# Caesar, the Canadian cocktail **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** food-cooking\ **Created:** [April 27, 2023, 10:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/caesar-the-canadian-cocktail/983333 "2023-04-27T10:52:14Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![wolfpup](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolfpup/32/10618_2.png) [@wolfpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfpup)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2023, 10:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/caesar-the-canadian-cocktail/983333/1 "2023-04-27T10:52:14Z")
> [@Canada and Denmark may have settled a long-running border dispute](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canada-and-denmark-may-have-settled-a-long-running-border-dispute/966083/4): > > Caesars!! Nothing but a pitcher of Caesars, a brace of glasses, and a bottle of Montreal Steak Seasoning shall suffice!!! Spoken like a gentleman of distinction and good taste! šŸ™‚ Just a very small nitpicky point of information: although Montreal Steak Spice does come in a semi-liquid form (basically a thick paste) it is classically a dry rub that comes in a jar. If we had left these condiments for the Danish soldiers, such that they could enjoy a tasty Caesar before dinner, and then grill a fine rib steak well rubbed with Montreal Steak Spice, and then finish it off with a glass of Ontario icewine for dessert, this conflict would have been over long ago! > [@Canada and Denmark may have settled a long-running border dispute](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canada-and-denmark-may-have-settled-a-long-running-border-dispute/966083/5): > > I think Clamato is against the Geneva Convention. Treacherous tasteless heathen, disparaging Canadaā€™s National Cocktail! True story: after getting a tooth yanked last week, I was told to be careful what foods I ate for the first 24 hours, and I figured to be extra careful Iā€™d stick to a liquid diet. Naturally, I immediately thought of the noble Caesar! Caesars figured prominently that first day, combining three essential nutrients from the food pyramid: vegetables, seafood, and alcohol. All in a refreshing, tangy beverage bearing our national colour. ---
**Author:** ![Dr\_Paprika](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr_paprika/32/3042_2.png) [@Dr\_Paprika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr_Paprika)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2023, 12:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/caesar-the-canadian-cocktail/983333/2 "2023-04-27T12:08:09Z")
The list of delicious beverages which include clam juice is not lengthy. Success inspires imitators. Very few of my favourite drinks taste like soup. Food has magical powers. But gifting someone a bottle of spice so that they can enjoy it on a good steak is kind of like those recipes on the packages of cheap ramen noodles that suggest you can make a delicious meal by merely adding lobster. ---
**Author:** ![wolfpup](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolfpup/32/10618_2.png) [@wolfpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfpup)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2023, 5:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/caesar-the-canadian-cocktail/983333/3 "2023-04-27T17:25:38Z")
> [@Dr\_Paprika](#): > > Food has magical powers. But gifting someone a bottle of spice so that they can enjoy it on a good steak is kind of like those recipes on the packages of cheap ramen noodles that suggest you can make a delicious meal by merely adding lobster. _Au contraire_, my traitorous Caesar-hating friend! Yes, food has magical powers, and thatā€™s precisely why helping someone prepare it perfectly with just the right seasonings is the kind of mark of friendship and camaraderie that the Danes would surely appreciate! As for Caesars allegedly resembling soup, that is vile calumny! You know what drink resembles soup? That gauche American alternative to the lovely Caesar, the Bloody Mary. A Bloody Mary is basically Campbellā€™s tomato soup with vodka in it. A Caesar, however, because itā€™s well-mixed with clam juice, has both the right consistency and the right light taste for a cocktail. To those who might ask, who is to say what is a good cocktail and what isnā€™t, the answer is: I am. I have spoken. I tried to look up whether Caesars are popular in Denmark or, for that matter, in France, the home of classically great food. I did find an article saying that Denmark has donated a bunch of Caesars to Ukraine, which I thought was highly commendable of them, but it turns out that ā€œCaesarā€ in this case refers to self-propelled howitzers of French manufacture. Apparently the French admire Caesars so much that they named their latest artillery after them, which should definitely tell you something. ---
