Miscellaneous. 



158 



[February, 1912. 



lettuce salad, that is to say, lettuce 

 forms by far the chief ingredient of an 

 English salad. Indeed, a salad in the 

 English style would not be recognized 

 without its proper proportion of lettuce. 

 Yet variety in both salads and dressings 

 can be obtained with but little greater 

 expenditure of time or money. 



There are certaiu directions in the 

 preparation of salads which nobody can 

 afford to despise who would rise high 

 in the art of salad-making. First and 

 foremost it is absolutely essential that 

 in preparing green salad every leaf 

 should be most carefully washed and 

 thoroughly drained. This is best effected 

 by placing the leaves after they have 

 been picked and washed and divided into 

 convenient pieces, into a wire salad 

 basket, or by folding them in a clean 

 cloth and shaking well without crushing 

 or bruising them. Where moisture 

 remains on the leaf the oil dressing will 

 not stay, the mixture is ineffective, and 

 the salad is spoiled. Long soaking in 

 water should be avoided. • 



Next in importance to the dryness of 

 the salad is the iuj miction never to let 

 the leaves be touched by a steel knife. 

 They must be torn or broken by the 

 Augers, or cut with a bone, ivory, or 

 silver knife, and then tossed into the 

 bowl in which the dressing has already 

 been mixed. 



The question of the salad-dressing is 

 of equal importance to that of the salad. 

 Oil and vinegar supply all that is really 

 necessary as a salad-dressing. The more 

 elaborate mixtures sometimes substitu- 

 ted often detract from, rather than add 

 to, the excellence of a salad. Many Eng- 

 lish people are prejudiced against the use 

 of oil, but that is because of the poor 

 qualities upon the market and the high 

 price of good oil as compared with the 

 Continent. Only the purest olive oil 

 should be used, or failing this, good nut 

 oil, tor the salad itself is cheap enough, 

 and so deserves a careful selection of the 

 adjuncts. The same with the vinegar. 

 Avoid cheap vinegars, which are in 

 reality nothing but pyroligueous acid, 

 and get pure wine vinegar, as this proves 

 the best for salads. Vinegar ought 

 literally to be vin-aigre. Malt vinegar 

 does not usually make good salads. 

 Lemon juice is frequently used by those 

 who object to vinegar. A little cider 

 added with the vinegar is considered an 

 improvement by many. 



Sydney Smith, who is often quoted in 

 connexion with salad-making, settled 

 the proportions of salad-dressing years 

 ago as three tablespoonfuls of oil to one 

 of vinegar ; and, as for the mixings one 



is reminded of the old Spanish saying 

 which advises salad-makers to be a 

 spendthrift with the oil, a miser with 

 the vinegar, wise man with the salt and 

 pepper, and a madman with ihe mixing. 

 The necessary salt and pepper should be 

 dissolved in the vinegar before the oil is 

 added. If oil is very strongly objected 

 to, it can of course be omitted and a 

 dressing made of the vinegar only, 

 seasoned with pepper, salt, and castor, 

 sugar to taste, varied occasionally with 

 salad cream. Finely shredded bacon 

 fried crisp and mixed with salad is also 

 admitted as a good substitute for oil. 

 The cheaper salad-dressings are com- 

 posed mainly of oil, vinegar, mustard, 

 and milk, varied by hard-boiled yolk of 

 egg and a little cream, the richer or 

 mayonnaise dressings being made with 

 raw yolks and the usual concomitants. 

 Vinaigrette sauce is sometimes sub- 

 stituted, consisting of vinegar, oil, and 

 chopped gherkins, capers, parsely, and 

 shallots. 



In conclusion, for those who would 

 fain pursue the subject of salads 

 more intimately, I would recommend 

 them to study the compilation of 

 M. Suzanne, who is an authority upon 

 the varieties of the modern salad. Eveiy 

 possible variation upon the theme tinds 

 its place in his book, which contains 

 over two hundred salad recipes. 



Not so long ago I came across an article 

 on salad cultivation in this country, 

 which showed that French lettuces are 

 much superior to English, and our salad 

 cultivation was severely ciiticized. This 

 is scarcely surprising, as anyone who 

 has given the smallest consideration to 

 the matter must admit that this class 

 of market-gardening in England is much 

 behind the French. The salads which 

 reach our markets from France are all 

 carefully grown on tiers of platforms 

 or ledges at some distance from the 

 ground, and under shelter, mostly of 

 glass, being thus kept safe from incur- 

 sions of slugs, as well as protected by 

 other means against the attack of ail 

 insects whatsoever. They are carefully 

 and neatly packed, and come to market 

 in perfect condition, thus giving little 

 trouble to the cook when failing under 

 his or her hands. French cos- or cab- 

 bage- lettuce is decidedly more tasty and 

 tender than the English product. It 

 may be worth while for English salad- 

 growers to study the Fench system of 

 cultivation, 



A Few Simple Salad Recipes. 

 Lettuce Salad. 

 Trim and wash thoroughly three cab- 

 bage, or two cos- lettuces,drain them well, 



