Ô Bloody Caesar
Updated: Aug 8
Here is the juicy story of the Canadian version of the Bloody Mary cocktail and how to make it.
The Bloody Caesar cocktail is very similar to the American version, the Bloody Mary. Both have spiced ingredients mixed with vodka but the main difference is in the juice. The Bloody Mary is mixed with tomato juice and the Bloody Caesar is made with some “clamato” juice. What…? If you have never heard of it, this is a commercial beverage made of tomato juice concentrate, sugar, spice and clam broth. Maybe 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 downunder. The good news is, there is an online shop selling Canadian commercial food products in Australia (ocanada.com.au) and they have some if you don’t mind the extra price! That commercial drink was invented in New York in the 60s and, following this, the Bloody Caesar Cocktail version was invented by an Italian restaurant manager in Calgary, Alberta. Every bars and restaurants in Canada have 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 lemon slice. These days, where 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? I assure you that a good Bloody Caesar cocktail is a bloody good appetizer drink and I will definitely have to work on creating a stunning Aussie version. But for now, here’s how to do the classic basic Bloody Caesar or Mary, with the bloody juice you can find or like (did I say bloody too much?)!
RECIPE
INGREDIENTS (per highball cocktail glass):
160 ml clamato juice (or tomato juice if this is the only option)
2 lemon wedges
Tabasco sauce (one to a few drops, at taste)
1/2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
Vodka, as much you like but not more than a shooter glass (or go virgin for a non-alcoholic version)
1 stalk of celery + some extras if feeling peckish
Ice
PREPARATION: Rim a highball glass (or any cocktail glass you like) with the juice from a lemon wedge.
Spread some celery salt in a saucer plate and rub the glass rim.
Add few cubes of ice, the vodka and fill up with the clamato (or tomato) juice.
Add Tabasco, Worcestershire sauce and some lemon juice.
Garnish with a lemon wedge and celery stalk (and make sure you have extra celery sticks to snack on as they are so delicious with this drink).
Cheers!