The phrase “ides of March” refers to the date on the ancient Roman calendar, meaning the 15th of the month. The date has historical significance, and is most often associated with the Roman leader, Julius Caesar. Caesar was assassinated in 44 BC by a group of senators who disagreed with his increasingly dictatorial and power hungry behavior.
Many people believe incorrectly that the Caesar Salad is named for the Roman leader, it actually has nothing to do with him or Rome at all. The salad is named for Caesar Cardini, not Julius Caesar. While the lore of the salad’s beginnings is not completely clear, Cardini was a restaurateur who created the salad out of necessity after a lunch rush depleted his ingredient supply. The classic combination of Romaine lettuce, cheese and croutons with an egg based dressing has many different variations:
“Healthified” Creamy Caesar Salad Dressing
Quick Caesar Salad for a Crowd
Grilled Steak Caesar Salad
Caesar Seafood Salad
Curious about the food scene in ancient Rome? Learn more in this blog post, The Foods of Ancient Rome.