Happy Canada Day ~ Spicy Basil Caesar
Happy Canada Day!
Canada Day is one of my favourite holidays. That and Christmas. This works out perfectly because they are six months apart – evenly spread out over the year!
Some of Canada’s cuisine include:
- Butter Tarts – one of my husband’s favourite treats. This recipe is from a local blogger (she’s from Edmonton!) called The Kitchen Magpie.
- Kraft Dinner – if you are Canadian, you don’t need an explanation. If you are from anywhere else, this is mac n’ cheese from a box. A staple growing up and a staple now.
- Poutine – check out the Smoked Prime Rib Poutine I made last month!
- Toutiere – this Quebec Pork Meat Pie was a part of my family’s Christmas dinner for a long time. Simple Bites has a good looking recipe for it on her blog.
- Jigg’s Dinner – a Newfoundland dish that I have heard a lot about, but never tried.
- Nanaimo Bars – these aren’t my thing because they are super sweet, but a lot of people love them. I found this recipe for them from the blog Hidden Ponies.
- Saskatoon Berry Jam – my parent’s property is loaded with Saskatoon Berries. I grew up having them in jams, sauces, pancakes and other treats. Saskatoon Jam is one of my favourite jams (probably second to raspberry jam) and I happened to find a really simple and easy recipe by A Canadian Foodie!
For Canada Day I am making Caesars! The Caesar is a cocktail that was invented in Calgary, Alberta in 1969 by a bartender named Walter Chell, to mark the opening of a new restaurant, Marco’s. If you are not familiar with the Caesar, you might know it’s close cousin, the Bloody Mary. Similar, but different.
For my Caesar I wanted to experiment with making ice cubes with the spice ingredients. I chopped up 1/2 a jalapeno pepper very fine and added it to a measuring cup. Next I juiced three limes and added that to the cup. Lastly, I added in 1.5 Tbsp of Worcestershire sauce, 1 Tbsp Caesar rim (or celery salt), 1/3 cup water and 1/3 cup Motts Clamato juice. I mixed everything really well and poured the mixture into my husband’s Avenger shaped ice cube tray. To finish them off I topped each with a couple sprigs of baby basil leaf and then set the tray in the freezer until frozen. Of course, it isn’t necessary to use an Avengers shaped ice cube tray. 😉
Once the ice cubes are frozen, I rimmed a glass with lime juice and then with Caesar Rim (or celery salt). I put regular ice cubes and one of the spiced ice cubes into the glass and poured 1.5 ounces of vodka over ice and topped it off with Mott’s Clamato.
Now for the garnish. I used a celery stalk (classic) and then a skewer of cherry tomatoes and spicy red pepper cheddar cheese. You really can use anything you want. And I mean anything. If you can imagine a crazy Caesar garnish, it probably has been done. Wings, pizza, sliders, bacon, onion rings… you name it… opportunities are endless!
Canada Day Spicy Basil Caesar
Ingredients
Ice Cubes
- 1/2 jalapeno pepper chopped finely
- 3 lime juiced
- 1.5 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
- 1 Tbsp Caesar Rim celery salt
- 1/3 cup water
- 1/3 cup Mott's Clamato
- Baby basil leaves
Cocktail
- 1 spiced ice cube
- 4-5 regular ice cubes
- 1.5 ounce vodka
- Mott's Clamato juice to top
Garnish
- Celery stalk
- Whatever else you want! I used cherry tomatoes and red pepper spiced cheddar cubes
Instructions
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Mix all ice cub ingredients together into a mixing cup and then pour into ice cube trays. Set in freezer until frozen.
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Rim glass with lime juice and then Caesar rim or celery salt.
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Add one spiced ice cube and 4-5 regular ice cubes, 1.5 ounce of vodka and top with Mott's Clamato.
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Garnish and enjoy!
2 thoughts on “Happy Canada Day ~ Spicy Basil Caesar”
I love hearing about how cocktails morph and evolve. This one sounds really delicious, and especially fun with the ice cubes.
Thanks! Yeah the ice cubes were fun!!
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