Hail, Caesar! Canada’s official drink also has an unofficial official celebratory "day" for honouring this classic cocktail and that day is today!
National Caesar Day was first launched in 2015. It happens annually on the Thursday before Canada’s Victoria Day Long Weekend and so in honour of our favourite cocktail, we decided to whip up an article listing some common facts about the drink that you might not know.
As proud as the average Quebecers can be of maple syrup and poutine, Calgarians are quick to point out that their city is home to the most popular cocktail in our country. That's right, the Caesar (or Bloody Caesar) is attributed to barman Walter Chell, who came up with the drink at the Calgary Inn back in 1969.
According to Chell's granddaughter, his Italian ancestry led him to call the drink a "Caesar".
The longer name of "Bloody Caesar" is said to come from a regular customer, an Englishman, who often ordered the drink and one day said, "Walter, that's a damn good bloody Caesar".
The Caesar became Canada’s national drink when Parliament made it official.
As prepared traditionally, a Caesar is made with vodka, clamato juice, Worcestershire sauce, hot sauce, and comes in a celery salt-rimmed glass garnished with lemon or lime, and a celery stalk.
Commonly used ingredients
6 oz. Clamato Juice
1–1½ oz. vodka
2 dashes hot sauce
4 dashes Worcestershire sauce
Celery salt
Freshly ground pepper
Lime wedge
1 crisp celery stalk
Preparation
Rim glass with celery salt, and a lime wedge.
In 2019, comedy legend, Dan Aykroyd unveiled his own special recipe for National Caesar Day, to help celebrate the 50-year anniversary of the drink.
Dan Aykroyd's Golden Caesar
½ inch strip
Red chili (mild to medium)
1.5 oz
Crystal Head Vodka
1.25 oz
Cabernet Sauvignon (Canadian)
0.5 oz
Fresh lemon juice
4 dashes
Tabasco Chipotle sauce
2 dashes
Worcestershire sauce
5 oz
Mott's Clamato Original
Instructions
Rim your glass with Mott's Clamato Rimmer mixed with edible gold powder
Muddle red chili piece in the bottom of glass
Add vodka, wine, lemon juice, and sauces
Fill glass with ice
Top with Mott's Clamato Original and stir
Garnish with a Matt & Steve's Extreme Bean, a sprig of gold powder-dusted rosemary.
Skewer a small sparkler into a wedge of lemon and place on side of glass. Light sparkler outside before serving.
