The Bloody Caesar is the Bloody Mary remade with Clamato — a blend of tomato and clam broth — in place of plain tomato juice. The result is saltier, brinier, and faintly of the sea; in Canada, where it was invented, it is practically the national drink.
Canada's contribution to the brunch table, and it is not a small one.
Invented in Calgary
The Caesar was created in 1969 by Walter Chell, a bartender in Calgary, Alberta, who was asked to devise a signature drink for a new restaurant. He blended tomato and clam, and a Canadian institution was born; Canadians now drink hundreds of millions of them a year.
Clamato Is the Point
The clam broth is what separates a Caesar from a Bloody Mary. It adds a savoury, mineral, faintly oceanic depth — umami, essentially — that plain tomato juice lacks. Bottled Clamato is the standard; there is no real shortcut to it.
The Celery-Salt Rim
A Caesar is traditionally served in a glass rimmed with celery salt, and garnished — increasingly extravagantly — with everything from a celery stalk to a full skewer of pickles. A squeeze of lime and a dash of hot sauce keep it balanced.
The Bloody Mary Family
The classic — vodka, tomato juice, lemon, and a full rack of savoury spices, built tall.
- 2 ozVodka
- 4 ozTomato juice
- 1/2 ozLemon juice
The Bloody Mary made with tequila — agave warmth through the tomato and spice.
- 2 ozBlanco tequila
- 4 ozTomato juice
- 1/2 ozLime juice
The original gin Bloody Mary — drier and more aromatic, renamed by the St. Regis.
- 2 ozLondon dry gin
- 4 ozTomato juice
- 1/2 ozLemon juice