Happy Canada Day, Clamato!

Canada Day is a fitting time to extol two beverages that are consumed primarily in my home and native land. I am certainly not overtly patriotic, but the mighty Caesar and the wonderful concoction sometimes known as the Calgary Red-Eye are two reasons why I like living in Canada. Both drinks feature Mott’s Clamato, which is essentially a mixture of tomato juice and clam broth. OK, I admit this combination sounds like it may taste a bit nasty.  Although I would never drink Clamato on its own, I like to have a bottle of it in my fridge at any given time.

Let’s start with the Caesar. I must first point out that the Caesar (preferably a double or more than one double) is one of the best hangover remedies ever.  A bar close to my place used to feature them as a special on Sunday mornings and I am not ashamed to say that they have saved my sorry ass more than once.  The basic ingredients of a Caesar are Clamato, vodka, Worcestershire, Tabasco and black pepper over ice with salt and a slice of lime on the rim. A garnish of celery is often added, although I personally prefer a pickled green bean. A note to my American friends: If your skull is filled with cotton from the night before and if your favourite bar or restaurant has Clamato (not likely but let’s hope), order this drink. Relief and joy is sure to follow. If there is no Clamato available, I suggest you consider abandoning your mission. The American equivalent of a Caesar is a Bloody Mary, which I find to be bland in comparison. Clamato is essential. And be warned: I have heard tales of oblivious Canadians ordering a Caesar in American establishments who were given a Caesar Salad. Yummy, but not cool.

As for the Red-Eye, I will reduce my description of this noble drink into this simple formula:

Cheap, tasteless lager like Budweiser (or Pabst Blue Ribbon for you hipsters)
+
A finger or two of Clamato
=
A superior drink.

My father, a “Bud man”, first introduced me to the Red-Eye when I came home one Christmas and realized that the beer fridge was stocked only with Budweiser. I prefer my beer with a bit more flavour, so he suggested I try it with Clamato and I quickly developed a taste for it. Thanks, Dad! I have recently heard that cans of beer ‘n’ clam are now available from Mott’s, as are pre-made Caesars. I can’t comment as I have tried neither, but I do know that homemade Red-Eyes are perfect if you have a thirst and are on a tight budget. Some great times have been had drinking Red-Eyes and playing NHL09 with my pal Hamburger Dan on the cheap. I can safely say that these two drinks, as well as Neil Young, are among our greatest exports. Keep on rocking, Canada!

Cheers,

r.

Nice work, Mr. Cavett.

I have a nasty bout of sleeplessness to thank for re-introducing me to one of televisions greatest hosts: Dick Cavett. I say “re-introducing” because I do remember seeing him on TV as a child and have been aware of his extensive run as a talk-show host for quite some time. However, it was not until seeing a late-night rerun of his interview with the late Katherine Hepburn that I came to fully appreciate him. This was not the modern talk show I was used to seeing, where a formulaic interview cheaply promoting a new movie or book comes across as a rehearsed spectacle. I could also not help but notice how clever and well-spoken Cavett was even with a guest whose personality dominated the proceedings. The no-nonsense Hepburn would be a handful for anyone, but Cavett holds his own, asking interesting and informed questions. Hepburn, a very private person, was notorious for refusing television interviews and I imagine it’s no coincidence that she chose the Dick Cavett Show as her first appearance in this arena. Although Cavett is sometimes teased by Hepburn, he is clearly captivated by his guest and ends the interview by declaring his love for her in a genuinely touching moment. His heartfelt enthusiasm for his guests is another characteristic of Cavett that is so endearing. 

After watching the Hepburn interview, I checked out other episodes where Cavett impressed me with his ability to engage the guests on a level rarely seen. His interviews are presented almost as a casual dialogue between two peers, and Cavett does not dumb anything down for the viewer. While having mastered the art of conversation, Cavett also seems to be a humble man who is almost embarrassed that he is but a lowly talk show host. I know I personally would love to sit over a beer or coffee with him (I don’t think I could say the same about most television personalities), and tell him that he was truly at the top of his game. I encourage anyone to seek out the Dick Cavett show, which features a wide variety of guests (many of which are no longer with us). Whether it be Hepburn, Lennon, Marx, or Updike, Cavett approaches each with the same mixture of wit, humor and humility. Several of his interviews are posted on Youtube and DVD collections are available which feature legends of Hollywood, comedy and music. Cavett also maintains a blog on the New York Times website where he often posts his remarkable interviews with some of his favourite guests: http://cavett.blogs.nytimes.com/

Enjoy,

r.