After finding a recipe as given by Rick Nineg taken from the I Love Lucy cookbook I tried making AMOFSD. First of all, both in colorized and B&W, the salad dressing is a dead ringer for Miracle Whip. The consistency that is poured from the bottle into the bowl is more liquid than MW. Lucy's comment that "it's a mighty pretty color" could hardly describe the color seen gushing from the container.
And...the point is? Based upon the recipe from the I Love Lucy Cookbook, Aunt Martha's Old Fashioned Salad Dressing is a "boiled dressing." Although a foodie, I had no idea that a salad dressing could be boiled. Well, come to find out the base is fundamentally a simple syrup which by its very nature requires bringing the 1 cup of water and 7/8 cup of sugar up to 230 degrees. Then into the syrup goes a few herbs and spices by which the syrup is "flavored." It sits for a while on very low heat then the syrup is cooled enough to be strained leaving a flavored base without leaving a lumpy texture. The final step is adding catsup and vegetable oil in a very small stream using a handheld mixer with a wire whip attachment (one could use a blender on lowest speed possible). The result is an indescribably rich and beautiful color akin to burnt sienna. Then into the fridge.
There are several things about the recipe as originally given in which a lot of steps are left out, requiring a "cooking sense". The first couple of times making this I was in the "huh?" reaction. I finally put all of the steps in for those with less than stellar kitchen skills and to serve as a reminder each time I make it.
Even so, there are a lot of variables and every batch comes out slightly different--still the same character fundamentally. The sizes and types of onions varies and one has to consider the sizes of onions in the 1950s. And while the recipe calls for ketchup, I use my own homemade catsup and that also makes a big difference. BUT WITHOUT FAIL, UNCOACHED COMMENTS FROM MY GUESTS: "THIS IS THE BEST SALAD DRESSING I'VE EVER TASTED." And it's true. There is nothing in a bottle that comes even remotely close. As well, you know all the ingredients rather than all of the stabilizers and flavor enhancers that commercial dressing manufacturers use to lengthen shelf life and allow for year-round viability of their product.
THIS SALAD DRESSING IS AN ABSOLUTE KEEPER AND THE OOHs AND AHHs FROM YOUR GUESTS IS THE PAYOFF OF SUCCESS FOR THIS COMPLETELY UNIQUE DRESSING.
