HISTORY AND COOKERY 63 



of vinegar or lemon juice, a few drops of tarragon 

 vinegar, a very little cayenne and half a teaspoonful of 

 salt. Immediately before using the mayonnaise, add 

 half a teacupful of cream whipped very stiff. 



Instead of mayonnaise, however, plain French dressing 

 may be used with cold boiled asparagus with equal or 

 even finer effect. In mixing a French dressing one must 

 carefully avoid the errors which Sydney Smith was so 

 proud of making, that he tried to render them immortal 

 in verse. We shall scarcely copy him in adding anchovy 

 sauce to our dressing, but we may easily be led to follow 

 his proportions — which are far from good ones. The 

 correct method is as follows : Take a large bowl — not 

 the one in which the salad will be served — and mix 

 thoroughly half a teaspoonful of salt, half that quantity 

 of pepper, and three tablespoonfuls of oil — adding the 

 latter gradually. Slowly stir in one tabl-espoonful of 

 vinegar — with or without a little tarragon vinegar. 

 Place the well-dried cold asparagus, cut into half-inch 

 lengths, in this mixture, and thoroughly shake it until 

 it becomes uniformly saturated with the dressing. Lift 

 it and place it in the salad-bowl, throwing away the 

 liquid which remains in the mixing basin. It cannot be 

 too often said that salads should always be mixed 

 immediately before being served. 



Mrs de Salis advises that the salad be sprinkled over 

 with grated ham, or with tiny strips of smoked sausage, 

 but these are, it is hoped, not additions which will appeal 

 to many. 



