The Caesar co*cktail, aka the Canadian Bloody Mary Recipe (2024)

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The Caesar co*cktail, Canada's brunch (or anytime) drink is similar to a Bloody Mary, with a few key changes. Once you try one, you'll never go back. 158 calories and 7 Weight Watchers Freestyle SP
The Caesar co*cktail, aka the Canadian Bloody Mary Recipe (1)

Although the Caesar (the co*cktail, not the salad) is a drink reminiscent of my wayward twenties and several queasy morning-afters, I still have a very soft spot for this tomato-based co*cktail. Okay, I wasn't actually that wayward, though perhaps my story about the Kamikaze shots had you thinking otherwise. At the end of a long dinner shift at the restaurant where I worked during some of my university years, the staff would line up at the bar with the vodka, Clamato juice, Worcestershire sauce and Tabasco sauce to make some stiff co*cktails. Who said these babies need to be relegated to brunch on Sundays?

If you've never heard of a Caesar that doesn’t involve romaine lettuce and creamy dressing, you're not alone. It likely means that you are neither a Canadian nor a regular visitor to my maple-leafed homeland. In fact, you are probably thinking that the drink in the picture looks suspiciously like a Bloody Mary. However, there are several distinct differences, starting with the Clamato juice. This juice, as the name suggests, is a mixture of tomato juice and clam broth and is found on the shelves of most supermarkets in the United States. I know the flavor combination sounds questionable, but you really can't taste the clams. At least I can't. In fact, I prefer it over tomato juice because it is not as thick and makes the co*cktail go down more smoothly than a Bloody Mary.

The Caesar co*cktail, aka the Canadian Bloody Mary Recipe (2)

The Clamato juice is mixed with vodka, kicked up with Worcestershire and Tabasco sauce (I like mine spicy) and served in a glass rimmed with celery salt. Traditionally, it is served with a rib of celery, but I also toss in a couple of pimento-stuffed olives. The big ones. I always save them to the end because, after marinating in the co*cktail, they become little drunken orbs of joy.

So, who the heck thought of this crazy drink combination? As the story goes, the Caesar was invented in 1969 by Walter Chell, who was given the task of coming up with a signature drink for a new Italian restaurant opening in Calgary. Chell found inspiration in the classic Italian dish, Spaghetti alle Vongole (Spaghetti with Clams). The Caesar became an instant sensation and continues to be so popular that, in 2009, a petition was started to make the Caesar into Canada's national drink. Move over Molson...here comes the Clamato.

If a petition isn't enough to convince you, then perhaps this purported statistic will: Over 350 million Caesars are consumed each year in Canada. There are only 34 million people living in Canada. So, either we're filling up the mountain water holes with Caesars (which might explain some of those drunken moose stories) or we think these co*cktails are pretty darn tasty. So, get out there and pick up some Clamato juice and I'll raise my Caesar-filled glass to you. Eh?

The recipe:
Spread the celery salt onto a small plate. Rub the rim of one 12-ounce glass with a lime wedge. Turn the glass upside down and dip the rim of the glass into the celery salt. Repeat with remaining 3 glasses.

The Caesar co*cktail, aka the Canadian Bloody Mary Recipe (3)

Fill each glass with ice cubes. Divide the vodka equally between the 4 glasses. Pour Clamato juice into each glass.

The Caesar co*cktail, aka the Canadian Bloody Mary Recipe (4)

Season each Caesar with several dashes of Worcestershire and Tabasco sauces, to desired spiciness. Stir each co*cktail with a stir stick. Garnish with celery sticks, olives and remaining lime wedges. Serve.

The Caesar co*cktail, aka the Canadian Bloody Mary Recipe (5)

More of my favorite co*cktails:
Cookin' Canuck's Kamikaze co*cktail or Shot
Cookin' Canuck's
Creative Culinary's Grapefruit, Lime & Maraschino Martini
Family Style Food's Italian Greyhound with Rosemary Sugar
Inspired Taste's Pear & Cranberry co*cktail

Printable Recipe

The Caesar co*cktail, aka the Canadian Bloody Mary Recipe (6)

The Caesar co*cktail, aka the Canadian Bloody Mary

The Caesar co*cktail is Canada's version of the Bloody Mary and it is so flavorful and easy to make. Perfect for brunch! 158 calories and 7 Weight Watchers Freestyle SP

5 from 4 votes

Print Pin Rate

Course: Beverages

Cuisine: Canadian

Keyword: Bloody Mary

Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes

Total Time: 10 minutes minutes

Servings: 4 co*cktails

Calories: 157.6kcal

Author: Dara Michalski | Cookin' Canuck

Ingredients

Instructions

  • Spread the celery salt onto a small plate. Rub the rim of one 12-ounce glass with a lime wedge. Turn the glass upside down and dip the rim of the glass into the celery salt. Repeat with remaining 3 glasses.

  • Fill each glass with ice cubes. Divide the vodka equally between the 4 glasses. Pour Clamato juice into each glass.

  • Season each Caesar with several dashes of Worcestershire and Tabasco sauces, to desired spiciness. Stir each co*cktail with a stir stick.

  • Garnish with celery sticks, olives and remaining lime wedges. Serve.

Video

Notes

*Not included in nutritional information.

