The Roaring Twenties and Summertime Salads

It seems appropriate that I start the "salad tests" with recipes from the 1920's, a time when anything seemed possible and modern technology was being embraced - automobiles, moving pictures and radio.  I will admit that the technology isn't what gets my heart thumping about the Roaring Twenties, that would be - Art Deco, Flappers, Chaplin, Satchmo, the Charleston, speakeasies and women voting!  When you think about all the fun being had in those crazy years you have to wonder - what were they eating?

1924 pamphlet Saladtime published by The Wesson Oil and Snowdrift People

If you choose to do this salad old school using the original version bear in mind that the French Dressing called for is not what you are accustomed to buying in the grocery store!  It was not my family's choice but in case you're a purist and want to give it a whirl I've included the recipe. Bon Appetit!

Garden Salad

My Version                                                     Original Version

2 C Potatoes - diced, cooked                      2 cupfuls diced cooked potatoes

1 C Fresh Green Beans - cooked        1 cupful shredded, cooked string beans

1 C Green Peas - cooked                                   1 cupful diced cooked beets

1/2 C Marzetti Italian Dressing             1 cupful cooked green peas (optional)

1 C Beets - cooked, diced                                           1/2 cupful French Dressing

Salad Greens                                                                   Any salad green

*In large bowl, place potatoes, green beans and peas

*Gently mix in Italian dressing, coating all the vegetables

*Chill 20 minutes

*Stir in beets

*Serve over a bed of salad greens

*Garnish with beet slices (optional)

Combine all the cooked vegetables, except the beets, with the French Dressing and let stand for twenty minutes to chill.  Then stir in the beets and sufficient Mayonnaise to blend.  Arrange in a salad bowl, wreathe with the salad green and top with extra dressing and slices of beet.

French Dressing:  Six tablespoonfuls of Wesson Oil, two tablespoonfuls of vinegar or lemon juice, one-third teaspoonful of salt, a few shakes of pepper and stir well.  Paprika may be added if desired. The dressing recipes were all printed in paragraphs while the salads were printed as you see above. 

After the dressing change we enjoyed the salad.  We also decided that we liked it with and without the salad greens - without you've got a lovely marinated dish. And by the way, all the kids thought it was hilarious when the potatoes turned pink after the beets were added, so I guess it was indeed crazy fun!

We're not finished roaring with the twenties - there is still the San Francisco Salad, the Alligator Pear Salad and Candle Salad yet to come!