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Today's delicious cocktail hails from Canada – the Caesar.
What is it?
Some drinks gently kiss your palate, others slap you in the face. The Caesar, with its sweet, savory and bitter flavors, is definitely not of the kissing variety. But you’ll love it just the same.
Origins
The Caesar owes its invention to Walter Chell, a restaurant manager who set out in 1969 to create a signature cocktail for the Calgary Inn’s new Italian eatery. Using Italy’s spaghetti alle vongole as his inspiration, he experimented with tomato juice, clam nectar, vodka, Worcestershire sauce and other spices until the Caesar was born. Its popularity soon spread across the nation, and it’s now the most consumed mixed drink in Canada – some 350 million are savored each year.
You’ll need
1 lime wedge
celery salt
ice
30ml (1fl oz) vodka
120–180ml (4–6fl oz) Mott’s Clamato juice
2 dashes of hot sauce (such as Tabasco)
3 dashes salt
3 dashes freshly ground pepper
4 dashes of Worcestershire sauce
1 celery stick
Method
Step 1: Run a wedge of lime around the top of the highball glass before dipping the rim into celery salt. Set the lime wedge aside.
Step 2: Add the ice, vodka and Clamato juice before seasoning with Tabasco, salt, pepper and Worcestershire sauce.
Step 3: Garnish with a celery stick and the wedge of lime.
Tasting notes
Fortune favors the brave, and the Caesar is no exception. Those who get over the psychological “clam barrier” and indulge in this powerful lip-smacking mixed cocktail will never look back. You’ll see their satisfied faces on many a Canadian bar patio – just listen for the crunch of celery.
The Caesar’s rich red color and ornate garnishes, which can also include gherkins or pickled beans, ensure it always makes a grand entrance to any social situation (in Canada its arrival is typically greeted by knowing nods from other patrons). Once in hand, the heady mix of ingredients, which can be tailored to your love of spice, will not only rock your taste buds but also your sense of smell.
For additional cocktail recipes, check out our Destination Drinks page.
This article was originally published in March 2020 and updated in October 2020.
