The supreme Bloody Mary at Schooners is a cocktail that eats like a snack.

If there’s a cause, there’s a cure – so why not put both in one glass?

Such is the justification for the Bloody Mary, which began as a nonalcoholic pick-me-up, then as a bit of triage with a kick. By the 1950s, it had found its way into the brunch lineup, which is when someone had the idea to stir it with a celery stalk.

Dissertations could be written about the origins of the drink, and entire books devoted to its many recipes. Robert Hess, author of The Essential Bartenders Guide and a founder of the Museum of the American Cocktail calls the Bloody Mary “the meatloaf of the cocktail world.” And nowadays, bartenders take that notion literally.

The Supreme Plaza Mary at Schooners in Monterey is an example. It starts with a peppercorn-infused vodka and a spicy mix, made in house, that lends a sneaky heat – modest at first, becoming more prominent as the coals linger on your palate. But the cocktail is not the centerpiece. It’s the meal tucked in the glass: two strips of bacon, four large shrimp, a pickle, a pickled pepper, olives and, yes, a single stalk of crisp celery. A Tajin-style rub not only stokes the spicy cocktail, but also perks up the shellfish.

Compared to versions of the Bloody Mary served elsewhere (that might indeed have meatloaf perched on top), the Supreme Plaza Mary is a composed snack that covers the flavor spectrum. But quite likely it never would have happened, except that someone once thought that celery would make a good swizzle stick.

Schooners, 400 Cannery Row, Monterey. (831) 372-2628, schoonersmonterey.com.