Great (and not so great) American salads

[Fat Guy]

The Waldorf salad (apples, celery, walnuts, mayo dressing) is one of the better-known American salads, and is of course named for the Waldorf=Astoria hotel (yes that's the correct punctuation). Although, at the many banquets I've attended at the Waldorf, I've never once been served a Waldorf salad. But that's not the point. The point is, a couple of days ago my mother called and asked me what's in a "Watergate" salad, and I thought she was confused. But, it turns out, there is such a thing, which surely must be named for the hotel (unless it is named for the political incident). Online, I found a page (and many more like it) devoted to classifying American salads. The Watergate salad appears to be "Pistachio pudding mixed with Cool Whip, sometimes containing crushed pineapple. The common factor uniting versions of this dish was the sea-foam green color." Then I started reading through the whole list of American salads. Is it possible for any country to have a more extensive salad culture than the US? I doubt it. This just isn't the sort of thing one sees anywhere else. Am I right? Any favorite classic American salads? Any non-favorites?

[fresco]

The list of truly unique "American" salads may actually be fairly short, as your referenced history seems to indicate.

But even if it was originally borrowed from Germany, I think the potato salad, as made on this side of the ocean, has taken on an identifiable American identity. (The chief ingredient, is, of course, New World.) In any case, it's a damn good salad, especially at this time of year.

My nomination for most dubious contribution is pasta salad, in all its shapes and varieties--it's still starch, cold and unpleasant.

[Jeff T]

In our house, over the past 20 years, a caesar salad based on the recipe in the New York Times Cookbook is the one that no one in the family ever seems to get tired of. Nothing fancy but best caesar we've ever had. Hadn't had cucumber and onions salad in a long time and my wife took some vidalia onions and made it the other day and it was great.

[browniebaker]

The congealed salads of the American South definitely are distinctly American. Great? I don't know. But much loved in certain parts. At holidays my mom made a Christmas Ribbon Salad: a layer of lime Jell-O, topped by a layer of lemon Jell-O mixed with ingredients such as crushed pineapple, marshmallows, and mayonnaise, topped finally by a layer of raspberry Jell-O. It's considered a salad and is served on a leaf of lettuce, just so you know it's a salad -- ha-ha.

A subset of congealed salads is the Cool Whip salad. One of my guilty pleasures from growing up in Tennessee is a Cool Whip salad often called Orange Fluff, though the name is variable. It is made using a large box of Orange Jell-O (used in powder form, no water added) simply mixed with a large tub of small-curd cottage cheese, one small can of drained crushed pineapple, one small can of drained mandarin orange segments, one small package of chopped walnuts, and a large tub of Cool Whip. The taste is a bit like the orange flavor of Bayer's children's aspirin -- remember the taste? A big bowl of this salad graced every celebratory meal at my house when I was growing up, and it still does today -- I don't care how trashy it is! Mmmmmm.

[fresco]

Browniebaker,

The Cool Whip Salad sounds...interesting. Many of the salad recipes in Ernest Mickler's White Trash Cooking seem to involve a lot of sugar or candy ("little marshmallows, Angel Flake coconut, Libby's Fruit Cocktail...") Just out of curiousity, where in the meal are these salads supposed to come? They do sound a lot like dessert.

[browniebaker]

The Cool Whip Salad sounds...interesting. Many of the salad recipes in Ernest Mickler's White Trash Cooking seem to involve a lot of sugar or candy ("little marshmallows, Angel Flake coconut, Libby's Fruit Cocktail...") Just out of curiousity, where in the meal are these salads supposed to come? They do sound a lot like dessert.

Fresco,

Believe it or not, in the South these sweet congealed salads are considered vegetables. They are side dishes. They are just what they are called : salads. You put a dollop of Orange Fluff right on your dinner plate, next to all your other vegetables.

I have Ernest Mickler's White Trash cookbooks and love them. The recipes are real.

[fresco]

Browniebaker,

Agree about Mickler. The photos are priceless.

Edited June 22, 2003 by fresco (log)

[balex]

I read an American salad cookbook when I was staying in a rented house in Italy a few years which had a recipe for a hot sausage and potato salad. As far as I can reconstruct it had slices of frankfurters and boiled potatoes in a mustardy sauce, served hot. To this day I can't work out why it is considered a salad.

[hjshorter]

Cobb salad, when done right.

[fifi]

That wedge of iceberg lettuce with blue cheese dressing is making a come back. Hard as hell to eat, though. I always feel like is is going to skitter of the plate and land in someone's lap when I cut into it.

[Peter B Wolf]

Maybe not so many Salads, that are actually laying claim to be American, but certainly the variations of 'Dressings' is endless.

[Peter B Wolf]

Further more, what makes "Russian" dressing russian? The non-caviar ingredient? And what is that Orange color stuff called "French" dressing got to do with France?

What is in "Ranch" dressing ? Cow.... what ? Where are the "Thousand Islands" to be called a dressing, is that where relish grows ?

