Salida, Colorado— what a breathtaking place to spend the weekend! My mother came to visit me in Colorado last week and we decided to take a mother-daughter trip down to the beauteous little town of Salida, which is located right on the banks of the Arkansas River, and is known for being both a rafting and art town (it’s soo freakin’ cute). We arrived late Friday night and were hungry for some steak and found ourselves at Currents. Presented with only one steak option (the N.Y. Strip!), we both ordered the steak, which came with corn and potatoes. It was a super classic meal for a great price (bottle of wine not included!) and our server was very friendly. Toward the end of our dinner, I asked her where the best Bloody Mary in Salida could be found. She referenced her place of work, Currents, and another spot…

So, Saturday morning (also Jerry Garcia’s Birthday; HAPPY BIRTHDAY JER!!!!) before my mother and I took on the Arkansas River in rafts–it was both of our first times whitewater rafting– we stopped by Currents again. Ah… I do love being that girl who dines at the same restaurant within 24 hours (that means the food and drinks must be damn good!). We split a wrap for lunch and I had my favorite cocktail, which you all know the name of by now. Currents’ Bloody Mary represented a twist on the vast array of spices in the world, by showcasing chili peppers grown on complete opposite sides of the globe– the Colorado Pueblo Chipotle Chile Pepper and the Indian Marash Chili Pepper– with their use of Breckenridge Distillery’s Chili Chile Vodka in the Bloody Mary. This bad boy is definitely recommended– you can see why below 🙂

AT A GLANCE 17/20

Currents’ Bloody Mary looked delightful when it arrived at our table. The color was your perfect red, while fully green garnish had an ample amount of ingredients. Spices were abundant and no liquid was splashing over the sides! Spices were apparent throughout. The rim was salted, as well, which always ups the score of any Bloody I rate (a ‘lil’ bit of salt is good with anything…). “Clean, classy, and cold,” baby!

GARNISH 17/20

The garnish on the Bloody Mary at Currents was appealing to the eye. Every ingredient was green– a lime, pickle, olive, and pepperoncini– and had its own distinct flavor. Besides celery, I think Currents covered your classic green garnish ingredients. The presentation was nice and each ingredient tasted great (especially the pickle!).

SPICE 20/20

I ordered my Bloody Mary just a bit spicy and it turned out to be the perfect level of spice. Currents used Breckenridge Distillery’s Chili Chile Vodka in my Bloody, which is infused Colorado chile peppers with Indian chili. Sooooo good– I need to buy this vodka for personal uses 🙂 I loved the juxtaposition of the two types of chile/chili– from completely different areas of the world– that melded together to form a great flavor profile within the cocktail. The infused vodka and its notes of smokiness, along with additional spices, brought out a deep flavor, full of just the amount of spice that I wanted. Pepper, horseradish, and salt were apparent tastes, as usual!

TEXTURE & ACIDITY 19/20

he texture of Currents’ Bloody Mary was smooth and refreshing. It was hot, hot, hot and sunny in Salida and this Bloody Mary really hit the spot. While drinking it, I noticed the slightest bit of acidity, but not too much at all.

UNIQUENESS 18/20

I really enjoyed Currents’ Bloody Mary and especially liked the addition of Breckenridge Distillery’s Chili Chile infused vodka. It was unbelievably awesome and twisted the Bloody Mary into something new and “forward” in the Bloody Mary realm. The aesthetics of the cocktail were also pleasing; each green garnish ingredient positioned against the red of the Bloody Mary was appealing to the eye!

FINAL SCORE 91/100

Want to enjoy a delicious chili-infused Bloody Mary up the street from the banks of the Arkansas River? Check out Currents here. Currents is located at:

122 North F Street, Salida, CO, 81201