This is news to me...A Foundation Recipe for French Dressing. Sarah Field Splint uses the term FOUNDATION RECIPE for the dressing in the Salad Chapter of her book The ART OF COOKING AND SERVING. My 1926 copy is still in pretty good shape to where the recipes can be read.
Sarah's basic FRENCH DRESSING has add ins that are put into the basic.
Recipe for her basic FRENCH DRESSING:
1 cup olive oil
3 tablespoons vinegar
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon sugar
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1/8 teaspoon paprika
Lemon French Dressing- In the foundation recipe, substitute 3 tablespoons lemon juice for 2 tablespoons of the vinegar.
Chiffonade French Dressing- To the foundation recipe add 1/3 cup chopped cooked beets and one hard cooked egg.
Thousand Island French Dressing- To the foundation recipe add 1/4 cup chopped green pepper, 2 tablespoons chopped stuffed olives, 1 tablespoon chopped parsley and 2 tablespoon chopped onion.
Curry French Dressing- To the foundation recipe add 1/8 teaspoon curry powder, mixed with seasonings.
I hope to try some of these in the near future. Salad Days of Summer are ahead.
Sarah let me know in the Salad Chapter the following and I think I'll CHIME in as the Salad MOVES me!
IF WE are going to serve salads to our family as often as we should-at least once a day according to good health rules-we shall have to give a little time and thought to keeping the salad course out of the rut.
Salad greens must be carefully washed several hours before the meal and put in the ice box or some other cool place to become crisp. A small bag made of cheesecloth is very convenient for holding the washed lettuce and if you keep it filled you will always have a supply of fresh, crisp greens on hand in case of an emergency meal.
When you seperate a head of lettuce or Romaine don't discard the outer leaves. Wash and chill them, shredded, for the foundation of another salad. You will find a pair of scissors very convenient for shredding salad greens.
The other ingredients of the salad, whether they be meat, fruit or vegetables, should be just as carefully prepared and as thoroughly chilled as the greens. Marinate them first. Marinating means to moisten thoroughly with French dressing and let stand for a time-a half hour to an hour-in a cold place in order that the food may absorb some of the flavor of the dressing.
Among the salads which you can serve for special occasions are the molded salads. They are very popular on any occasion, but for the buffet supper, Sunday night tea or bridge party when you want to get everything ready before the guests arrive, you will find them a blessing and your guests will vote them a great treat.
Both the cooked and pineapple dressings are especially good with these more delicate salads as well as with any of the fruit salad combinations. Crisco gives just the right touch-a delicate flavor and a smooth, velvety texture.
Sarah has a bit to say about salads, but then I suppose you ought to in a salad chapter. I had heard that tearing the lettuce by hand into pieces helps the lettuce to not turn brown. If you're going to eat the lettuce quickly, then you probably won't have any left over for any amount of time to where it would have time to turn brown so the scissors might be a faster method for shredding lettuce.
Bought a pair of shredding scissors from Dollar Tree Store for a buck!
I pray that your late Spring is going well and you're staying cool as a cucumber!
Blessings to you and Happy Salads to ya,
~Deanna~