[KNorthrup]

There was actually a articlette on the origins of Thousand Island dressing in the May 2003 Gourmet. Gorgeous photo.

Chef salad.

3-bean salad.

In terms of what is famous. And is cole slaw international?

In terms of what is truly great, what hjshorter said.

[slkinsey]

Isn't Caesar Salad an American salad?

I think it was actually invented in Mexico for some visiting Hollywood types, but it certainly achieved its fame in America.

[Jason Perlow]

Isn't Caesar Salad an American salad?

I think it was actually invented in Mexico for some visiting Hollywood types, but it certainly achieved its fame in America.

Caesar salad is definitely American.

Now, whats a more interesting topic is, I think, what EXACTLY should go into a Caesar salad? I've had some really horrendous ones and a few good ones -- and part of what makes a good Caesar I think is the last minute assembly tableside with fresh ingredients.

[elyse]

I heard it was created in Mexico as well.

[Special Ed]

Indeed it was created in Mexico.

By Caesar Cardini in his restaurant in Tijuana.

[Jason Perlow]

Indeed it was created in Mexico.

By Caesar Cardini in his restaurant in Tijuana.

I've heard that story, but I think its a myth.

It is a popular one though:

http://home.howstuffworks.com/question515.htm

[Jaymes]

Indeed it was created in Mexico.

By Caesar Cardini in his restaurant in Tijuana.

I've heard that story, but I think it's a myth.

If it is a myth, it is one that is perpetuated very enthusiastically by the restaurant itself. I used to live in Southern California and visited Tijuana fairly often. I've been to the restaurant several times. It's a small restaurant in a hotel. "Home of the Cesar Salad" is written all over the menus. And you cannot order ANYTHING, and I mean ANYTHING without a side of Cesar Salad coming with it.

For example - the enchilada plate - two enchiladas, rice, beans, chalupa and Cesar Salad.

The waiters are very proud of it, Cesar's photograph hangs on the wall; if they are telling a lie - it's a whopper - and I am certain that the waiters all believe it. They discuss with great pride the difference between the original recipe and the many variations it has produced.

They say that it was invented there in the 1920's. And maybe I'm a naive fool, but I believe it.

Cesar's Hotel & Restaurant

Edited June 23, 2003 by Jaymes (log)

[Chef Fowke]

I would like to personally thank all Americans for the Cobb Salad! My all time favorite salad.

I love the fact that the owner of the Brown Derby was drunk when he was stumbling through his kitchen at 2:00am and threw together this classic!! Isn't this just every chef's nightmare? Can you imagine the mess in the morning.... empty wine bottles, egg on the ceiling, chunks of turkey stuck to the cutting boards, etc.

Question: should there be black olives in a Cobb Salad?

[Rachel Perlow]

I think Saveur did an article a year or two ago with Cesar's daughter returning to the restaurant in Tijuana years later.

[Fat Guy]

The guy who invented Caesar salad was an American, though, right? He just happened to own a restaurant in Tijuana, but he was an Italian-American, I'm pretty sure. Julia Child has investigated this quite thoroughly and written about it in a few places.

[Chef Fowke]

From The Flat Possum Gazette (If you cannot believe the Flat Possum who can you beleive?)

Julia and her folks ate at a restaurant in Tijuana named Caesar's, owned by Caesar Cardini, and Julia remembers Caesar himself rolling the cart up to the table, tossing the romaine in a great wooden bowl and breaking two eggs over the lettuce, and add garlic flavored croutons, oil and Parmesan cheese. Man! What a memory this old girl had.

Julia says that Caesar Cardini invented the Caesar salad in 1924 in Tijuana, Mexico. She also says that the romaine leaves were not cut or broken up, but were left whole and you were supposed to pick up the leaf by the stem end and eat it with your fingers. And I suppose you let the dressing and raw egg run down the inside of your wrist into your shirt sleeve.

[Jaymes]

If you google Cesar Cardini, you get lots of info.

[Fat Guy]

I love the fact that the owner of the Brown Derby was drunk when he was stumbling through his kitchen at 2:00am and threw together this classic!! Isn't this just every chef's nightmare? Can you imagine the mess in the morning.... empty wine bottles, egg on the ceiling, chunks of turkey stuck to the cutting boards, etc.

I do a lot of cooking this way.

I enjoy a good Cobb salad, and as with the Caesar salad I think it benefits from tableside assembly. They used to make it tableside at Redeye Grill in Manhattan, but it seems no longer to be on the menu.

I think it's hard to argue that the Caesar salad isn't an American salad. The only choices are Mexican, American, and Italian. I just don't see the argument for Mexican. I mean, if Thomas Edison had gone to Canada and invented something, you wouldn't call it a Canadian invention. Moreover, the salad has nothing to do with Mexican cuisine and I doubt any real Mexicans ever eat it -- it's probably served mostly to American tourists. It's a hugely popular item in America, and probably nowhere else (except maybe Canada). Cardini was Italian by birth I think, but he was an American when he invented that salad. It's American.