Ô Bloody Caesar

Here is the juicy story of the Canadian version of the Bloody Mary cocktail and how to make it.

Classic Bloody Caesar cocktail • Photography © Bottle and Brush Studio 2020

The Bloody Caesar cocktail resembles the American version, the Bloody Mary. Both have spiced ingredients mixed with vodka, but the main difference is the juice. The Bloody Mary is mixed with tomato juice, and the Bloody Caesar is made with “clamato” juice. What…? If you have never heard of it, this beverage is made of tomato juice concentrate, sugar, spice and clam broth. Maybe it's not appealing… but it does not taste fishy at all. Interested in trying it? Well, the problem is that you won’t find this easily Down Under. The good news is that there is an online shop selling Canadian commercial food products in Australia (ocanada.com.au). That commercial drink was invented in New York in the 60s, and following this, an Italian restaurant manager in Calgary, Alberta, invented the Bloody Caesar Cocktail version. Every bar and restaurant in Canada has been serving this cocktail since. The main ingredients are vodka, Clamato juice, celery salt, Tabasco sauce, Worcestershire sauce and lemon. The classic way to garnish the drink is with celery salt on the highball glass rim, a celery stalk and a lemon slice. If you cannot find the celery-infused salt, you can make your own with celery leaves, and if you grow your own, they will be so tasty!

Clamato juice and the essentials for a "Bloody" good Caesar drink • Photography © Bottle and Brush Studio 2020

Today, when everything is more imaginative, there are many creative twists to reinvent the cocktail by garnishing it with spectacular skewers with bacon, cheese, shrimp, jalapeno pickles, olives, etc. Is this more tempting now? If you don't have or like clamato juice, you can use tomato juice (low in sodium, preferably). In this case, I suggest trying dry gin instead of vodka, as I find this combination less pungent, and there are so many beautiful local gins around that are worth the twist!

Garden festive garnishes • Photography © Bottle and Brush Studio 2021

RECIPE

The recipe is now available in my cookbook, Québec Kitchen Abroad.

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