Legendary culinary myths often have unclear sources, with revolutionary discoveries made accidentally or out of necessity.

For the Caesar salad, classic ingredients are enriched by a family feud over food and a spontaneously invented recipe on the Fourth of July, across the border in Mexico, during Prohibition.

The story unfolds in an era when America banned the production and sale of alcohol from 1919 to 1933.

Two brothers, Caesar (Cesare) and Alex (Alessandro) Cardini, moved to the United States from Italy. In 1919, Caesar opened a restaurant in California. In the 1920s, he opened another one in the border town of Tijuana, Mexico, offering food and drink to Americans who wanted to bypass Prohibition.

Tijuana's main street, full of saloons, became a popular destination for southern Californians seeking a drink. It was claimed to have the "longest bar in the world" at Ballena, 66 meters long, with ten bartenders and 30 waitresses.

The story of the Caesar salad, allegedly 100 years old, is one of a cross-border national holiday from the Prohibition era, a brotherly battle for fame, and the support of famous chefs.

Necessity is the mother of invention
On July 4, 1924, according to the story, Caesar Cardini was working hard in the kitchen of his restaurant, Caesar's Place, filled with guests from across the border who had come to celebrate with food and drink.
Faced with every chef's worst nightmare: a shortage of ingredients in the middle of service.

As supplies for regular menu items ran out, Caesar decided to improvise with what he had on hand.

He took ingredients from the pantry and refrigerator and combined smaller leaves from the hearts of romaine lettuce with a dressing of blanched (one-minute boiled) eggs, olive oil, black pepper, lemon juice, a little garlic, and Parmesan cheese.

The new combination was a huge hit with guests and became a regular menu item: Caesar salad.

Et tu, Alex?
There is another version of the origin of the famous salad, made by Caesar's brother Alex in his restaurant in Tijuana.
Alex claims that Caesar's "inspiration" was actually an item from his menu, the "aviator's salad," named because he made it as a recovery aid for American pilots after a long night of drinking.

His version had many of the same ingredients but used lime juice instead of lemon and was served with large croutons topped with crushed anchovies.

When Caesar's menu item later became famous, Alex claimed that he was the true inventor of the salad, which was now named after his brother.

Enter the celebrity chefs
Additional intrigue comes from two celebrity chefs who supported opposing sides of this feud. Julia Child supported Caesar, while Diana Kennedy (not as well-known, but renowned for her authentic Mexican cookbooks) supported Alex's claim.

By entering the conflict, each of these culinary giants added credibility to different elements of each story and made variations more popular in the U.S.

While Child reached more viewers in print and on television, Kennedy had a local impact, known for promoting regional Mexican cuisine.

Although they chose different versions, the influence of major media personalities contributed to the evolution of the Caesar salad beyond its origins.

The original salad did not have croutons or anchovies. As the recipe became the "official" version, garlic was included in the form of garlic-flavored olive oil. Newer versions either mash anchovies directly into the dressing or add Worcestershire sauce, which contains anchovies.

Caesar's daughter, Rosa, always claimed that her father was the original inventor of the salad. She continued to promote her father's proprietary recipe after his death in 1954.

She eventually won the battle for her father's claim as the creator of the dish, but elements of Alex's recipe became popular additions that differ from the purer version, so his influence is present – even if his contribution is less visible.

No forks – but with a touch of performance
If this wasn't enough, there is also a delicious detail that got lost along the way.

The Caesar salad was originally meant to be eaten with the hands, using small leaves as spoons for the tasty dressing ingredients.

For presentation in the restaurant, the salad was also prepared in front of the guests' table, on a mobile cart, with a recommendation that the "real" Caesar salad be mixed only seven times, clockwise.

This extra level of drama, performance, and prescribed rituals was usually reserved for desserts flamed with alcohol.

Having a humble salad, invented in desperation, elevated to this kind of treatment made it a very special dish – even without bacon.

Original:
Garritt C. Van Dyk
Lecturer of History at Newcastle University