THE FLYING N CAESAR SALAD
“At first, we offered fairly standard green salads filled with as many fresh salad vegetables as we could get. Eventually, we moved into the big time and offered Caesar salads.” ~ Jean Hoare

Romaine lettuce, washed, torn into large pieces
1-2 cloves of garlic – check with your guests
4 fillets of anchovy – again check with guests

1 tsp. salt (5 mL)	½ tsp fresh black pepper (2.5 mL)
¼ tsp. dry mustard1 mL)	few shakes of worcestershire sauce
few drops of red pepper sauce (our note: a little Wild Garlic Hot Sauce works)
1/3 cup olive oil or salad oil	3 tbsp. red wine vinegar (50 mL)
1 lemon	1 raw or coddled egg
1 cup garlic croutons (250 mL)	2-3 tbsp. parmesan cheese (30-50 mL)

1. Prepare all ingredients in advance and put the final product together at the very last minute.
2. Thus, wash, dry and tear romaine lettuce. Have 3-4 cups for each serving.
3. Cut the lemon in half.
4. If using a coddled egg, poach for no longer than 1 minute.
5. Sauté cubes of bread in butter and minced garlic.
6. Grate parmesan.
7. Check with guests as to the strength of Caesar preferred. Then in a large bowl, mash garlic cloves, anchovies, salt, pepper, mustard and sauces with a bit of the oil until a smooth paste forms.
8. Add the vinegar and lemon juice. Watch for lemon seeds – they don't belong. Cover the lemon with a small piece of cheesecloth, if need be.
9. Keep beating vigorously with a fork as each addition is made.
10. Add the egg, either raw or lightly coddled.
11. Slowly add the remaining oil, beating vigorously. At this stage, the dressing should begin to thicken and turn creamy. Dip a piece of lettuce into the dressing and make a taste test. Adjust seasonings, if necessary.
12. Add romaine pieces to the dressing and toss well so that all lettuce pieces are coated and shining.
13. Top with croutons and grated parmesan.
14. Toss once more briefly and serve at once. Serves 2.

A great early Caesar salad that at least one of the Chefs had their first Caesar experience with. Jean Hoare outgrew the Driftwood Room and in 1966, she bought an old NATO supply depot at the Claresholm RCAF base. The base eventually became a small local airstrip and it was not unusual for private panes to fly in for a meal. In 1972, the ‘Flying N' was picked as one of Canada's 10 best restaurants. Jean Hoare's “ Best Little Cookbook in the West” has gone on to become a collector's item. The number of families from Alberta and beyond that shared memorable meals created by Jean and her caring staff, obliged us to add her story and two of her recipes in our Family Faves section. Be sure to check out "Yorkshire Puddings from the Driftwood Room” for an earlier recipe and the first part of the story. Legendary.