.
A majority of the restaurant team on hand happen to have studied acting and currently participate in Pittsburgh’s local theater scene, made immediately clear by their big gestures and expressive smiles…and eventually by their flair for dramatic garnishes. The servers gathered in the atrium around the counter bar, chit-chatting as they patiently awaited a chance to construct some masterpiece drinks.
All of the monumental Bloody Marys in one shot!
On the day of the photo shoot, the team concocted six unique variations on the classic Bloody Mary. One by one, each was unveiled. The eye-catching creations — the first so top-heavy with fancy accoutrements that it took a slight tumble before getting righted — received much attention from upstairs office workers streaming by as their day came to a close.
Play Around with Your Bloody Mary, Have Fun! What’s Stopping You?
The first of the six concoctions came adorned with a roasted types of beef sticks, pearl onions, cauliflower and green beans, citrus, and a sugar-and-spice rim. Next, an Italian- style bloody featured meatballs, a meat-and-cheese skewer, and pasta whimsically cascading down the side of the glass (plus basil and a sugar-and-spice rim, too). The following came out Mexican- style, showcasing a tamale, elote (street corn), lime, and cilantro. This one had a tomatillo base in lieu of the typical tomato-based formula and featured a Tajín-and-salt rim.
An Asian-inspired example was topped with octopus, kimchi, dumplings, shrimp, and mushrooms. The fifth was an ode to this city, thanks to its replica of a quintessential Isaly’s chipped chopped ham sandwich. Both drinks also had citrus and a sugar-and-spice rim. The last, colorful version to emerge came piled high with a bounty of vegetables, “as if you grew too much in your garden,” Jacqueline joked.
From left to right: Clarissa Alecea, Samson Allen, and Ethan Cioffi
When asked how these incredibly inventive drink combos came to be, she said, “My husband and I are both creative; that’s why we own a restaurant. With us chatting, it always comes together.” She admitted that they cook differently than one another, yet when they merge their ideas, it works.
Bloody Mary Trend
Jacqueline has noticed that, in recent years, an evolving brunch trend in the restaurant world involves making Bloody Marys. Outrageously loaded Bloody Marys. For this assignment, they decided to riff off that theme. “We don’t often get to play with our food,” she said, expressing excitement about this invitation to truly think outside of the box.
From left to right: Jayne Juffe and Ethan Cioffi sample the Chip Chopped Mary (garnished with a classic Pittsburgh chip-chopped ham sandwich) and the All American. MC Carder attacks the Wake Up in Mexico. Taylor Mickey and Clarissa Alecea sample Sauce is On and Through the Garden.
And for owners of a business where loyal customers come back time and again for the consistency, it felt a bit liberating to embrace the opposite goal. “It was a fun project,” she said, “to truly let it go.”
Wanna Host a Bloody Mary Party at Home?
For those wanting to host a Bloody Mary party at their own home, Jacqueline offered two pieces of advice. “First,” she shared, “go for it. Second, don’t overthink.” She advised simply walking down grocery store aisles to see what pops out and speaks to you. You can mix and match, or plan according to the colors of the rainbow. (Yet try to pick items that you predict might go well together. As one example, she doubts donuts and habanero peppers would pair well.) But ultimately: Play around, and have fun. “What’s stopping you?” she asked.
At one point in time, Speckled Egg had a kimchi bloody Mary on its menu. These days they tend to stick to more traditional options with pickles and bacon. Yet perhaps — who knows — all of this recent experimentation may just lead to some future brunch whimsy down the road.
Are you in the mood for a Bloody Mary? Try some of TABLE’s wonderful Bloody Mary recipes:
Garden Fresh Caprese Bloody Mary
Story by Corinne Whiting
Production by Camden Leeds
Photography by Laura Petrilla
Shot on location at The Speckled Egg (Downtown location)
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