Caesar Lover’s Salad Dressing

When I really like a food, I latch onto it for a while.  I eat it all the time, as if I have blinders on and I don’t see other things on the menu or in my fridge.

Caesar salad is the perfect example of this.  I’ve always loved it and I always ordered it in restaurants growing up.  The two restaurants that served my favorites were Figlio and Lindey’s.  Figlio’s was more of a vinaigrette type dressing, had nice thick grated parm, and good croutons.  Lindey’s was more of that creamy dressing and it was always served ice cold.

I remember being hangry as a kid; we’d go to Lindey’s, this nice restaurant, and I’d be so hungry I was grumpy.  My parents would try to talk to me and I’d pout.  Literally stare at the empty place setting in front of me, listen to them talk, and not speak much.  Until the Caesar came.  Then I was Chatty Cathy!  Like a wilted plant that had just been watered, I’d perk up and be pleasant again.  Yikes, I thought I was an angel child.  Guess not!  I’d like to say that behavior’s changed now, but I’m not 100% sure I can say that’s the case 100% of the time…

Then there was this infamous vacation we took to the 1996 Rose Bowl in Pasadena to see Ohio State beat Arizona State.  We stayed in this awesome hotel, and my sister and I ate a Caesar Salad at least once a day.  I say at least once, because sometimes we’d order one for lunch, and then at dinner again we would each order a Caesar.  We were perfectly happy this way.  In fact we thought it was pretty freakin’ cool we got to get what we wanted and eat it every day.  (Thanks mom & dad!)  I still remember that salad very well (I know, I’m weird).  It was one where they serve the romaine hearts as whole, uncut leaves.  I think the only variety we got is that sometimes we’d ask them to cut the lettuce instead of presenting it whole.

Needless to say I get more variety in my diet now, but Caesar salad finds a way to work itself into my repertoire on a regular basis.  For a while last year it was blackened salmon topped Caesar salads.  These days it’s a finely shredded kale Caesar with red pepper flakes or Sriracha and some steak on top.  Basically, if you need Caesar dressing in your life, which you do, then here’s my go-to recipe.