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caesar, cesar, ceasar, caesar salad, cesar salad
See also: Caesar Salad Recipe; Article 2

CAESAR SALAD

This wondrous salad, with all its tableside showmanship by waiters, became a  sensation in America soon after its invention. To many, including myself, this is the king of salads. It was probably the first 'main course' salad, and topped  with chicken or fish is truly a main course.

Created in the 1920s, it has not only outlasted other 'classics' from the period but has grown in popularity ever since. The most likely, and most  accepted, story of its creation has Caesar (Cesar) Cardini, a restaurant owner and chef in Tijuana, Mexico (sometimes referred to as an Italian immigrant)  preparing it for a group of Hollywood movie stars, after a long weekend party in the 1920s. (Some have pinpointed it to 1924; at least one story says is was a group traveling with the Prince of Wales on his tour of North America). Their departure was delayed by morning rain, supplies at the restaurant were running  low after the weekend, and he had to whip up a meal for the group before their return to Hollywood (or it was late one night as some stories go).

Created on the spur of the moment with leftover ingredients. (Although  several California restaurants claim to have invented it, few give credit to their stories).

The original contained Romaine (Cos) lettuce, coddled eggs, garlic, Worcestershire sauce, lemon juice, olive oil, freshly grated Parmesan cheese, croutons, salt and pepper. No anchovies. Almost everyone agrees on this. No one  really knows when the anchovies got in, but I feel the salad is a little flat without them. The anchovies should be mashed in as the dressing is made, so even  those who dislike anchovies will enjoy this salad. (Dry or Dijon mustard and  wine vinegar [red or white] are also frequently added ingredients).

Caesar salad is best when made fresh: freshly squeezed lemon juice, freshly mashed garlic cloves, freshly ground black pepper, fresh garlic croutons, and freshly grated cheese. The egg should be coddled, but a raw egg can be used. Our slight variation here at Blue Heaven Restaurant is to use key lime juice instead  of lemon juice.

An acceptable dressing can also be made using tofu instead of the raw or coddled egg, if you have concern about salmonella. This should be made in a food processor to completely incorporate the tofu.

In the late 1990's, Caesar salads were made illegal in California, by a new health law banning the sale of any food that used raw eggs as an ingredient. Presumably there was a black market for the contraband salad. The law was soon  revised and the situation remedied in 1998.

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