**Author:** ![Dr\_Paprika](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr_paprika/32/3042_2.png) [@Dr\_Paprika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr_Paprika)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2023, 5:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/caesar-the-canadian-cocktail/983333/4 "2023-04-27T17:28:22Z")
The list of award winning Canadian whiskies is not huge. You donā€™t see Laphroaig or Lagavulin feeling the need to incentivize global adventurers or hide crates on Ellesmere Island to boost image and sales. However, Crown Royal Northern Harvest, from Alberta, won some high ratings and international awards in 2020. Itā€™s great value, much better than CC, though not quite as good as the above Scottish ones in my opinion. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2023, 5:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/caesar-the-canadian-cocktail/983333/5 "2023-04-27T17:51:47Z")
> [@Canada and Denmark may have settled a long-running border dispute](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canada-and-denmark-may-have-settled-a-long-running-border-dispute/966083/42): > > However, Crown Royal Northern Harvest, from Alberta, won some high ratings and international awards in 2020. CRNH is one of my go-to ryes for Manhattans. > [@wolfpup](#): > > Apparently the French admire Caesars so much that they named their latest artillery after them, which should definitely tell you something. It tells me that the French recognize the ability of a Caesar to kill indiscriminately. And I must correct your misinformation - A Bloody Mary isnā€™t vodka and Campbellā€™s tomato soup. Itā€™s vodka and Heinz cocktail sauce! ---
**Author:** ![Dr\_Paprika](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr_paprika/32/3042_2.png) [@Dr\_Paprika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr_Paprika)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2023, 5:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/caesar-the-canadian-cocktail/983333/6 "2023-04-27T17:56:23Z")
Apparently, Canada has some problems with having enough military cooks. Not the greatest of their worries. _ā€Not every contribution is monetary. Canada stands with those enjoying mediocre beverages, recognizing their freedom to do soā€_ and the very marginal improvements offered by exotic mixers and garnishes (see _Letterkenny_, season 10, The Cocktail Competition). > **[Opinion: The world is growing tired of Canadaā€™s freeloading on defence](https://www.theglobeandmail.com/opinion/article-the-world-is-growing-tired-of-canadas-freeloading-on-defence/)** > > Our refusal to pay our way is leading to us being increasingly shunned by our allies ---
**Author:** ![Monty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/monty/32/47_2.png) [@Monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monty)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2023, 7:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/caesar-the-canadian-cocktail/983333/7 "2023-04-27T19:35:47Z")
> [@wolfpup](#): > > All in a refreshing, tangy beverage bearing our national colour. Green? The thought of consuming that concoction is nearly making me puke. (Always has, in fact.) ---
**Author:** ![Dr\_Paprika](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr_paprika/32/3042_2.png) [@Dr\_Paprika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr_Paprika)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2023, 8:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/caesar-the-canadian-cocktail/983333/8 "2023-04-27T20:36:24Z")
> [@Canada and Denmark may have settled a long-running border dispute](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canada-and-denmark-may-have-settled-a-long-running-border-dispute/966083/2): > > I can see the argument now: > ā€œItā€™s okay, you can have it.ā€ > ā€œNo, thatā€™s alright, you can.ā€ > ā€œNo, no, you take itā€ > ā€œPlease, have a drink on usā€ā€¦ If there is any environment conducive to alcosoup, this might be the one _providing their are no other alternatives_. ---
**Author:** ![FrenchDunadan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/frenchdunadan/32/5449_2.png) [@FrenchDunadan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FrenchDunadan)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2023, 5:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/caesar-the-canadian-cocktail/983333/9 "2023-04-28T05:08:18Z")
> [@Canada and Denmark may have settled a long-running border dispute](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canada-and-denmark-may-have-settled-a-long-running-border-dispute/966083/43): > > > [@wolfpup](#): > > > > Apparently the French admire Caesars so much that they named their latest artillery after them, which should definitely tell you something. > > It tells me that the French recognize the ability of a Caesar to kill indiscriminately. And I must correct your misinformation - A Bloody Mary isnā€™t vodka and Campbellā€™s tomato soup. Itā€™s vodka and Heinz cocktail sauce! In fact, itā€™s the acronym of ā€œCamion EquippĆ© dā€™un SystĆØme dā€™ARtillerieā€ wich means" truck with an artillery system". Cool name in addition. ---
