It’s considered a culinary classic, on the menu in both Parisian bistros and Miami beach cafés – and it’s just turned 100 years old: the Caesar salad, originally a leftover meal, is currently celebrating a proud anniversary in Tijuana, Mexico.
According to historians, the dish was invented out of necessity in 1924 in the town near the American border.
Attack by hungry American citizens
Italian chef and restaurant owner Cesare Cardini is considered its creator. On July 4, 1924, he was entertaining American citizens in Tijuana who wanted to celebrate Independence Day with alcohol—which was unavailable in the U.S. during Prohibition—and so crossed the border into Mexico. Legend has it that, to cope with the huge influx of guests, Cardini eventually threw everything he had left in the kitchen into a large wooden bowl—and ate the salad.
Everything in a large wooden bowl
July 4, 1924 is considered the official birthday of Caesar Salad. Today, 100 years later, the now world-famous dish is still prepared in the same way for guests in a large wooden bowl at “Caeser’s Restaurant” in Tijuana.
The classic Caesar salad consists of romaine lettuce, bell pepper, Parmesan cheese, a hard-boiled egg and a special dressing of mustard, olive oil and lemon.
Essential ingredients
The salad has now been expanded to include extra ingredients such as anchovies, but the basic ingredients remain unchanged, explains Mexican chef Claudio Poblete, who has published a book to mark the dish’s 100th anniversary.
According to Poblete, the salad is “universal” because it consists of ingredients that are “essential to the human diet.”
Source: Krone
I am Wallace Jones, an experienced journalist. I specialize in writing for the world section of Today Times Live. With over a decade of experience, I have developed an eye for detail when it comes to reporting on local and global stories. My passion lies in uncovering the truth through my investigative skills and creating thought-provoking content that resonates with readers worldwide.
