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Weekly Feature
Each week, Capacitando highlights individuals whose work has enriched Indo-Hispano culture and helped shape our understanding of history, identity, and community. By pairing every feature with classroom-ready materials, we help ensure that the rich contributions of our community are represented, explored, and celebrated in schools and in the general public throughout the United States and the rest of the Spanish Speaking world.
This Week: The Caesar Salad
- Born in Tijuana: In 1924, on the streets of Tijuana, Mexico, Italian-born restaurateur Caesar Cardini created what would become the Caesar Salad. Born out of the energy of a border city during Prohibition, the dish reflects Tijuana’s role as a meeting place between Mexico and California. tijuanacaesars.com
- An Italian Family’s Journey Through Mexico and California: The Cardini brothers carried their Italian heritage across North America, building their lives and businesses between Italy, California, and Mexico. Caesar worked in California before establishing restaurants in Tijuana with his brother Alex, creating a culinary story shaped by migration, entrepreneurship, and the connections between Hisapano America and California. Wikipedia
- A Mexican Invention Goes Around the World: What began as a creation in Tijuana, Mexico, soon crossed the border into California and then traveled far beyond North America. Today, the Caesar Salad is served around the world—a remarkable example of how Hispano America has not simply received global culture, but has created culture that the world embraces.
Photo Credit:
By Artem Beliaikin – https://www.flickr.com/photos/157635012@N07/31299830267, CC0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=147240428
“I originated it 28 years ago in Tijuana, Mexico…” — Caesar Cardini, 1952
Cardini’s own words place Mexico—not Italy or California—at the center of the story of his most enduring achievement. It was in Tijuana that his restaurant career produced the creation that would eventually carry his name around the world.
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