Caesar Salad

Reading this beautiful post, Memories of a Mentor and the Perfect Caesar Salad, brought back memories of the place and time I had my best Caesar Salad. The author reflects on his early culinary experiences under the mentorship of Chef Frederic Castan at the Stephen F. Austin Hotel in Austin, Texas. 

Despite their tense working relationship, Castan imparted invaluable lessons, including the art of crafting the perfect Caesar salad; a recipe that became a cornerstone of Johnson's culinary journey. Years later, upon encountering Castan's updated version of the Caesar salad, Johnson notes the modern twists but finds himself longing for the authenticity of the original. This narrative underscores the profound impact of mentorship and the timeless allure of classic recipes.

The version I truly loved featured fresh anchovies, no Worcestershire sauce and shaved Parmesan on Romaine lettuce in peak perfection. The croutons were made in the kitchen. Every component of the recipe was a little bit elevated compared to anything I'd tasted before. There is an art and craft to making this deceptively simple salad well, to the point that it overshadows the entree and even dessert which was the case for me that day. I remember the restaurant an the salad even though years have gone by but have no idea what the rest of the meal consisted of. 

Anchovies are essential to the modern idea and current taste memory of a Caesar salad. Caesar dressing without anchovies tastes too flat, too one-dimensional, even if you use great Parmesan. I like to use a full half dozen anchovies in a batch, but even a couple will bring the necessary savory depth to the dish.

To toss the salad, the key is to use a really large bowl and to toss by hand, so that those nice big leaves you picked and washed don't get bruised or broken in the process. As Julia described it, Caesar would scoop the leaves and make them "turn like a large wave breaking toward him." It's a good image to keep in mind while tossing.

Every detail matters but you get just about all of them right, then it becomes mythical.