Owner, Chef Caesar Cardini

Born February 24 1896 - died November 3 1956 He was born in the region of Lago Maggiore and had at least four siblings: Alessandro, Carlotta, Caudencio and Maria. He married Camille, and had a daughter, Rosa Maria Cardini (1928-2003). Career : Caesar Cardini, was an Italian American restaurateur, chef, and hotel owner who is credited with creating the Caesar salad. While the sisters stayed in Italy, the three brothers emigrated to America; Alessandro and Caudencio eventually were in the restaurant business in Mexico City. Alessandro, who was called Alex in the USA, is reported to have been Caesar's partner in Tijuana. After having worked in Europe, Caesar went to America in his early 20's. He ran a restaurant in Sacramento, then he moved to San Diego . At the same time he engaged in the same business in Tijuana, Mexico, where he could avoid the restrictions of prohibition. Cardini is credited with having created "Caesar's salad" which became "in" among Hollywood and other celebrities, especially after he had moved his restaurant a few blocks to the hotel built c. 1929 (nowadays called Hotel Caesar's). According to Caesar's daughter Rosa, on July 4th 1924 the salad was created on a busy weekend at Caesar's Restaurant. It is said that Caesar was short of supplies and didn't want to disappoint the customers so he concocted this salad with what was on hand. To add a flair to this he prepared it at the table. Others, however, dispute this claim. Paul Maggiora, a partner of the Cardini's, claimed to have tossed the first Caesar's salad in 1927 for American airmen from San Diego and called it "Aviator's Salad. Caesar's brother Alex had claimed to have developed the salad (he too allegedly called it "aviator's salad"). Livio Santini claimed he made the salad from a recipe of his mother, in the kitchen of Caesar's restaurant when he was 18 years old, in 1925, and that Caesar took the recipe from him. The family moved to Los Angeles in 1935 and Cardini focused on the production and marketing of his salad dressing which he trademarked in 1948. He died in Good Samaritan Hospital on November 3, 1956 in Los Angeles following a stroke at his home. His daughter took control of Caesar Cardini Foods Inc. Later, the label Cardini's was sold to a third party.     Original Caesar Salad Recipe Croutons 2 Cups white bread Cut into 1/2 inch pieces Oil to baste croutons; 2 cloves garlic 1/4 cup garlic oil   Garlic Oil (to fry croutons) puree 2 cloves garlic, Mix with 1/4 teasp. salt and 3 Tbl Olive oil 2 medium heads of Romaine (Cos) lettuce break into leaves 2 eggs boiled exactly 1 minute Large Salad Bowl For tossing salt Black Pepper 1/4 Cup Olive oil + 2 Teaspoons Juice of one lemon 6 drops of Worcestershire Sauce 1/4 Cup Parmesan cheese Directions; Dry bread cubes out in the oven basting with the garlic oil Prepare lettuce leaves, wash and place in a bag and chill until ready to serve. Place croutons in a medium hot skillet and strain garlic oil over the croutons and toss for a minute to heat and place into a small serving bowl. Place the lettuce leaves in the bowl and sprinkle the olive oil over them and scoop in large motions to coat. Sprinkle the salt, 8 grinds of pepper, sprinkle on the lemon juice and 6 drops of Worcestershire sauce. Break in the eggs, toss again and add the cheese. Toss and top with the croutons.