**Author:** ![Spoons](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spoons/32/3141_2.png) [@Spoons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoons)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2023, 6:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/caesar-the-canadian-cocktail/983333/10 "2023-04-28T06:25:52Z")
> [@Monty](#): > > Green? The thought of consuming that concoction is nearly making me puke. (Always has, in fact.) Yeah. Hell, Iā€™m Canadian, and I canā€™t stand Caesars. Neither can my body; letā€™s just say, bad things happen, and I wonā€™t elaborate. And Iā€™ve had too many well-meaning bartenders think I wanted a Caesar, when I distinctly asked for a Mary. Iā€™ve sent back enough well-meaning Caesars to know that you do not even try to order a Bloody Mary in Canada. Meh. I can make mine at home, and Iā€™ve got a better recipe than any bar. ---
**Author:** ![Monty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/monty/32/47_2.png) [@Monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monty)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2023, 6:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/caesar-the-canadian-cocktail/983333/11 "2023-04-28T06:51:42Z")
Funny thing is I was just referring to clamato juice all by itself as a concoction, but it turns out that comment fits just like you describe a Caesar. Blech! ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2023, 4:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/caesar-the-canadian-cocktail/983333/12 "2023-04-28T16:55:37Z")
> [@wolfpup](#): > > Spoken like a gentleman of distinction and good taste! šŸ™‚ > > Just a very small nitpicky point of information: although Montreal Steak Spice does come in a semi-liquid form (basically a thick paste) it is classically a dry rub that comes in a jar. Oh, I fully understand the seasoning is dry rub. Commonly sold in glass containers about 1-1/4" diameter x 3 to 4" high. With the mouth the same diameter as the glass and a screw-top lid that may or may not also incorporate a shaker. Thatā€™s a package I call a ā€œbottleā€. Large due to being made of glass. Although some folks do call those ā€œjarsā€ as well. ---
**Author:** ![Dr\_Paprika](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr_paprika/32/3042_2.png) [@Dr\_Paprika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr_Paprika)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2023, 7:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/caesar-the-canadian-cocktail/983333/13 "2023-04-28T19:04:00Z")
It tells me something. Like the similar effect on oneā€™s gastrointestinal tract. ---
**Author:** ![wolfpup](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolfpup/32/10618_2.png) [@wolfpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfpup)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2023, 8:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/caesar-the-canadian-cocktail/983333/14 "2023-04-28T20:05:40Z")
If your gastrointestinal tract has problems with tomato products and a very common seafood, perhaps you have some extraordinary allergies or are not from Earth, since both are very common in Italian cooking (the Caesar was created to celebrate the opening of a new Italian restaurant in Calgary). Canadians drink some 400 million Caesars annually, and in 2006 the CBC rated it among the top Canadian inventions. The Thursday before Victoria day is National Caesar Day in Canada. There are Caesar-making bartending courses and contests all over the place. It would appear that your views on the matter arenā€™t universally accepted. šŸ˜‰ > **[Caesar Cocktail](https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/caesar-cocktail)** > > The Caesar, also known as the Bloody Caesar, is considered Canadaā€™s national cocktail. The key ingredients are vodka, clam juice, tomato juice, spices and Wor... ---
**Author:** ![Pardel-Lux](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pardel-lux/32/20182_2.png) [@Pardel-Lux](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pardel-Lux)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2023, 8:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/caesar-the-canadian-cocktail/983333/15 "2023-04-28T20:23:25Z")
If I ever go to Canada again I will try it. But it sounds by your recipe like too much tomato, too little vodka, and I donā€™t know of any bar around my place that has clam juice among its standard ingredients. Celery stalksā€¦ well, anything related to stalking is bad, but being stalked by celery? Awww. The Danes might have interpreted it as a _casus belli_ had the Canadians left _that_ instead of the customary whisky bottle, but they could have retaliated: > **[Gammel Dansk](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gammel_Dansk)** > > Gammel Dansk is a bitters (herbal alcoholic preparation) produced by Arcus-Gruppen in Oslo, Norway, originally developed and produced by Danish Distillers in Denmark. Traditionally it is drunk by Danes at certain festive occasions, often in connection with breakfast meals, brunch or at wedding anniversaries and birthday celebrations (which in Denmark traditionally begin in the morning). The name "Gammel Dansk" translates directly from Danish as "Old Danish". > Gammel Dansk is a bitters liquor and ... Good thing the dispute was settled peacefully instead. PS: 400 million drinks with clam juice in them, each year? Wow. What do you do with the clams afterwards? It would be a waste to throw them away, would it not? Do you eat them? ---
