Two summers ago,  I finally gathered my courage and tried a Bloody Ceasar.  I am Canadian and The Bloody Ceasar is arguably the most Canadian of cocktails.  It is ubiquitous in Canada, but I’ve never seen it offered on a menu in the USA (and I’ve lived in the United States for over 30 years).   A Bloody Ceasar is similar to a Bloody Mary, but it has clam juice in the tomato mix and it is garnished with an entire garden of vegetable pickles.  It is a truly delicious drink.

I was reluctant to try it because I associated it with a particular kind of middle age Canadian man who would often be on flights between Canada (where my family lived) and Hawaii (where I moved when I was 9).  This man was balding, had a pot belly and chain smoked during the flight…He also ordered and drank many, many Caesars on the long flight.  Two summers ago, however, my siblings and I went drinking in Vancouver for my brother’s birthday.  We drank Bloody Caesars and the long process of rehabilitating the image of the Bloody Ceasar began for me.

I spend my Augusts visiting my mother on Gabriola Island in British Columbia.  My husband and I were married there seven years ago and we like to make it back for our anniversary.  My extended family also likes to gather there for their annual family reunion.  My last two summers on Gabriola have involved quite a few Bloody Ceasar experiments.  I’ve tried to make a Bloody Ceasar mix entirely from scratch (because that tends to be my tact in life).  It was a lot of trouble and I wasn’t all that happy with it.  It was a waste of perfect locally grown Gabriola Island tomatoes.   Some places offer Bloody Caesars made with whisky or tequila instead of the classic vodka.  I’m not normally a vodka fan, but in my opinion classic is best when it comes to a Bloody Ceasar.

Here is a photo of an utterly perfect, classic Bloody Ceasar served up at The Surf Lodge on Gabriola Island.  I recommend sitting on the deck at sunset and ordering clam chowder to go with your Bloody Ceasar for your wedding anniversary.

This year’s Bloody Ceasar experiments happened at the family reunion.  As perfect as the Surf Lodge’s Ceasar is, I still wanted to know how to make one.  I bought a very expensive pre-made organic Caesar mix and the standard inexpensive Mott’s Clamato (just clam and tomato juice) to which I added my own seasonings.  I served each of my family members a Ceasar made from each mix to taste test.  My mix won!  Please note that a Ceasar also goes well with a Ceasar Salad (as pictured).  Also, I hope that this photo of my mother double fisting cocktails is as amusing to you as it is to me.

Erin’s Classic Bloody Ceasar Recipe

• 2 cups Clamato juice (not the one that already has caesar seasoning)
• 1 cup vodka
• 6 dashes tapatio hot sauce (I suppose tabasco would work)
• 12 dashes worchestershire sauce
• Juice of 1 lime
• 1 tsp prepared horseradish
• ice
• Celery salt for the rim
• Any or all of the following pickles- cucumber, cocktail onion, asparagus, olives, okra

Combine the clamato, vodka, hot sauce, worchestershire, lime juice and horseradish in a small picture and stir.  Put some celery salt on a small plate.  Wet the rim of the glasses and dredge them through the salt.  Fill the glasses with ice and pour the caesar on top.  Garnish and serve.

MORE CANADIAN TREATS..

Gluten-free Butter Tarts https://bigsislittledish.wordpress.com/2011/12/25/gluten-free-butter-tarts-for-boxing-day/

Aunt Claire’s Tourtière (Gluten-free) https://bigsislittledish.wordpress.com/2012/12/22/aunt-claires-tourtiere-with-a-gluten-free-crust/

Sweet and Sour Honey Pickled Beets https://bigsislittledish.wordpress.com/2011/11/12/sweet-and-sour-honey-pickled-beets/

Sockeye Salmon with Blackberries and Leeks https://bigsislittledish.wordpress.com/2014/08/20/sockeye-salmon-with-blackberries-and-leeks/

Salmon A la Ieva https://bigsislittledish.wordpress.com/2012/09/17/all-salmon-all-thetime-ievas-salmon-ground-cherry-and-almond-sauce/

Blackberry Ginger Gin Cocktail https://bigsislittledish.wordpress.com/2014/08/27/blackberry-ginger-gin-cocktail/

Gluten-Free Blackberry, Apple, Plum Crumble https://bigsislittledish.wordpress.com/2014/08/17/blackberry-apple-plum-crumble-gluten-free-gabriola-island/

Blackberry Apple Tart with a Salted Almond Crust (gluten-free and vegan) https://bigsislittledish.wordpress.com/2015/08/22/blackberry-apple-tart-in-a-salted-almond-crust-gluten-free-and-vegan-my-mums-birthday/

Blackberry Lime Cashew Cream Tart with a Ginger Crust (Vegan and Gluten-Free) https://bigsislittledish.wordpress.com/2015/08/24/blackberry-lime-cashew-cream-tart-with-a-ginger-crust-gluten-free-and-vegan-my-sisters-birthday/

Blackberry Curd https://bigsislittledish.com/2015/08/28/blackberry-curd/