This post contains affiliate links
The Great Canadian Caesar!
Let’s be honest, the Caesar isn’t just a drink. It’s almost an appetizer. It’s practically medicine and they are really craveable!
From summer patios to Sunday hangovers, Canada’s most iconic cocktail deserves to be done right. As a chef, we love it because it plays with balance and boldness. As a Canadian, we love it because it’s ours. We can make it our own and serve it as part drink, part appetizer!
So let’s build your best-ever Caesar, with a smoky homemade rimmer, real-deal ingredients, and all the juicy, crunchy, briny extras that turn a drink into a full-on event.
What Is a Caesar, and Why Do Canadians Love It?
If you’re new to the Caesar game (listen, Chef Kirstie avoided it for years, now, after her first sip a few years ago, she can’t get enough) here’s the scoop: it’s like a Bloody Mary, but better. Invented in Calgary in 1969, the Caesar swaps tomato juice for Clamato, a blend of tomato juice and clam broth, and gets hit with hot sauce, Worcestershire, vodka or your favourite alcohol, and a rim that says “this isn’t your average cocktail.”
We Canadians order it for brunch, sip it by the BBQ, and, yes, sometimes load it up so heavily with garnishes it becomes an entire lunch.
Enjoy our version: it’s zippy, salty, smoky, and extra briny. Bonus: you’ll never buy store-bought rimmer again after this.
- Prep Time: 5-10 Minutes
- Total Time: 10 Minutes
- Yield: 1 drink, plus extra 1x
Ingredients
- Lemon or lime wedge to rim the glass
- Rimmer on a plate (see ingredients below)
- 2 oz Gin (or vodka, but we’re gin girls)
- 5 oz Clamato juice. We also LOVE the Matt & Steve’s Mix.
- 2 tbsp pickle juice
- 3–4 dashes Worcestershire sauce
- 2–3 dashes hot sauce (Frank’s or Tabasco work great)
- Juice of 1/4 lime or lemon or both
- 1 bit of horseradish! (optional, husband loves a tsp. of hot Kozlik’s horseradish)
- Lots of Ice
Garnishes:
- An ‘extreme bean’
- Celery stalk
- Pepperette
- A lovely skewer of olives or pickles and cubes of cheese
- Chicken wings on a skewer!
- Shrimp cocktail on a skewer
- Lime or lemon wedge
Rimmer (makes about 1/2 cup)
- 1/2 cup kosher salt
- 1 tbsp. celery salt
- 1 tsp. hot smoked paprika
- 1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
- a pinch of dried herbs such as oregano or basil
- We also love Tajin! Makes a great quick rimmer or addition to the above.
Instructions
-
Rim the glass with a lemon or lime wedge and your homemade rimmer.
-
Add gin or vodka, pickle juice, lime juice, Worcestershire, and hot sauce.
- Fill glass about halfway with ice.
-
Top with Clamato and give it a gentle stir.
-
Garnish like a pro: Pile on the pickles, skewer up some savoury snacks, and serve immediately.
Notes
Substitutions & Variations
-
No vodka? We love gin for a botanical twist. Tequila works too, and it becomes a “Bloody Maria Caesar.”
-
Clamato-free? Use tomato juice + a splash of clam juice.
-
Low-sodium? Opt for low-salt Clamato and dial back the Worcestershire.
-
No celery salt? Sub in seasoned salt or even Tajín for a citrusy kick.
Cook With Us!
Like this recipe? You should try cooking with us! Start with an on-demand pre-recorded class, or jump in to the best experience with our live classes!
We have taken many classes over several years, and they never disappoint! Kristie & team always have great pointers and tricks to learn in the video. We love the Japanese burgers, and they are always a hit with guests. That's the thing: you make the recipe at home, it doesn't take a long time, and the result is so good that you want to make it again and again. Just try one, you'll see. 🙂I had such a fantastic experience at the cooking class! My daughter and I had an amazing time — our Bao Buns and Crispy Chicken turned out delicious, and we learned so much throughout the session. It was a fun, inspiring, and rewarding evening. I can’t wait to come back for another class. Highly recommend!Our virtual cooking class experience was top notch! Well organized, wonderfully communicated, and entertaining! A delicious outcome which boosted our confidence to try more challenging recipes in the future. Highly recommend!I have taken a few classes in the past - always find the products delicious, and I enjoy the challenge of trying to keep up 🙂
I subscribe the updates and get links to recipes - I recently made the Olive Oil Lemon cake. It turned out delicious – as you said in the description, very moist! My daughter has a birthday in strawberry season and typically she asks for strawberry shortcake with a traditional shortcake recipe… I served the lemon came this weekend with a bit of whipping cream and fresh strawberries (your picture was quite enticing) and her comment was that her birthday request this year would be to replace the traditional shortcake with this recipe!I've taken several on-line cooking classes from The Culinary Studio and have really enjoyed each one. The recipes are delicious and the instructions are very well laid out. I always learn new cooking tips and skills.It has been most likely a year and a half since I’ve made moussaka. Having the recording available was a godsend. So good and lots of leftovers! Having the recording is priceless!
