h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

I just noticed this news story: http://www.cbc.ca/canada/calgary/story/2009/05/13/bloody-caesar-calgary-cocktail-drink-anniversary.html

Sadly, I'm out of clam juice, so I'm celebrating with an Ardbeg. I'm off now to post a link at the bottom of your entry.

Maybe you should suggest a brief update to TPTB. (I would be happy to offer my services to help, of course.)

I was just doing a drive by and saw this, very much!!

I do believe that the *bloody good Caesar* quote is a bit fishy (or clammy would perhaps be a better word). After all, take away the clams and extras and at it's heart it is a Bloody Mary (an inferior sub-genre). I still can't believe that the Maple Leaf in London doesn't serve Caesars!

http://public.fotki.com/clzoomer/sevilla-2008/dscn0248.html

Perhaps we should start an online petition??

http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=2421965094

http://www.sfu.ca/alumni/news/alumni_news/news04020801.html

I suspect the Hotel Canada in Rome http://www.bestwestern.it/BW/EN/98058_hotel_Rome at which I spent a single rather unmemorable night in 1983, although it did than claim to serve something with a Molsen label on it, does not know the Caesar (can their be a greater and more complicated irony?)



But seriously: are you interested in there being a brief addition to the entry concerning the 'campaign' to make the thing the national cocktail?

I have brief respite at this moment but, yes- I will get to that this weekend and would appreciate any help you generously offer.

Again,

I'd be happy to help. I don't think it needs to be long. We'll talk . . .




I've just sent an email to the Hotel Canada in Rome:

To whom it may concern:

I am considering a vacation in Italy, but I feel that, as a patriotic Canadian, I must be sure that when I travel I am able to readily obtain what is shortly to become my country's National Cocktail. Considering the name of your establishment, I trust that your bartenders are familiar with the 'Caesar', sometimes referred to as the 'Bloody Caesar'. Can you offer assurances that your bar staff have been trained to prepare these drinks?


Sincerely,

[anhaga]
Edmonton, Canada

I will, with glee, let you know of any response.

Ha!

DOUBLE !!!!!!!!!

Check your email!

*Dear Sirs;

I would be greatly interested to know if your Hotel Canada in Rome serves the great Canadian drink the "Bloody Caesar"? As you must know, this great Canadian invention came to be in what subsequently became a part of a rival chain of hotels in Calgary Alberta in 1969. There is a campaign that seeks to declare the uniquely savoury drink Canada's national cocktail on this, the drink's 40th anniversary.

Regards,

*

Oh my!

What have we done?

I may have told this story before, but in the summer of 1983 I arrived in Rome by train from Paris. I had spent two days sitting under the Eiffel tower waiting for a young man who was to be part of the group I was joining in Italy. We had arranged to meet there and to travel down to Rome together, strangers in a strange land. The bugger never showed up; my deadline for getting to Rome arrived; I moved on.

Being as I had made something of a commitment to a friend whose gynaecologist was the young no-show's father (now that's a strange obligation), I was feeling somewhat irresponsible as I sat in my room in the Hotel Canada waiting for the sun to move about to it's prescribed location for the beginning of my journey to Naples and points south when -- the phone rang.

I had exceedingly small Italian. What does one say on an Italian phone?

It rang again.

I picked it up.

'Si?' I said, in a voice which shocked me in its Sicilianness.


Silence.


I realized later that the young fellow I was expecting to meet in Paris was confronted with an even more challenging problem than was I: When one speaks no Italian, what does on say when one gets a wrong number on an Italian phone?










Well, it was funny at the time.

Dear [anhaga]

'With reference to your e-mail, we would like to inform you that our
bartenders are used to prepare standard and common cocktails. Furthermore,
we would like to inform you that our bar is open between 16.00 and midnight.

Since you're specifically asking us about the "Ceasar" cocktail, we would be
very pleased to arrange it for you if you provide us with the list of its
ingredients and explain us in general terms how to do it.

Also, please be so kind as to let us know the dates you'd like to be our
guest and we'll be pleased to inform you about our rates and availability.

Looking forward to hearing from you soon,

Best regards, etc.'