Caesar Salad

Caesar salad was created July 4th, 1924 by Caesar Cardini, an Italian-Mexican restaurateur, at his hotel restaurant in Tijuana, Mexico. Tijuana boomed during US Prohibition (1920-1933) as a quick weekend escape for Californians wanting alcohol; Cardini, faced with a busy holiday and limited pantry, improvised the dish tableside. It travelled north with returning San Diego and LA diners and became a Californian-American staple. The 1924 version had no anchovy — that addition came later, possibly via Caesar's brother Alex.

Caesar Cardini, Tijuana, July 4 1924 — improvised tableside during a Prohibition-weekend rush. The 1924 original had no anchovy; Worcestershire carried the umami. Anchovy was added later, possibly via brother Alex.

Romaine snaps cleanly between molars — that crunch is the whole point. The dressing coats every leaf with a salty, garlicky, lemon-bright film; anchovy registers as savoury depth, not fish. Croutons are crisp clear through, then suddenly chewy at the centre when wet with dressing. Parmesan shavings melt slightly on contact. The classic Caesar Cardini tableside version has zero anchovy in the original recipe — Worcestershire carried the umami — but anchovy became standard within a decade.

Caesar dressing is a raw-egg-yolk emulsion — the lecithin in the yolk binds oil into a stable cream, the same chemistry as mayonnaise. Mustard and anchovy paste both act as additional emulsifiers, which is why a properly built Caesar dressing holds for hours without breaking. The salad is dressed à la minute because romaine wilts under salt within 10 minutes — once dressed, the clock is running.