TRY OUR TOP THREE CAESAR VARIATIONS TO CELEBRATE NATIONAL CAESAR DAY

I’m sure you’ve all been counting down the days on your clam juice advent calendars, so you need no reminder that today is National Caesar Day here in Canada.

If you’ve never heard of this holiday, don’t feel too bad, 2016 was the first time it was observed. Falling on the Thursday before Victoria Day, National Caesar Day is a great way to start your long weekend a little early. We at Spud are definitely fans of that prospect, so we decided to taste-test three takes on the classic Canadian cocktail. Check them out below, and let us know which one looks the best to you.

*Note: All these caesars are just as delicious without the alcohol!

The Maple Bacon Caesar

This is peak Canadiana. The classic caesar flavours are paired with sweet maple syrup and smoky bacon, and we used white Canadian whisky to switch it up. It would also be nice with bourbon – but that’s not as Canadian.

Ingredients

• 8 oz caesar mix (we used Walter’s)
• 1 cooked strip of bacon (plus more for making bacon salt)
• 1 stalk celery
• 1/2 oz maple syrup
• 1 oz white Canadian whisky (optional)
• salt for rim

Instructions

1. Crumble up bacon and mix with salt to make bacon salt
2. Moisten the rim of a tall glass and rim with bacon salt mix
3. Fill glass with ice and add maple syrup, whisky (if using), and caesar mix
4. Garnish with strip of bacon and a stalk of celery

The Ranch Hand Caesar

This one legitimately sounds gross, but hear me out. Caesars were invented in Calgary. Calgary has a lot of ranches. Well, that’s actually the extent of the logic behind this, but the feedback on the flavour was all good (even from the skeptics), so don’t be put off.

Ingredients

• 1 pinch dried dill + salt and pepper for rim
• 1 tsp chives, minced
• 1/2 tbsp ranch dressing
• 1/2 maple syrup
• 1 oz vodka (optional)
• 8 oz caesar mix
• dill pickle spear
• 1 ranch tortilla chip

Instructions

1. Mix salt, pepper, dried dill, and together
2. Moisten the rim of a tall glass and dip into salt mix to coat.
3. Add vodka (if using), ranch dressing, and caesar mix, minced chives to the glass and stir well until mixed
4. Add ice cubes and garnish with a dill pickle spear and ranch tortilla chip

The Kimchi Caesar

The kimchi caesar was born out of no other reason than my love of kimchi and seaweed. The spicy and ocean-y flavours are a perfect match, although the kimchi bits do kinda clog up a typical straw. Recommended that you go straw-free for this one.

Ingredients

1 sheet roasted seaweed

• 1 tsp soy sauce
• sriracha to taste
• 1/2 tbsp fresh lime juice
• 1 tbsp chopped kimchi (plus a little more for garnish)
• 1 oz tequila (optional)
• 8 oz caesar mix
• salt and pepper for rim

Instructions

1. Crumble 1/4 of the seaweed and mix with salt and pepper
2. Moisten rim of tall glass and coat in salt and pepper mix.
3. In the bottom of the glass, muddle tequila (if using), kimchi with soy sauce, lime juice, and sriracha.
4. Top with ice cubes and caesar mix to fill glass
5. garnish with remaining seaweed and more kimchi on top