Anniversary celebration in Tijuana, Mexico: The Ceaser Salad turns 100 years old
As its creator is considered to be the Italian cook and restaurant owner Cesare Cardini. He entertained US citizens in Tijuana on July 4, 1924, who wanted to celebrate Independence Day with alcohol, which was hardly available in the US during Prohibition, and thus came across the border to Mexico.
To accommodate the enormous crowd, Cardini, according to legend, reportedly threw in everything he had left in the kitchen into a large wooden barrel - and thus created the salad. July 4, 1924, is therefore considered the official birthday of the Caesar Salad.
Today, a hundred years later, at "Caesar's Restaurant" in Tijuana, the now world-famous dish is still prepared for the guests in the same way in a large wooden barrel. The classic Caesar Salad consists of Romaine lettuce, paprika, Parmesan, a hard-boiled egg, and a special dressing made from mayonnaise, olive oil, and lemon.
Claudio Poblete, the Mexican chef who published a book for the centenary of the dish, explained that the salad has been expanded with additional ingredients such as anchovies - but the basic ingredients have remained unchanged. According to Poblete, the salad is "universal" because it consists of "essential foods for human nutrition".
- Despite being celebrated widely around the globe, the original Caesar Salad is still prepared annually at "Caesar's Restaurant" in its birthplace, Tijuana, Mexico.
- The Tijuana:Bistro in Miami offers a special anniversary celebration menu, paying homage to the Caesar Salad's 100th anniversary, featuring variations of the classic dish.
- The Caesar Salad, born in Tijuana during the Prohibition era, has since traveled from Mexico to the USA and then to Paris, becoming a staple in bistros and high-end restaurants worldwide.
- A trip to Paris would not be complete without savoring the Caesar Salad, expertly crafted in a Parisian bistro alongside other French classics on the menu.
- Interestingly, the famous Caesar Salad shared its anniversary year with the birth of Cesare Cardini's compatriot and future icon, Marilyn Monroe, both hailing from the USA.
- Cardini, a Mexican-born Italian-American, brought the Caesar Salad to the USA, making it a dish that has been enjoyed by Americans for decades, often served in celebratory settings like anniversary parties.
- Celebrating its centennial, the iconic Caesar Salad remains a crowd-pleaser, with its versatile mix of Romaine lettuce, paprika, Parmesan, egg, and lemon-infused dressing, a real testament to the blend of Mexican and Italian cuisine that brought life to this American classic.