Weight Watchers Points: 7 (Freestyle SmartPoints)

Nutrition

Serving: 1co*cktail | Calories: 157.6kcal | Carbohydrates: 11.3g | Protein: 1g | Sodium: 895.9mg | Sugar: 8.2g

Tried this recipe?If you make this recipe, I'd love to see it on Instagram! Just use the hashtag #COOKINCANUCK and I'll be sure to find it.

Disclosure: I am a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for me to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.

The Caesar co*cktail, aka the Canadian Bloody Mary Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What is in a Canadian Bloody Mary? ›

He devised the co*cktail after being tasked to create a signature drink for the Calgary Inn's new Italian restaurant. He mixed vodka with clam and tomato juice, Worcestershire sauce, and other spices, creating a drink similar to a Bloody Mary, but with a uniquely spicy flavour.

Is the Caesar co*cktail the same as Bloody Mary? ›

While both the Bloody Mary and the Caesar are very similar, there's one big difference in ingredients between the two. They each have a vodka base, but Bloody Marys feature tomato juice, while Caesars make use of clamato, a combination of clam and tomato juice.

What is the national co*cktail of Canada? ›

The Caesar, also known as the Bloody Caesar, is considered Canada's national co*cktail. The key ingredients are vodka, clam juice, tomato juice, spices and Worcestershire sauce. It is typically served in a highball glass rimmed with celery salt and garnished with a celery stalk, olives and lime.

What was the original name of the Bloody Mary drink? ›

The co*cktail is said to have been created on the spur of the moment, according to the bar's own traditions, consisting only of vodka and tomato juice. It was originally referred to as a "Bucket of Blood".

What is a Bloody Mary called in America? ›

He brought his signature co*cktail with him to New York City, giving it the name Red Snapper. Petiot reimagined the co*cktail, adding in horseradish, Tabasco sauce, lemon juice, and celery salt to his base recipe. The new jazzed up version became an instant classic. The name Bloody Mary has controversial beginnings.

What is the difference between a Bloody Mary and a dirty Bloody Mary? ›

The “dirty” in Dirty Bloody Mary refers to the addition of brine from ingredients such as olives or pickles, which gives the co*cktail a more savory and briny flavor compared to a traditional Bloody Mary. This extra element adds depth and complexity to the drink.

Why do Canadians call a Bloody Mary a Caesar? ›

The name Caesar is said to come about from a patron of Chell's who shouted out, “that's a damn good Caesar” and it's stuck since it's inception. Mott's, a distributor of Clamato estimates 350 million Caesar's are consumed each year in Canada.

What do Canadians call beer and tomato juice? ›

With beer. Clamato is also added to beer in various beer co*cktails, such as the michelada; the most basic is known as a "beer 'n clam", "Clam Eye", or "Red Eye" in Western Canada, which adds Clamato to pale lagers.

What is the signature drink in Montreal? ›

The Montreal co*cktail is a wonderful Rye co*cktail created by a collaboration of 15 Montreal bartenders. Intended to represent Montreal's French (through the use of Suze) & English (through the use of Gin) influences, it also throws a little Italian (Aperol) in for good measure.

What drink do Canadians drink the most? ›

Beer. Beer is the most drunk alcoholic beverage in Canada. The marks of beers the most consumed nationally are Molson and Labatt.

What is Canada's most famous drink? ›

Approximately 69 percent of all Canadian survey respondents regularly drink coffee. Juice and bottled water followed in second and third places, with 53 and 50 percent of respondents stating that they regularly consume them. This data is an aggregation of four surveys carried out in 2022.

What is the most popular co*cktail in Canada? ›

1. Bloody Caesar. The Caesar, also known as the Bloody Caesar, is considered Canada's national co*cktail.

What is the best alcohol for a Bloody Mary? ›

Employing vodka ensures that the beverage hews to the classic Bloody Mary formula. But using a different spirit base, say tequila or gin, is welcomed or even encouraged. Variations like the Red Snapper use gin, while the Bloody Maria opts for tequila.

Why is Bloody Mary a hangover drink? ›

So how has the Bloody Mary gotten its reputation as a hangover cure? It is the combination of a heavy vegetable base (tomato juice) and salt that can settle the stomach and replace electrolytes, as well as delivering Vitamins C and B6 that are both beneficial in reducing the effects of a hangover.

What is the main alcohol in a Bloody Mary? ›

Vodka is the traditional alcohol in a Bloody Mary. Worcestershire sauce gives the co*cktail a savory, umami-rich flavor. Kick up the spice with hot pepper sauce.

What is Canada's version of a Bloody Mary called? ›

The Bloody Mary is a drink that serious bar-goers write off as a brunch staples. Not so in Canada where the Caesar, a Bloody Mary with clam juice, is the national drink.

What does a Bloody Mary contain? ›

The original Bloody Mary is believed to have contained seven ingredients: vodka, tomato juice, Worcestershire sauce, black pepper, celery salt, Tabasco and lemon juice. But like many classic drinks, it has inspired several variations.

What was the original Bloody Mary made of? ›

The Russians brought plenty of vodka from their homeland, while the Americans brought canned tomato juice to the city. It is said that Fernand “Pete” Petiot took the Russian vodka and American tomato juice, mixed in some spices, lemon juice and seasoning and the Bloody Mary was born.

References

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