Here is the juicy story of the Canadian version of the Bloody Mary cocktail and how to make it.
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 downunder. The good news is there is an online shop selling Canadian commercial food products in Australia (ocanada.com.au), and for the Riverina region locals, you can now find some at The Bidgee & Vine! 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!
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
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
2-3 tbsp Vodka (or dry gin, also good without alcohol)
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 on a saucer plate and rub the glass rim.
Add a few ice cubes and vodka (or gin), 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!
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