The herald., 1895-03-23
HOW TO DRESS SALADS
The Dish That Gives the Finishing Touch
to a Dinner .
Pointers About Mayonnaise-Often DeIusive
and Elusive Adjuncts to Good Meal
Treated in Detail and Extenso

Salads and salad dressings proved an
other drawing card yesterday in the Y.
NJ. C. A. Hall, and a big class assembled
to learn how to make that elusive and too
often delusive adjunct to a dinner.
The fascinating blue and pi NIX pans
were again brought into use, and they
are pretty enough when empty, but full
of seductive chicken salad covered with
mayonnaise sauce, they were Irresistible.
But this is anticipating.
Mrs. Ewing stated succin city at the
start that a dinner is never complete
without salad, or something to take its
place. such as stewed acid fruits, or sweet
pickles. jellies, etc. The office OF a salad
is ESSENTIALLY that OF an appetizer; it gives
a relish to the dinner and should act as
spur to the somewhat jaded appetite for
the more full enjoyment OF what Will fol-
ow.
There is mistaken notion about
salad quoth Mrs Ewing, sit is not un-
healthS quite the reverse if properly
prepared.
There is an immense quantity of mate
rials to select from vegetables, nuts,
fruits. etc, but one must know the prin-
ciple underlying the making of a salad.
In serving celery, for instance, it should
| be so prepared as to bring out its most
potent flavor; the same principle must be
applied to all salads. Never put on a del
icately favored vegetable strongly tia-
vored dressing. In mayonnalse ior celery
put little il any mustard; lettuce is the
most delicate Of all vegetables and is
ruined if cut; always, If possible, serve
the leaves whole.
For example. place shrimps in lettuce
cups on platter, with ice between the
cups. Such Il salad may be rleft on the
table during the first courses OF Il dinner,
looking cool and lovely, by placing nap
kin beneath it to absorb the ice.
Directions for making mayonnaise sauce
here followed to the smallest and most
minute detail, accompanied by the drop,
drop. dropping OF the oil i'll the object
lesson. 'Evrything must be cold, said
Mrs. Ewing, 'even to the egg beater and
the bowl in which it is mixed; and the
American palate is not yet cultivated so
that it discards the use of mustard"
For chicken and other like salads some
salt is needed-in fact to equal the acid,
and Just enough pepper to make it warm.
In mixing salad dressing the highest
skill lies in so blending the ingredients
that no one of them is prominent.
Mrs. Ewing here spoke of the cooked
mavonnaise for people who fancy they
Then she said that in cooking schools
people were taught how to stir; that it
ism t the work which tires, but the noise
and rasping. Use wooden spoon or
lade and stir around and then across.
Proportions were then given for max
ing chicken salad. Twice as much celery
as chicken for light salad; vice versa.
or twice as much chicken as celery for
heavy salad, and equal parts OF both for
a medium salad. Harmony is the first
principle in salads; contrast the second.
Then came a sudden question from
dressing?" Up shot the majority of
hands. How many prefer others?' and
twelve or fifteen hesitating, single hands
were held aloft, whereuton Mrs. Ewing
beamed cordially on the minority, and
soothing their feelings by remarking that
she had never asked the question before
where so many preferred Oil.
The suggestions were given that the ad-
dton of some whipped cream makes
mayonnaise very fine and that weak vine
gar put over chicken, lobster, or shrimp,
and then drained off, before putting on
the dressing is q great addition.
In making a large quantity of dressing
commence in a suitable bowl (having a
larger one near at hand filled with ice)
and when the small one is FULL remove
the ice from the large bowl, turn the
dressing into it and continue.
In potato or cabbage salad never use OIL
or mustard on the latter, because they be-
long to the same family.
For potato salad use thin cream for each
cup of dressing, and a finely minced
young onion-if you don't like onion use
capers pickles, nasturtiums, etc.
In apple salad the apples should be
sliced like the potatoes, and teaspoon
full of sugar used in the dressing, also
whipped cream.
1t is greatly improved too, if allowed to
stand in refrigeratonr an hour or two
before serving, and the apples should be
covered either with damp cloth or the
dressing as soon as they are pared.
Use lettuce with fish, celery with
chicken, sweetbreads, veal, etc. h4
Here most delectable dish was uncov-
cred and tantalizingly shown, made of
crushed pineapple and sliced orange
with dressing of the juice of both stiff
ened with little gelatin. and tasting
time' having arrived, that, with the
apple chicken and shrimp salads, were
passed around, and special dish, in
Guiding spoons. was proffered the re-
por:ers with the gracious remark from
Mrs. Ewing that she always believed in
being on good terms with the press"
Today's lesson will be ON the frying and
sauteing of chicken, oysters, fish, potatoes
and croquettes.