Whatsamatterday

[altivo]

A full day but not as strenuous as a Wednesday. Tess got to go out, writing got done to some extent, as well as shopping and cooking. Homemade potato salad for the first time this year, yay! and fresh spinach salad with red onions, tomatoes, croutons, and Western dressing.

It occurs to me that Western(tm) dressing is really just "Russian" dressing, which in turn was called that I think because it is red rather than because it is truly Russian in origin. Staring at the bottle I decided that it was probably renamed and sold as "Western" because surely no one would have bought anything "Russian" during the cold war. ;p

In any case, both salads were great. So were the Boston baked beans. Gary made hamburgers on the charcoal grill, too. It was a tad on the chilly side, but sunny all day. I discovered that all four of our surviving apple trees have blossoms ready to burst open. I love the smell of apple blossoms, so I can hardly wait.

Comments

[schnee]

Staring at the bottle I decided that it was probably renamed and sold as "Western" because surely no one would have bought anything "Russian" during the cold war. ;p

That makes sense. At least the whole "freedom fries" asininity wasn't a NEW low, then...

[altivo]

I did a little poking around on the web (which of course isn't a reliable source for this sort of thing) and suspect that "Russian" salad dressing may be associated with what was called Russian salad back in the early 1900s. This had no greens in it, but was made of beetroot and some other vegetables, hence the red color. I've had this in a Russian style restaurant once or twice, and it was served with a sweet and sour vinaigrette.

Russian salad dressing seems to be related to Catalina and the Western dressing (a trademarked brand of Wish-Bone.) The red color comes from tomato paste or ketchup, and sometimes sweet red pepper, and the dressing is a sweet and sour mixture of flavors.

In America some use the name Russian to refer to thousand island or related mixtures that are based on mayonnaise with tomato paste or ketchup stirred in, but this is apparently a later development.

[moonhare]

If I remember my kitchen chemistry correctly, Catalina flavor can be produced by adding mustard to mayo and ketchup. You'll have to experiment!

dressing down

[moonhare]

I've often wondered where those names come from... like Cool Ranch? Is there a Hot Ranch? What is Ranch anyway? Russian dressing, to me, is just mayonnaise and ketchup, where Thousand Island adds a bit of pickle relish.

It's all about the Hellman's (do they still call it Best Food's West of the Rockies?). I make up dressings to suit my mood, and that's my standard base.

Re: dressing down

[altivo]

Ranch dressing is generalized from the trademarked product of Hidden Valley Ranch, I think. It's a white dressing based on mayonnaise and buttermilk, with salt, pepper, and other spices added. I've had ranch style dressings that were quite bitey with pepper or cumin and I assume "cool ranch" promises not to contain that heat.

I like Hellman's in sandwiches and dips, but rarely do I make salad dressings from it. Probably just because I'm lazy and bottled dressings are easier, though considerably more expensive.

Re: dressing down

[moonhare]

My grandmother made cole slaw dressing from Hellman's, and probably got the recipe from one of those mail-for books that companies used to offer. I do the ingredients by eye and you'll have to experiment to suit your preferences. The percentages are a guide only...

80% Hellman's mayo
20% prepared mustard for color and zing
some sugar (or honey) to sweeten
some vinegar for snap
some cream or milk to thin

Don't add salt- all the flavor is neutralized!