National Caesar Salad Day 2023: Date, History, Facts, Activities

National Caesar Salad Day is celebrated annually on July 4, and the fact that we have yet another culinary holiday is reason enough to celebrate. The Caesar salad is one of the most popular (and well-known) salads, so let’s take a look at what it consists of. A classic or traditional Caesar salad includes croutons, fresh romaine lettuce, parmesan, and a zesty vinaigrette composed of raw egg, Worcestershire sauce, lemon juice, garlic, salt, and pepper. The best part is that there is no restaurant in the United States that does not serve the Caesar salad or a variation thereof, particularly if it is an Italian restaurant.

The background of National Caesar Salad Day

Contrary to conventional belief, the salad is not named for any of the ancient Roman emperors. The salad was devised by the Italian chef Caesar Cardini, who immigrated to the United States with his brother Alex and opened a restaurant in Tijuana, Mexico (called Caesar’s). This occurred in the United States during Prohibition in the 1920s, which is why Cardini opened his restaurant in Mexico in the first place. We bring you the most popular and entertaining origin story of this famous salad, ideal for relating to guests as they dig into their salads.

Cardini’s restaurant began to run out of provisions during the Fourth of July holiday rush in 1924. Cardini did not want to disappoint a list of A-list Hollywood celebrities who were dining at his restaurant that day, so he improvised a salad from whatever ingredients he could locate and prepared it in front of his audience. This added addition of a live chef performance, though not Oscar-worthy, delighted his guests. The salad did justice to all the grandeur and circumstance that went into its preparation. This led to the rise to renown of Caesar Cardini and the naming of the Caesar salad in his honour.

The Caesar salad is currently one of the most popular salads in the globe. In her book “From Julia Child’s Kitchen,” the American chef Julia Child recalls that one of her earliest restaurant memories was going to Caesar’s and tasting the salad. While variations exist everywhere, one thing is certain: Caesar salad is universally adored. Therefore, we can probably credit Prohibition (and necessity, the mother of invention) for this.

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NATIONAL CAESAR SALAD DAY ACTIVITIES

Tuck into a Caesar salad

Choose the authentic route by visiting the closest Italian restaurant and ordering a Caesar salad. It’s likely on the menu of half of the nearby restaurants, Italian and otherwise. Perhaps conduct your own survey by sampling Caesar salads at your favourite restaurants.

Create your own variant

The best aspect of cooking is the ability to create a recipe your own. Feel free to experiment when preparing your own Caesar salad, adding additional ingredients and modifying it to suit your diet or lifestyle. We recommend adding chicken and savoury bacon, but you are free to customise the dish as you see fit.

Create a salad worthy of Instagram and publish a picture online.

Create a beautiful Caesar salad, place it in your most beautiful salad bowl, select an aesthetically appealing background, and photograph it to post on social media. Remember to use the #NationalCaesarSaladDay hashtag.

5 SURPRISING FACTS ABOUT CAESAR SALAD

According to the Guinness Book of World Records, in 2007 the largest Caesar salad ever produced weighed more than three tonnes and was prepared in Tijuana, Mexico.

In the United States, romaine lettuce consumption increased by more than 600% as a result of its prominence.

The original Caesar salad consisted of a single enormous crouton in the centre.

Before the invention of the Caesar salad, salads were always regarded a side dish, never a main course.

The original salad consisted of ingredients arranged on a bed of romaine lettuce with the stalks facing out, and was consumed with fingers.

NATIONAL CAESAR SALAD DAY DATES