Today marks the best and most Canadian holiday of the year: National Caesar Day.
We’re not really sure what that means, but there’s a website that’s trying to argue the legitimacy of this most spectacular advantage over our neighbours to the South.
As a country, we already consume 350 million spiked tomato juice cocktails a year – perhaps with this day we can reach half a billion.
Since it’s Thursday and you were probably going to indulge in some happy hour drinks anyway, we’re adding some fuel to your post-work fire with 7 great Caesar recipes from Canadian bartenders coast to coast.
And if you’d rather sit back and have the pros take care of the mixing, here’s where to get the best Caesars in Toronto and Montreal (as voted by you, dear readers).
Caesar Arcadia
Created by: David Mulock, Ja Bistro (Toronto, ON)
1.5 oz. vodka
0.5 oz. fresh PEI oyster juice
2 small chili peppers
Clamato
Celery salt
Muddle vodka and chili peppers in a mixing glass. Fine strain into a tall glass rimmed with celery salt. Pour oyster juice out of the shell into the glass. Add ice and fill with Clamato. Serve and enjoy!
Caesar California
Created by: Simon Johnson, Cafe California (Toronto, ON)
1.5 oz. vodka
0.5 oz. Canadian whisky
0.5 oz. Bull’s Eye Steakhouse Barbecue Sauce
0.25 Allen’s Malt Vineyard
0.5 tsp. creamy horseradish
0.25 tsp. minced garlic
0.5 oz. lemon juice
Clamato
Ground black pepper
For the rim:
2 cooked pieces of Canadian strip bacon
Celery salt
Maple syrup
Finely chop the piece of Canadian strip bacon and mix with an equal amount of celery salt. Coat the top of the glass in maple syrup and press the rim into the bacon and celery mixture. Fill glass with ice. In a shaker, add the vodka, whisky, barbecue sauce, malt vinegar, maple syrup, creamy horseradish, minced garlic, lemon juice and a pinch of ground black pepper. Shake ingredients and pour into tall glass, top with Clamato. Garnish with a lime wedge and a strip of Canadian bacon. Serve and enjoy! 
La Caesar Vita
Created by: Sal Mora, Paesa Ristorante (Toronto, ON)
1.5 oz. vodka
3 dashes of Crazy J’s Pepper Sauce
3 dashes of balsamic vinegar
Pinch of basil
Clamato
Celery salt (for garnish)
Fresh basil (for garnish)
Sprig of rosemary (for garnish)
Cooked garlic clove (for garnish)
Cherry tomato (for garnish)
Rim glass with celery salt and fresh basil. Add all ingredients to a glass with ice, pouring Clamato to the rim. Garnish with a cooked garlic clove, cherry tomato and a spring of rosemary. Serve and enjoy!
The Federal Caesar
Created by: Jayme Keith, The Federal (Toronto, ON)
1.5 oz. vodka
Extra spicy Caesar mix
1 tbsp. freshly grated horseradish
celery salt
lime wedge
pickles
Cool Ranch Doritos
Rim a glass with celery salt and fill with ice. Add vodka and top with Walter’s Caesar Mix. Add freshly grated horseradish and stir. Garnish with a lime wedge, pickles, and Cool Ranch Doritos.
The Van Horne Clamato
Created by: Jeffery Van Horne, The Press Gang (Halifax, Nova Scotia)
1 cup tomato juice
1/4 cup water
1/4 cup shellfish broth
1 tbsp. miso paste
1/4 red thai chili
3 stalks lemon grass
3 dashes Worcestershire
1/2 inch chopped ginger
Combine in the same container and chill for three hours. Strain before use. Add 1.5oz of vodka over ice and stir. Garnish with an oyster. 
Pegasus Caesar
Created by: Richard Edwards, Pegasus (Toronto, ON)
1.5 oz. vodka
splash of Worcestershire
splash of Tabasco
1 tsp. horseradish
Mott’s Clamato
Add a dash of salt and pepper
Seasoned salt
Rim a glass with seasoned salt and fill with ice. Add vodka and mix in a splash of Worcestershire, Tabasco, and horseradish. Fill with Mott’s Clamato, season with salt and pepper, then garnish with a lime wedge and pickled vegetables.
Sir Winston’s Caesar
Created by: Marco Arnold, Sir Winston’s Pub (Vernon, B.C)
1.5 oz. vodka
Mott’s Clamato
splash of Tabasco sauce
dash of celery salt
splash of Worcestershire
Rim with glass with celery salt and fill with ice. Add vodka and top with Mott’s Clamato. Mix in Tabasco, celery salt, and Worcestershire. Garnish with a bean and a lime slice.
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