Traditional cole slaw can be a thing of beauty and I have been on a cruisade to revive its tarnished image. One Tanya Harding does not mean all skaters are crass. Forget that nasty Tanya slaw you had at the last little league picnic. The joy of great cole slaw is in supreme tension. The dressing is simply mayo, salt, pepper, white vinegar, sweetner and celery seed. The mix is perfect when its almost too salty, too tart and too sweet all at once. I generally use a bit of honey as well as sugar. I cut my cabbage using an antique tripple blade slaw cutter that cuts off cabbage slices that are a bit thick so they retain some good crunch. Here in Oregon in the fall, you can get giant sturdy heads of cabbage that are grown specifically for slaws and krauts. They have terrific crunch. Look for heads with big veins in the leaves rather than a bunch of thin, tightly packes leaves. Be generous with the onion so it can contribute to the bite of the dressing. A good dressing mix is a bit thinner than crass-slaw, so be sparing.
