What’s the difference between Caesar dressing and Mayfair dressing? –Ted L., St. Louis
Mayfair and Caesar dressings are both creamy, savory, and anchovy-based, but key ingredients and flavors set them apart.
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Mayfair Dressing: It typically includes anchovies, garlic, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, Worcestershire sauce, olive oil, and hard-boiled egg. Celery is sometimes added as a thickener. Some recipes also call for vinegar, green onions, fresh herbs, and Parmesan cheese. Aficionados crave the rich, garlic-forward taste with a pleasant umami hit coming from the anchovies and Worcestershire sauce.
Caesar Dressing: Traditional Caesar dressing includes anchovies (or Worcestershire sauce), garlic, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, egg yolk, Parmesan cheese, and olive oil, though some versions call for mayonnaise. The lemon provides a bright tang, and the Parmesan adds a distinctive grainy texture, while the anchovy often hides in the background.
The Differences
Both dressings use similar Mediterranean-inspired ingredients, but they vary in their proportions. Mayfair dressing is more garlicky with a strong mustard flavor, while Caesar dressing is tangier from its lemon-Parmesan combination. Mayfair can be chunkier, often containing green onions and celery, while Caesar is typically smoother. Caesar dressing is widely known for its role in Caesar salads, while Mayfair dressing is used as a dip for crudités or in the signature Mayfair Salad, made with romaine lettuce, ham, Swiss cheese, and croutons.
The History
There is disagreement regarding the providence of both dressings. Caesar salad is commonly attributed to Italian-American chef Caesar Cardini, who reportedly created it in Tijuana, Mexico, in the 1920s when ingredients were scarce. Some of Cardini’s staff also claimed to have invented it. The salad became a staple on, dare we say, most American and Italian menus in the U.S.
Mayfair dressing is believed to have originated at the Mayfair Hotel in downtown St. Louis in the 1930s. Some accounts attribute its creation to chef Fred Bangerter, though others credit Mayfair Room head waiter Harry Amos. Lost Tables reports that C. Gordon Heiss, son of the hotel’s founder, claimed to have developed the dressing in the 1950s after Waring household blenders became popular. Heiss shared the recipe in a 1995 St. Louis Post-Dispatch interview, revealing it had been a closely guarded secret. Lost Dishes reprinted it here.
In 1959, Heiss introduced Mayfair dressing at Nantucket Cove, a seafood restaurant in the Central West End. The homegrown product remains a local favorite and is served at several local restaurants today, including Biggie’s, Citizen Kane’s Steak House, Citizen Kane’s Market Place, Crusoe’s Legacy, The Fox Club, Lemp Mansion, Madrina, O’Connell’s Pub, The Piccadilly at Manhattan, and Sam’s Steakhouse.
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