Marzetti’s Slaw Dressing. Just sayin’…
Cole slaw originated in the Netherlands…but I have never tasted the Dutch version. s it anything like ours? I used to know a Dutch guy who couldn’t stand it-he lived on it during WWII, and got so sick of it he never wanted it again.
Marzetti’s ain’t bad at all. Wishbone used to make a slaw dressing that was damn-near perfect, but as far as I can tell, it’s been out of production for years.
There’s considerable variation, in my experience: First, you’ve got the texture of the cabbage: Is in thin strips, or fine little bits? Then, there’s the choice of herbs and spices-- Some places don’t add any at all (blech!), or only black pepper, but you can also add celery seed, garlic, onion, dill, parsley, oregano, etc. And of course there’s the dressing-- Usually mayo-based (or sandwich dressing), but can be ranch, sour cream, or a vinaigrette. Oh, and there’s also the option to add shredded carrots or red cabbage, or sometimes even raisins.
I made some earlier this summer with cabbage, carrots, pickled onions, garlic, dill, celery seed, and black pepper, with a combination of sandwich dressing, sour cream, and pickle juice for dressing.
It’s been many years since I’ve been faced with coleslaw, but I do have my doubts about that bed of lettuce on every dinner plate and the sprig of parsley. And at better restaurants I grit my teeth when they drizzle perfectly good chocolate in zigzags all over the dessert plate, such that you can’t eat it.
This recipe looks good. 
The slaw I make is shredded cabbage and whatever Italian-style dressing I have around. Newman’s Caesar Dressing makes a good slaw. I tend to keep a bag of pre-shredded cabbage & carrots around (“slaw mix” I think it’s called) in the winter for a quick side dish on busy nights.
I’m familiar with the mayonnaise based stuff, but it’s very rare that I find a decent version of it. It’s usually far too sweet and mushy.
Same here. Sometimes I’ll do a little dab of mayo, but most coleslaw is waaaaay too heavy on the mayo for my liking. Memphis style mustard slaw is really good, too. My default coleslaw is just shredded cabbage, salt, pepper, celery seeds, hot pepper flakes, and cider vinegar, nothing else.
Well, thinking on my (Ohio) and their (Michigan) geography, locale, and place in time, it very likely wasn’t Miracle Whip. Although Miracle Whip was a popular “salad dressing” it wasn’t the only Salad Dressing Spread.
Some had better characteristics, some were not nearly as sweet and used soy oil.
Ironically, that Battle Creek, Cereal Capitalist, Showdown in American History was repeated with many generic and local brands of Salad Dressing. Miracle Whip won in longevity, and pure crushing marketing power, but Veganaise wouldn’t be possible in the timeline, without it.
Old Fashioned Boiled Dressing (NOT. Miracle Whip.)
wisk together: 1 large egg yolk
1/4 C. cider vinegar
1/2 tsp. dry mustard
1/2 tsp. salt
dash cayenne pepper
2 TB. sugar
1 TB. flour
1/4 C. water
wisk and bring to a simmer, stirring, 6-8 minutes till smooth and thick (oddly enough, do not boil) - then stir in
2 TB. heavy cream.
Let it cool in the refrigerator with a piece of wax paper on top to prevent a skin from forming. Wisk again and mix with 6-7 cups of shredded cabbage, carrots, etc.
(My grandmother used to make this, I knew there had to be something called ‘salad dressing’ that didn’t come out of a jar. I think I’ll give it a try and see how it compares to mayo or MW.)
me too, Southern style even better
My favorite slaw goes like this:
1 cabbage
1 jar of banana peppers
Drain peppers, chop everything up, mix with a sprinkle of celery seeds, put in fridge overnight. Different and awesome.
That sounds interesting, but Mrs. Plant screams if I bring any peppers into the house after the Jalapeno Incident.
The secret ingredient in the best restaurant cole slaw I have had lately, which looks just like all the other mayo/vinegar-ish cabbage stuff you get everywhere, is a little horseradish. Not enough to make it hot, just enough to make you wonder what that taste is.
Really, it is great, and I’m not a horseradish fan.
Me too. When was the last time I ate coleslaw? 1995 maybe?
I’ve seen the same thing as a “Joke Of The Day” on Unix servers.
My question is what the heck has happened to KFC’s slaw? It used to be good, but now, it’s bland and runny. Actually, all of KFC’s food has gone to shit - I don’t know how they’re still in business.
Just asked a Dutch friend. She says it’s spelled “Koolsla” without a ‘w’, and it looks like this:
She says that this one seems the most “traditional looking”:
http://www.besterecepten.nl/koolsla-recept-1963/
Cabbage, apple, grapes, mixed in oil with a squirt of lemon or vinegar.
But yeah, she’d make it with mayo or yoghurt as a modern Dutch woman.
In summer, i often make curtido de repollo, which is essentially a Salvadoran version of coleslaw. It’s often served with pupusas (cheese-filled tortillas) at Salvadoran restaurants.
It has shredded cabbage and carrots, and is flavored with apple cider vinegar, a bit of olive oil, brown sugar, salt, pepper, oregano, cayenne, and cumin. It’s really tangy and tasty, and has far less fat than coleslaws made with mayonnaise.
This recipe is very similar to the one we use at home.
Like carnivorousplant, I do a vinegar based slaw.
A bag of slaw mix, a couple of tablespoons of caraway seed, about a half cup of sugar or splenda and dressed with cider vinegar cut 50/50 with water and seasoned with a couple of pinches of salt and a teaspoon or so of cracked black pepper. It’s best after a day in the fridge.
Goes well with fried foods.