SAVANNAH, Ga. () – For those who seek to skip the burgers and franks on July Fourth, another culinary giant is sharing the same birthday as the United States of America: the Caesar salad.

Thursday marks a full century since the invention of the salad, prepared for the first time by the Italian-born chef and restauranteur Caesar Cardini in his Tijuana restaurant in 1924.

NPR shares the story of the hasty creation of the dish during a holiday party:

“They gobbled up everything but a few pantry staples: olive oil, Parmesan, egg, Worcestershire sauce and lettuce. Someone, perhaps Cardini or possibly his brother, scraped the provisions together into a big wooden bowl. Caesar’s salad was a hit.”

The original recipe included whole leaves of romaine lettuce, a raw egg yolk, olive oil, grated parmesan cheese, Worcestershire sauce, lime juice, and a toasted slice of baguette.

Today, Caesars are prepared in a variety of ways to satisfy multiple taste palates, adding meats like bacon, chicken and fish.

How do you like your Caesar?