The Great Canadian Cocktail: The Bloody Caesar

In the late 1960s, when hippies roamed the earth, (yes kids, they were your grandma and grandpa) a startling discovery was made in Calgary, Alberta. Walter Chell, the Food and Beverage manager at the Calgary Inn, was tasked to create a new drink for the Victoria Day holiday opening of an Italian Restaurant in the hotel (now the Westin.) The year was 1969.

A wise choice. Who better to ask than Walter, born in Montenegro and raised in Italy. For three months he tested and tasted. Spaghetti alla Vongole—spaghetti with spicy tomato sauce and clams—was his favorite dish. Eureka! Tomato and clams! Clams and Tomato! A marriage made in heaven!

Into a large glass, he put a few ice cubes and a good shot of Vodka; a nice pour of tomato juice and next, the ingredient that made it magic: his home-made clam juice. It needed a squirt of Worcestershire, and something more, so he added a spear of pickled vegetables. And thus, was born the great Canadian cocktail: The Bloody Caesar!

It was the love generation, not the money generation. Walter did not think to put a patent on the Bloody Caesar or Tomato Clam juice. The Bloody Caesar, nutritious as well as delicious, and suitable at any time of day from breakfast onwards, covered the country like a soft summer rain. It came to the attention of the beverage company, Motts. Suddenly, on supermarket shelves, we could buy bottles of Motts Clamato Juice. Clams and Tomato. Tomato and Clams. A marriage made in heaven.

To celebrate Canada’s national drink, the Thursday before Victoria Day—the official start of summer—has been declared National Bloody Caesar Day. On this day, there is a contest to see who can dream up the largest, most creative Caesar in the country. Competition is fierce and bragging-rights for the winner are important, until next year. At the Westin Hotel in Calgary, they honor Walter Chell’s original recipe: a glass, rimmed with a little salt and pepper, Vodka, Clamato juice, Worcestershire, and garnished with lime and celery.

The beauty of the Bloody Caesar is that it packs as much wallop as you would like, and sans Vodka, it is a health drink, some say it’s the greatest hangover cure. The garnish can be a pickle and a carrot, or a giant shrimp, strips of Canadian bacon, a barbecued spare rib, a turkey club, or a whole market garden of produce. Today, across Canada, summer patio bars distinguish themselves by how outrageous they can make their garnishes which, can often become a meal on their own.

The Bloody Caesar

Ingredients:

(Serves 1)

• 2 fluid ounces of vodka
• ½ cup or 4 liquid ounces Mott’s Clamato tomato juice
• 3 dashes of Tabasco sauce
• 3 dashes of Worcestershire sauce
• A pinch of smoked paprika or freshly grated horseradish (use sparingly)
• 3 tablespoons of celery salt (to rim the glass)
• Salt and pepper for taste

Traditional Garnishes (Optional):

• 1 celery stalk
• 1 lime wedge
• Green olives
• Pickles
• Pepperoni stick
• Chopped parsley

Method:

1. Rim the glass with 1 lime wedge. Then, in a bowl or plate, rim the glass with celery salt, or a combination of your favourite rim salt spices (such as garlic powder, coarse salt, or cayenne pepper).
2. In the same glass, fill with ice and pour in a couple dashes of Worcestershire sauce and Tabasco sauce.
3. Pour in vodka and tomato juice.
4. Add a pinch of smoked paprika or horseradish.
5. Season with salt and pepper.
6. Customize with your favourite garnishes.

Pro-tip: Add a squeeze of lemon for some brightness and acidity; or grate horseradish on top for an extra kick!

Cheers!