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French Dressing

3 tablespoons oil

¾ teaspoon pepper

¾ to I tablespoon vinegar or I teaspoon salt lemon-juice

These ingredients make a simple French dressing. Many saladlovers add one or more other ingredients to give a particular tang or flavor. The French always rub the bowl in which the saladdressing is made with a clove of garlic. Tarragon, or estragon, vinegar may be used instead of plain vinegar, or some leaves of tarragon or estragon, procurable at the large markets, may be cut in bits and sprinkled over the salad.

If the French dressing is made at table, a small china or glass tray, set with oil and vinegar cruets, salt-cellar, peppercorngrinder, paprika-shaker, bottle of Worcestershire sauce, and a bottle of pearl onions, is passed to the person who serves the salad. Small silver stands for holding these ingredients are now found in the shops.

Mix the oil, salt and pepper together and slowly add the vinegar, stirring constantly. In dressing a salad at the table, the dressing may be made in a separate bowl and then poured upon the vegetables, the latter being tossed lightly for a few seconds and then served, or it may be done in the following graceful way: Hold a salad-spoon (or a tablespoon) over the salad, put into it the salt and the pepper, and then fill with the oil the remaining space, mix with a fork, and then pour upon the vegetables, distributing well; add the remaining proportion of oil, a spoonful at a time, tossing the salad lightly; at the last add the vinegar, toss again and serve. Or all ingredients may be placed in a cruet and shaken vigorously, then poured over the salad.

If the French dressing is made before the meal, the addition of a small amount of egg-white beaten with the dressing will make the emulsion more permanent.