Icy, spicy, robust and refreshing B次元官网网址� the Bloody Caesar is as comfortable on date night as it is at a backyard barbecue. Its satisfying tomato base makes it a great choice from the beverage cart on a transatlantic flight, its crunchy garnishes help stave off hunger pangs and itB次元官网网址檚 also the ultimate hangover cure.

B次元官网网址淭hereB次元官网网址檚 a lot to be said for the hair of the dog,B次元官网网址� says Tim Siebert, bar manager of Northern Quarter. B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 just a very savoury, palatable drink.B次元官网网址�

Considering all the flavour and versatility of the Caesar, itB次元官网网址檚 no surprise that Canadians consume 350 million of them annually, according to the makers of MottB次元官网网址檚 Clamato.

Invented in 1969 by Walter Chell, a barman in Calgary, Alberta, the Caesar may, in fact, be more Canadian than poutine or even maple syrup. And, with the exception of some border cities, itB次元官网网址檚 impossible to find a Bloody Caesar outside of Canada.

B次元官网网址淚 was at a food event in Chicago recently, and no one had heard of them,B次元官网网址� says Jim Walmsley, owner of Jam Caf茅.

Here in Canada, we even have a National Caesar Day. (In case you didnB次元官网网址檛 know, itB次元官网网址檚 held each year on the Thursday before the May long weekend.)

The drinkB次元官网网址檚 popularity is tied to its simplicity. Caesars are easy to make, even for amateur mixologists. For the classic version, rim one highball glass with celery salt, add a scoop of ice and season to taste with Tabasco, Worchestershire and a few grinds of fresh salt and pepper. Add one to two ounces of vodka, eight ounces of clamato juice and garnish with lime and a crunchy stalk of celery. Easy!

Nearly 50 years after its introduction, the Caesar continues to evolve. On a tasting tour of five local eateries, I discovered some tantalizing twists on its classic elements. Creative garnishes, for instance, are making the Caesar more of a signature experience for restaurants.

B次元官网网址淚 like to give my Caesars a B次元官网网址榥ose,B次元官网网址橞次元官网网址� said Ryan Broekhuizen, general manager of S眉LT Pierogi Bar, as he added a large bunch of Thai basil to my cocktail. B次元官网网址淭hat way, youB次元官网网址檙e already enjoying the drink before you even take a sip.B次元官网网址�

Cheers to that!

Now B次元官网网址� hereB次元官网网址檚 a look at some of the inventive Caesars youB次元官网网址檒l find around Victoria.

B次元官网网址� The Double Seafood Caesar from offers a tasty Montreal steak seasoning rim and an over-the-top assorted seafood garnish.

The double Caesar is made with MottB次元官网网址檚 Clamato juice and Wyborowa vodka, but the best part of the drink is its appetizing crown. Two chilled prawns, a cooked mussel on the half shell, two pickled beans, a lime, a lemon, two olives, a pickled pepper, a gherkin pickle and a cherry tomato (!) crowd the top of this Caesar.

B次元官网网址� A restaurant that specializes in pierogies may seem like an odd place to find one of the best Skyy vodka Caesars youB次元官网网址檒l ever taste. But thatB次元官网网址檚 exactly what youB次元官网网址檒l find at .

From its celery salt, garlic powder and chili flake rim to its housemade clamato juice and 12-spice blend seasoning, this is a craft Caesar like no other. Its complex, ginger/lemon forward flavours are enhanced with a garnish of fragrant, fresh-plucked Thai basil, chewy, homemade beef jerky and house-pickled vegetables. The pi猫ce de r茅sistance sits on a skewer on top of the drink B次元官网网址� a warm, cheesy garlic pierogi, deep-fried to golden perfection.

B次元官网网址� B次元官网网址檚 Seafood Caesar is prepared in a tall, slim glass rimmed with a blend of celery salt and rich red smoky paprika.

The cocktail mixes classic seasonings of Tabasco and Worchestershire with Sobieski vodka and MottB次元官网网址檚 Clamato juice. Garnished with a single raw oyster thatB次元官网网址檚 been dabbed with fresh horseradish and hot sauce, a chilled prawn, a spicy pickled bean and a piparra chili pepper, the sea-scented Caesar has a smooth, sophisticated flavour that complements this elegant dining establishment.

B次元官网网址� complicates matters B次元官网网址� deliciously B次元官网网址� offering diners a choice of two sensational Caesars.

The Classic Jam Caesar is rimmed with a coarse steak seasoning blend, augmented with a Chinese five-spice blend, then topped up with Stoli vodka, an in-house pickle juice blended with MottB次元官网网址檚 Clamato juice and horseradish. The cocktailB次元官网网址檚 popularity at brunch is no doubt due to its creative garnish B次元官网网址� a single piece of thick, sweet, house-cured bacon. Two spears of pickled asparagus and a lime add to the garnish, rounding out this sweet, briny and spicy drink.

Sweeter still is the Bourbonator Classic Caesar, which swaps out vodka for Bullet bourbon, and adds some of JamB次元官网网址檚 own apple barbecue sauce. Different? Yes B次元官网网址� but delightfully so. The BourbonatorB次元官网网址檚 less subtle flavours leave a lasting impression.

B次元官网网址� B次元官网网址檚 Caesar ups the ante with a smoked-paprika-and-Chilean-lime-salt-rimmed cocktail and a couple of important BC flavours: Walter Craft Caesar Mix from Vancouver and SidB次元官网网址檚 craft vodka from the Okanagan.

The restaurant recommends a two-ounce pour of vodka to compensate for the thicker, craftmade clamato juice, made from vine-ripened tomatoes, select spices and sustainably harvested clam juice. The Caesar is topped off with a slice of lime and a simple house-pickled green bean, and offers complex notes of garlic, mustard seeds and peppercorns. A very tasty cocktail.

INFO

B次元官网网址� Mottsclamato.ca Recipes, product information and lore from the original clamato juice producer.

B次元官网网址� Caesars: The Essential Guide to Your Favourite Cocktail by Clint Pattemore (Random House, 2014). The author and MottB次元官网网址檚 mixologist offers more recipes and variations.

B次元官网网址� Waltercaesar.com: FAQs, where to buy information and more from the purveyors of the first all-natural craft Caesar mix.

- Story by Jane Zatylny

Story courtesy of , a Black Press Media publication
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