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Topics: Food, Fourth of July, Lifestyle
Melanie Whyte
Oh, the mighty Caesar salad! Your romaine too crunchy. Your parmesan too flaky. Your croutons too seasoned. They’ll kill you.
Yes, I worship the holy trinity of Caesar Salad, French Fries, and Diet Coke — and I’m not alone! There are over 60 million posts about ‘Caesar salad and fries’ on TikTok. The elite pairing has become so popular that even the major hotel chain Courtyard by Marriott introduced a “Say Less” combo (Caesar, Fries + Martini) to their restaurant’s menu this summer.
I know that soon my kind — those who make girl dinner their whole personality — will be viewed as cringe. We are no different from the Live, Laugh, Love moms of our youth. But today is not that day! Today, we stand strong, knowing that it’s simply the best meal available. And on the Fourth of July, we will celebrate 100 years of Caesar salad. That’s right, baby! One hundred years of acidic, tangy bliss. And with the current state of our country, I vote to dedicate the day to the Caesar Salad Centennial. For those who aren’t aware of this country’s favorite salad, let me fill you in on why the dish has stuck around for this long.
First, don’t let the green fool you! There’s nothing healthy about it, which is why it actually tastes good. It’s the people-pleaser of salads with no hidden veggies to scare off picky eaters. If you wanna get technical about it, restaurant chef Jacob Sessoms told The Atlantic, “It hits all of your dopamine receptors that are palate related, with umami, fat, and tons of salt.” Basically, Caesar salads can replace your SSRI prescription. (For legal reasons, this is a joke.)
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So, to celebrate Caesar salad’s centennial, don the green on July 4th and read up about the history of our favorite salad.
It all started in 1924 on July 4. An Italian chef named Caesar Cardini (it’s amazing how much men love to name stuff after themselves) owned a restaurant in Tijuana, but fucked off to California to avoid prohibition. If you believe in salad lore (or restaurant blogs), it’s said that when he arrived in the U.S. he invented the Caesar salad. And now we have this little green gem to celebrate on July 4! She’s a true patriot.
Yes.
Has the Caesar salad obssession gone too far? Depends on who you ask. The Atlantic seems to think we’re “living through an age of unchecked Caesar-salad fraud.” (Sheesh and they say I’m dramatic.) According to Caesar salad purists, the original recipe — romaine lettuce, Parmesan cheese, croutons, egg, Worcestershire sauce, oil, garlic, salt, and citrus juice — does not need to be improved upon. Personally, I’m all for adding artichoke or whatever floats your Caesar salad-shaped boat. But the viral chicken Caesar pasta salad? Or the chicken crust Caesar salad pizza?! We used to be a country!