**Author:** ![Dr\_Paprika](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr_paprika/32/3042_2.png) [@Dr\_Paprika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr_Paprika)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2023, 8:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/caesar-the-canadian-cocktail/983333/16 "2023-04-28T20:42:00Z")
_I would not eat them in a boat I would not drink them with a goat The Caesar is a sorry scam No other drinks are made from clam I do not want it, Clam-You-Is It tastes of wet tomato whiz._ Even other Canadians here are shaking their heads. _If_ forty million Canucks down 400m, that really means 1m Canucks each drink 400 a year. Alcoholics drink it for the _nutrition_: the celery (itā€™s a vegetable!) and vague beef flavouring. ---
**Author:** ![wolfpup](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolfpup/32/10618_2.png) [@wolfpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfpup)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2023, 8:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/caesar-the-canadian-cocktail/983333/17 "2023-04-28T20:56:02Z")
> [@Pardel-Lux](#): > > But it sounds by your recipe like too much tomato, too little vodka Not the way I make it! šŸ˜„ But there are a lot of different recipes and a lot of variations. I like mine quite simple and non-spicy. In fact, when small single-serving cans of plain Motts clamato were available at my local grocery, I would make an enjoyable Caesar with nothing more than a mixture of one-third vodka and two-thirds clamato sprinkled with Caesar rimmer (celery salt and spices) and nothing else ā€“ no Tabasco, no Worcestershire, no horseradish (an option that some like). Iā€™d throw in a slice of lime and a celery stick if I had one. In addition to a celery stalk, a local restaurant and bar serves Caesars with a bunch of mildly hot peppers on a skewer. The Caesar is a hearty and filling beverage that is delicious and refreshing if youā€™re in the mood for it, but itā€™s not subtle, even if only mildly spiced. Sometimes I can drink two of them or even three, other times one is sufficient. As I get older I find that it is frankly not a great choice for a before-dinner drink at a restaurant because it does tend to be filling. You can come in hungry, order a large Caesar festooned with celery and hot peppers, and when youā€™re done youā€™re ready to go home again! šŸ˜‰ ---
**Author:** ![Pardel-Lux](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pardel-lux/32/20182_2.png) [@Pardel-Lux](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pardel-Lux)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2023, 9:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/caesar-the-canadian-cocktail/983333/18 "2023-04-28T21:01:43Z")
A cocktail with horseradish? Now that sounds interesting. ---
**Author:** ![Dr\_Paprika](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr_paprika/32/3042_2.png) [@Dr\_Paprika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr_Paprika)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2023, 9:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/caesar-the-canadian-cocktail/983333/19 "2023-04-28T21:35:58Z")
A recent episode of the small-town Canadian TV show _Letterkenny_ (The Dealership) featured a Caesar making competition. The ā€œwinning recipeā€ included a Slim Jim. Here are the recipes, including exotic things like dill pickle juice, seafood, beef jerkyā€¦ > **[I Spent an Afternoon Making Canadian Caesars. This One Is the Best](https://www.foodandwine.com/lifestyle/caesar-cocktails-letterkenny)** > > Inspired by a recent episode of Hulu's 'Letterkenny,' I tried every Canadian Caesar the characters make on the show. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2023, 9:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/caesar-the-canadian-cocktail/983333/20 "2023-04-28T21:37:48Z")
Thatā€™s what is in a proper Bloody Mary: tomato juice, vodka, Worcestershire, hot sauce, horseradish, pepper, lemon juice, celery salt. If you canā€™t see through it, it isnā€™t doing you a lick of good! _ā€¦in 2006 the CBC rated it among the top Canadian inventions._ If you ever need an example of ā€œdamning with faint praiseā€ā€¦look no further. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/caesar-the-canadian-cocktail/983333.md?page=2)