I made Dan Dan noodles last month and again referred to the recording as it has been awhile. I was grateful for the reminders, tips and tricks. Not to mention, I love to cook with Kirstie and Jody. They make it so much fun!
Most of the meals I make are from your repertoire. I think I have close to 60!Love these ladies! Classes are easy to follow, informative, filled with all kinds of tricks & tips and best of all DELICIOUS!! This is our "night out" dining adventure that we can re-do & show off to our family & friends.My husband and I joined the Valentine's Day Date Night cooking class. Very enjoyable experience full of informative tips and thorough explanations followed by a delectable meal. Thank you Kirstie & Jodie. We'll be back!I recently did an online Lamb Briyani class. It used some cooking techniques I wasn't familiar with and produced a dish that was as tasty as the best Indian food I've ever had the pleasure of enjoying.I have done a few classes with the Culinary Studio and always enjoy the classes and the fabulous meals. They deliver the food to my door all prepped for the class if I like (which I do!). Highly recommended.We did a virtual zoom cooking class. It was better than cooking classes we have done in a actual class. We really enjoyed our ourselves. We have made the meal a couple of times since the class. We have friends over for the session and have great restaurant quality mealsThe Culinary Studio is an wonderful online chef duo!
You will learn delicious recipes taught in real time from start to end by two good friends who want nothing more than to teach you how to cook and and have fun doing it. Class presentation is practical and encouraging with one chef starting and one playing 'catch up' so you do not miss anything and no question will go unanswered!
The recipe with food pack is perfectly packaged and always arrives on time to make it easy so you do not have to shop!
Several recipes from the Culinary Studio are in our regular rotation!
Excited to keep cooking with you Kirstie and Jody!Online classes have allowed me the convenience to open my computer and learn in the comfort of my home and to do the class on my own schedule rather than missing out due to life's interruptions. Classes are paced well and the chef's are ready to answer your cooking questions even if they are unrelated to the class. I have used the recipes frequently in my day to day life and recently at an event where I overhead participants raving about the soup and cookies I had prepared, which were from Culinary Studio class recipes.
I was at the Studio for the very first class they held and I have continued to take classes for the past 13 years. While some things have changed over the years, the quality, knowledge and skills Jody and Kirstie bring to each class has not.The skills I learned through the their instruction have been used daily.To Chefs Kirstie & Jody! My family and I have thoroughly enjoyed the recipes and techniques we have acquired by following your live sessions and on-demand courses available on your website. You have a casual and an informative style that is very appealing. Most importantly both of you thrive on good food and beverage as much as we do! Bravo - we hope your future includes many more years of teaching and developing new dishes. Thank you. 🙂 -
Mocktail version? Skip the booze and double the pickle juice for a briny, bold zero-proof treat.
What to Know / Avoid When Making a Caesar
-
Don’t skip the rimmer. It sets the tone and adds that first hit of flavour.
-
Balance is everything. Caesar’s about contrast: salty, sour, spicy, umami. Taste as you build!
-
Don’t skimp on ice. Warm Clamato = sad Caesar.
-
Avoid over-garnishing with sweet items. This isn’t a dessert drink, think savoury, crunchy, tangy.
Storage & Make-Ahead Tips
-
Rimmer mix keeps in a sealed jar for months, make extra!
-
Garnishes can be prepped a day ahead and stored in the fridge, skewered and ready.
-
Batch Caesars? Mix everything but the Clamato ahead of time in a pitcher, then pour over ice and top fresh.
Caesar FAQ
What’s the difference between a Caesar and a Bloody Mary?
A Caesar uses Clamato (clam + tomato juice), while a Bloody Mary uses straight tomato juice. Caesars are tangier, lighter, and, if you ask any Canadian—superior.
Can I make a Caesar without alcohol?
Yes! The “Virgin Caesar” is a staple in restaurants and just as tasty. Add a bit more pickle juice or Worcestershire for depth.
Is the Caesar only a brunch drink?
Not even close. We drink Caesars at brunch, yes, but also at BBQs, on the dock, or anytime you want a bold, savoury cocktail with some flair.
What’s the wildest Caesar garnish you’ve ever seen?
Mini grilled cheese, shrimp cocktail, even a whole slider. If it fits on a skewer, it belongs in a Caesar.
Final Thoughts from the Chef’s Barstool
There are a lot of cocktails out there, but none have the character, spice, and snackable attitude of a Caesar. Whether you’re a classic celery-and-lime purist or someone who turns your drink into a full-on grazing board, this cocktail is all about personal taste.
And once you’ve made your own rimmer and dialled in your perfect Clamato-to-pickle juice ratio, you’ll never settle for a bottled version again.
Raise your glass (and your skewer), and celebrate this brilliant Canadian creation with boldness, balance, and a little extra hot sauce. Cheers, friends!
For more drink ideas, click HERE!
