The caesar has long been considered Canada’s drink and now there’s a new homegrown twist to our nation’s favourite cocktail.
A new all-natural caesar mix dubbed Walter is showing up on bar menus across the country in creations using classic, Mexican and Asian flavours.
For the trivia buffs out there, Walter is named after Walter Chell, credited with creating the cocktail in the in the late 1960s using vodka, tomato-clam cocktail mix, hot sauce, Worcestershire sauce, spices and served over ice in a celery-salt-rimmed glass, garnished with a stalk of celery and wedge of lime.
Walter caesar mix is made in small batches and includes ingredients such as vine-ripened tomatoes, real grated horseradish and actual clam juice from the North Atlantic. For Canada Day, we’ve complied a list of favourite recipes.
Mexican Caesar
- 1 oz tequila blanco
- 5 oz .Walter (Mildly Spiced)
- 1/2 teaspoon of salsa fresca
- Dash of pickled jalapeno brine
- Dash Cholula (or other Mexican hot sauce)
- rim with: rock salt, black pepper, oregano, chilli
- garnish: lime, crispy tortilla strips/pickled jalapeno/seafood
- pour over ice
Asian Caesar
- 1 oz. shoshu
- 5 oz. Walter
- Dash saracha hot sauce
- Dash soy (dark)
- Fresh grated wasabi
- Rim with salt, black sesame, star anise
- Garnish: pickled baby corn /prawn/Asian-style jerkey
- pour over ice
Thor Diakow, producer/entertainment host, CityTV Diakow’s favourite caesar is his version of one created at the Wild Wood Bistro and Bar in Whistler called Pablo’s Boilermaker. He also recommends pairing it with the Wild Wood’s eggs Benedict sampler. This is Diakow’s version of the Boilermaker caesar.
- To start: Use a lime wedge to wet the rim of tall, chilled glass and vigorously dunk the top of each glass into a saucer of rimming salt. Add the same lime wedge into the glass.
- 1.5 oz. bourbon (usually Maker’s Mark)
- 1 oz. ginger ale (gives it some kick)
- 1/4 teaspoon of prepared horseradish
- Dash of Tabasco sauce
- Dash of Frank’s Red Hot sauce
- Generous dash of Worcestershire sauce (I like ‘em dirty!)
- Stir together well
- Add ice
- Add Clamato and gently mix
- Add garnish of choice (I use pickled asparagus and a few stuffed, green olives)
Enjoy and make another!!
Edible Canada Bistro on Granville Island prides itself on using locally-sourced ingredients on not only its food menu, but also in its signature cocktails. The following recipes are from Edible Canada’s new caesar menu.
Maple Bacon Caesar
Ingredients:
- 2 oz. Iceberg Vodka
- 2 dashes Worcestershire sauce
- 1 dash Lime Pepper Hot Sauce (Persaud Originals)
- 4 oz. Walter Caesar Mix
Garnish: Amola Caesar Rim Salt, celery, candied bacon, maple syrup
Method: Combine ingredients in a sleeve glass rimmed with Amola Caesar Rim Salt. Garnish with celery and candied bacon. Pour bar spoonful of maple syrup or bacon garnish.
Farmhouse
Ingredients:
- 4 oz. Walter Caesar Mix
- 2 oz. Iceberg Vodka
- 1.5 oz. veal stock
Garnish: beef jerky, picked veal and asparagus, Amola Molten Hot Salt
Method: Combine ingredients in a sleeve glass rimmed with Amola Molten Hot Salt. Garnish with beef jerky and jalapeño slices.
Barb Snelgrove, LGBTQ community advocate, communications consultant and founder of Megamouth Media — and caesar connoisseur — took time out from her duties at World Pride in Toronto this week to offer the Courier this recipe. Snelgrove considers the creation of a good caesar an art. “Our country’s national drink, depending on how you like it, is yours to create, change up and make your own, that’s the beauty of it.”
- Lots of ice: And important to remember (a little known secret within caesar connoisseur circles) squeeze in a lime wedge with the ice at the beginning. You will also be revisiting this later in the assembly process.
- Vodka. A LOT of vodka, depending on how the day is going.
- Add (and this is VERY important), a splash of pepperoncini juice, right from the bottle. Unico brand is excellent, readily available and inexpensive. Add a splash of juice from whatever bottle of olives you may have in the fridge, preferably one with a nice blend of spicy, oily, pickled flavouring. I’m at the stage I go to Whole Foods, throw a couple of olives into a plastic tub and pour a carefully selected quantity of olive juice into the container. I basically buy the juice. Another great addition? The juice from a bottle of pickled asparagus. Use your imagination, find the juices that appeal to you and “dirty” up that caesar. This is an important step and will set your caesar head and shoulders above of the rest. Don’t be afraid to add liberally. I usually have approximately three tablespoons of various juices in the glass.
- A nice touch to “beef” up your caesar and add a blast of flavour is to add into the glass a few thin slices of salami and sun-dried tomatoes. As you drink your cocktail they slowly send out lovely flavours as they seep into the drink — because remember, any caesar should always be a meal in a glass.
- At this stage your glass should be (at least) half full of juices, vodka, ice, etc, but don’t worry — there’s still plenty of room for the “splash” of Clamato juice to come.
- Now the easy part, and subject to your personal preferences: add a healthy dash of seasoning salt, Lea & Perrins Worcestershire Sauce, pepper, and before you shout it out in anticipation, with my caesars Tabasco is optional. You get a good shot of “hot” with the pepperoncini juice and hopefully the olive oil has a bit of zing, I seldom use Tabasco sauce when horseradish is so much tastier.
- Now add the Clamato juice to whatever room you have left in the glass. And to go back to the beginning, squeeze more lime in there. It really does make a difference.
- Before adding any condiment skewer take a piece of celery and stir, stir, stir until the outside of the glass is perspiring.
- Condiments: Again, let your imagination go wild, just don’t use a toothpick. The skewer needs to be at least four-inches long if you want to impress your guests with that “wow factor!” Add a chunk of cheddar, pickles, olives, cocktail sausage (or more salami and sundried tomatoes), pepperoncini, asparagus, beans or pickled onion — the list is endless.
sthomas@vancourier.com
