Build your own Caesar bar

Hot Dilled VegetablesDrinksPickled Vegetables
Written By Teresa Honeyman

Photos: Jarrod Evans, Evrgreen Media

Bold, briny and brimming with Canadian flair, the Caesar cocktail is a cultural icon to cheer about!

When Calgary bartender Walter Chell created the Caesar in 1969 he surely couldn’t have predicted its enduring popularity.

Inspired by the flavours of spaghetti alle vongole, Chell’s concoction of vodka, tomato juice, clam nectar, Worcestershire sauce, celery salt, black pepper and a touch of oregano quickly caught on across the country. (The ‘Bloody’ Caesar moniker came about, Chell would later say, after one of his customers, an Englishman, sampled the Caesar and said, “Walter, that’s a damn good bloody Caesar.”)

Today, Canadians reportedly drink more than 400 million Caesars annually and celebrate the spicy cocktail each year on National Caesar Day, the Thursday before the May long weekend.

The Caesar offers the perfect canvas for adaptation and personalization, making it a fun, interactive party cocktail.

Whether you bring a less-is-more approach to your garnishing game or like to pull out all the stops, here are some ideas for setting up a ‘Build your own Caesar bar’ -  perfect for summer patio season, year-round brunches, and game day gatherings!

DIY CAESAR BAR

Set up your Caesar station with glasses, ice, skewers & stir sticks; pitchers of Caesar base, spirits of choice, condiments and garnishes.

  • The base: The briny blend of tomato and clam juice is what makes the Caesar stand apart from the Bloody Mary, whether you opt for the OG Clamato, a craft blend like Walter - or choose to make your own.

  • The booze :  Vodka is traditional but gin has a solid fan base, and tequila and mezcal are also popular. The beer Caesar or ‘Beersar’ - a refreshing blend of Caesar mix, beer and lime - offers another twist!

  • The rimmers: Celery salt, Montreal steak spice, Tajin, lemon pepper, everything bagel seasoning, smoked paprika & sea salt - choose one or set out a selection of spices in shallow dishes. 

  • The citrus: Offer dishes of lime and lemon wedges - both for garnish and for wetting the glass rims so the spices can adhere.

  • The garnishes: The fun part! Pickles of all kinds are a must, and our hot dilled trio - spicy beans, carrots and asparagus- pair perfectly with a Caesar. Curly pickled garlic scapesand fresh herbs add fun flair, and you can’t go wrong with a crunchy dill pickle spear.
    Consider hot peppers, olives, pickled garlic cloves, cocktail onions, and cherry tomatoes skewered with cubes of cheese.
    And don’t forget the classic celery stick for fresh crunch!

  • Feeling extra? Candied bacon, poached shrimp, pepperoni sticks, beef jerky, pickled eggs - the world is your oyster (and those make a great garnish too!)

  • The add-ins: Hot sauces, grated horseradish, dill pickle juice or pickled bean brine and Worcestershire sauce are all popular.

We’ve rounded up a few base Caesar recipes to get the party started

The classic, single serve:

  • 1 oz (30 ml) vodka

  • 4 oz (120 ml) Clamato

  • 2 dashes hot sauce

  • 4 dashes Worcestershire sauce

  • Fresh cracked pepper

  • Celery stalk

  • Lime wedge

  • Celery salt

  • Ice

Instructions

  • Rim a tall glass with citrus and celery salt or rimmer of choice

  • Add the vodka, hot sauce, Worcestershire sauce & pepper

  • Add ice then Clamato

  • Give the cocktail a good stir to incorporate all the flavours. Garnish with celery stalk and a lime wedge.

Source: mottsclamato.ca

Pitcher-Sized Pickled Bean & Basil Caesar

  • 8 oz vodka

  • 8 basil leaves plus 8 more for garnishing

  • 15 dashes Worcestershire

  • 12 dashes hot sauce

  • 1 tbsp (15 mL) horseradish, optional

  • 3 oz freshly squeezed lemon juice

  • 1 oz pickled bean brine and 6 to 8 pickled beans, for garnish

  • 3 cups (750 mL) tomato-clam juice

  • Salt and pepper, to taste

  • Celery stalks with leaves, for garnish

Instructions

  • Pour vodka into pitcher.

  • Gently muddle 8 basil leaves into vodka. Add Worcestershire, hot sauce and horseradish. Stir in lemon juice and pickle brine.

  • Add 2 cups (500 mL) ice. Pour in tomato-clam juice. Stir and season with salt and pepper.

  • Garnish pitcher with celery stalks. Use pickled beans to garnish pitcher or individual cocktails.

  • Pour Caesar mix into ice-filled glasses. 

Makes 6 to 8 servings

Source: LCBO 

Teresa Honeyman
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