Fourth of July may be best known as a national holiday commemorating the establishment of the United States, but it’s also a big day for what is hailed as the “king of salads”: Caesar salad. This year, the iconic medley of romaine lettuce, croutons and Parmesan cheese celebrated turning 100 years old.
The salad is said to have been created by Cesare Cardini, an Italian immigrant who operated several restaurants in Mexico and the United States. It was at Cardini’s restaurant in Tijuana, Mexico, Caesar’s Place, where the first-ever Caesar salad was served on July 4, 1924, to local patrons. Short on ingredients in the kitchen due to a Fourth of July rush, the earliest iteration of the salad was made purely from leftovers. Cardini combined whole Romaine leaves, garlic-flavored oil, Worcestershire sauce, lemons, eggs and Parmesan cheese into a tasty meal. It quickly became a huge hit, especially amongst Californians who crossed the border to dine — and drink — at Cardini’s restaurant amid prohibition.
