Roast beef sandwich and a Virgin Mary

I’ve got a bit obsessed with Virgin Marys (alcohol-free Bloody Marys) over the last few days.

My food writer friend Signe Johansen ordered one at a rather splendid lunch we had at Claridges and it went perfectly with a roast beef sandwich I’d chosen, one of the more affordable options on the eyewateringly expensive menu. (Still, the surroundings are wonderfully glamorous and, as you can see, the sandwich was more than generous.)

I then ordered another one yesterday at brunch at my local Bristol restaurant Wallfish where they call it a Bloody Shame and where it went brilliantly with a full English breakfast.

The robust seasoning in a Virgin Mary (generally Worcestershire sauce, Tabasco and celery salt) more than makes up for the lack of alcohol and in fact it would go equally well with a steak sandwich or a burger. There was tarragon mayo and cornichons on the sandwich which added a piquancy of their own and chimed in nicely with the spicy tomato juice.

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