The piece was conceived by 21 year-old wunderkind producer Anthony Laudato (aka CBS News' Doogie Howser). The mariachi band was a particularly magical idea of his. Anthony wanted to push the salad mule idea further. A mad genius, he convinced me to swallow a plastic baggy with Caesar Salad. ("Mo Full of Grace"?) But CBS Legal objected.
The salad really was tremendous. The use of an uncooked egg is key. ("Coddling" the egg in lukewarm water for two minutes prevents the yolk from getting sticky.) If you're in Southern California, I urge you to cross the border and head to Caesar's Restaurant. You won't be disappointed. Plus they make a maravillosa margarita.
I'm struck by the emotional response people have to Caesar Salad. One of Julia Child's first food memories was driving to Caesar's Restaurant to watch wide-eyed while the salad was made tableside. (It really was a thing to do during Prohibition.) Think a south-of-the-border Benihana.
And after the piece aired, I received a lovely email from writer/director/cook/pal-o-mine Nora Ephron (who just finished filming Julie and Julia, starring Meryl Streep as Julia Child):
when i was a girl, my parents would take us to chasen's about once every two years. it was a great great restaurant, and I grew up absolutely sure the Caesar salad had been invented there. Great spectacle as they made it, in front of your eyes, with the raw egg yolk sitting in a little half egg shell ready to go into the bowl.I feel cheated that as a child, I never got to watch a Caesar Salad created tableside!
i am not afraid of a raw egg. xx
What about you? Do you have a fond Caesar Salad memory? Do you have your own Caesar Salad creation myth?
(By the way, the whole episode was great. Martha Teichner's piece on Maker's Mark Bourbon was fabulous. No surprise. If Martha started a religion, I'd be first in line to drink whatever she told me to drink. She's CBS News' High Priestess -- a brilliant mind, and she gives majorly good voice-over.)
Reader Comments ( Page 1 of 1)
1. I had to watch the video again, just to see the close-up shots of your mouth.
Oh, I wish I were a Caesar's Caesar Salad...
Anyway, kudos to Anthony! He is definitely a prodigy!
And yes, Ms. Teichner's piece was FAB! I never knew that the chared insides of the barrels are what gives the bourbon that gorgeous (of course I'm biased) caramel color. I also love her voice.
Smooches.
giftedgirl at 1:53PM on Nov 25th 2008
2. OMG, babe!!
How rude am I?! I didn't know that Ms. Ephron wrote the screenplay for "When Harry Met Sally"!
I LOVE that movie!
I'll check out her book, Crazy Salad, too. Thanks.
And speaking of books, what's up with MI on the "Pilgrims" post?
giftedgirl at 5:34PM on Nov 25th 2008
3. Yes, it WAS a terrific episode but your salad segment was the best. Actual, not figurative LOL.
susan at 7:54PM on Nov 27th 2008