Ingredients
Drink
- 45 mlvodka
- 120 mlClamato juice
- 4dashes Worcestershire sauce
- 4dashes hot sauce
- a pinch of black pepper
- a squeeze of lime
Rim
- celery salt
- 1lime wedge
Garnish
- 1celery stalk
- 1lime wedge
- 1pickled bean
Directions
- Rub a lime wedge around the rim of a tall glass and roll the rim through celery salt spread on a saucer.
- The celery salt rim is not decoration. It was part of Walter Chell’s original build and it seasons every single sip, so a Caesar without it is an incomplete drink.
- Fill the glass to the top with ice.
- Add the Worcestershire sauce, hot sauce and black pepper first, straight onto the ice, so they distribute before the volume goes in.
- Add the vodka, then top up with the Clamato.
- Roll the drink rather than shaking it: pour it back and forth between the glass and a shaker tin two or three times. Shaking aerates the tomato and leaves it frothy and pale.
- Squeeze in a little lime, then garnish with a celery stalk, a lime wedge and a pickled bean.
Technique
- Clamato rather than plain tomato juice is what makes it a Caesar and not a Bloody Mary. The clam broth is the whole distinction.
- It was invented in Calgary in 1969 by Walter Chell of the Calgary Inn, who mashed clams into tomato juice by hand to create a drink for a new Italian restaurant.
- Canadians drink it by the hundreds of millions a year, and the garnish has become a national arms race.
Substitutions
- Tomato juice with a splash of clam broth and an extra dash of Worcestershire.
- A vegan version using tomato juice with a little seaweed brine for the marine note.
Variations
- Made with gin, or with tequila.
- With a glass of beer floated on top.
- Loaded with an elaborate garnish, up to and including a whole grilled skewer.
History
Invented in Calgary in 1969 by bartender Walter Chell of the Calgary Inn, who mashed clams into tomato juice for a new Italian restaurant.
Frequently asked questions
What is Caesar?
Caesar is a cocktail from Canada: vodka and clam-tomato juice cocktail with celery-salt rim. Invented in Calgary in 1969 by bartender Walter Chell of the Calgary Inn, who mashed clams into tomato juice for a new Italian restaurant.
How long does Caesar take to make?
Caesar takes 5 min of preparation and no cooking at all. The recipe makes 1 drink. It is rated easy to make.
What can I substitute in Caesar?
Yes, within limits. Tomato juice with a splash of clam broth and an extra dash of Worcestershire. A vegan version using tomato juice with a little seaweed brine for the marine note.
What is the most important thing to get right in Caesar?
Roll the drink rather than shaking it: pour it back and forth between the glass and a shaker tin two or three times. Shaking aerates the tomato and leaves it frothy and pale.
