I picked Italian, but French is very close. Ranch is dead-ass last place in the world-famous Ponch8 Salad Dressing Rating System.
Agreed. But BBQ Ranch dressing is delicious. Amazing what adding a little BBQ sauce can do to a dressing. Add black beans and corn to your standard salad, dress with BBQ Ranch and top with tortilla strips for a Southwest Salad that’s a meal.
I like the sesame ginger dressing you get with sushi. I think Trader Joe’s has a similar dressing as well.
My wife makes a Thai peanut dressing that’s really good, too.
I quite often make my own at home, too. But when it comes to bottled, call me a deviant, but I enjoy a Russian dressing.
(Sorry, that joke is so hoary I think I first heard it in grade school, but I just hadda.)
And I actually do like that particular salad accoutrement.
I alternate in what I have. If you look at my refrigerator right now, you’ll find six different dressings, but I make my own Thousand Island from ketchup, mayo and relish.
Since the poll makes me pick one, it’s usually blue cheese, especially if I’m “being served” a salad (such as at a restaurant). If I make it myself, I’m more likely to take one of the other options.
When I make aspara nikumaki, I make the dressing from mayonnaise, mirin, and soy sauce. It works as the dipping sauce and the salad dressing. I might try putting some sesame oil in it next time.
I was a solid Thousand Islander for many years until, while on a diet, I discovered Balsamic Vinaigrette. Oh, yum! What a kick to the taste buds! Especially the raspberry variety.
Then I discovered Blue Cheese. If it has big chunks of the cheese in it, it’s very tasty. If not, it’s not as good but I still like it. Now I will usually go for that if it’s available. If not, or if I’m in the mood for it, I’ll go for the Vinaigrette. I don’t think I’ve had Thousand Island in nearly ten years now and don’t really miss it.
Because I’m on Christmas Break and have that kind of time on my hands, I tallied the dressings on the roughly last 11 salads I’ve had.
Dorothy Lynch - 4
Western - 2 (Wishbone)
French - 2 (Wishbone Creamy and Sizzler Industrial)
Thousand Island - 2 (Bob’s Big Boy and whatever they serve at the local Mexican place)
Blue Cheese - 1 (Emeril’s Wisconsin Buttermilk Blue Cheese at Delmonico, in fact.)
I voted Italian/Vinaigrette.
My favorite is raspberry vinaigrette, with Balsamic Vinaigrette a close second.
A nice Italian or vinaigrette with blue cheese (I’ll pay the extra buck!) sprinkled over. Perfect! I really really hate ranch, and now the pizza place down the street is sending pizza and wings with cups of ranch instead of creamy blue cheese. Ick! Ranch must be a lot cheaper.
I chose Caesar but in Japan, I usually use ponzu (ポン酢) even though it’s technically a sauce, not a dressing.
A weeks worth of penicillin will clear Dorothy right up.
First I’d ever heard of this Nebraskan French Dressing.
Vinegar
I suppose it depends on where and what kind of salad. I only eat two kinds of salad, so it makes it way easier.
Tossed or garden salad at home, usually Ranch. Second choice would be Italian (or vinaigrette - whatever - sometimes just straight red wine vinegar). Out, it would be ranch, creamy Italian, or creamy garlic if they have it.
Wilted lettuce salad, the warm bacon/vinegar/onion/sugar that goes with it. And that’s a strictly at home salad anyway.
Hooray! I chose the winning horse! For a serving of lettuce and tomatoes good for two: put half a table spoon of strong balsamic vinegar into a ladle, sprinkle salt, dissolve the salt by whisking with a fork, dribble over the veggies. Add three tablespoons of olive oil. Toss.
I had been on a ranch kick for years, especially homemade with Hidden Valley powdered mix, along with sour cream and mayo (about a 3:1 ratio), but my gut issues point to that being a problem…I voted “other” because lately I’ve been going with Italian dressing along with a generous helping of blue cheese crumbles.
A well-made Caesar is hard to top though.
I agree. I also really like black pepper ranch.
I’m currently on a raspberry vinaigrette kick at home.
At a restaurant it’s either blue cheese or Italian depending on my mood.
Do you prefer a creamy bleu, or do you like it chunky?
Make mine Stilton.
I’ve never understood the fascination with ranch dressing. One day I’d never heard of it; the next day (back around '75, I think) the stuff was everywhere.
Yeah, I remember having the option of Roquefort in years past as well. My brother worked in a restaurant in the 80s, and I remember him saying that if anyone asked for Roquefort, they just got blue cheese. When I was in my teens and twenties, I’d ask for Roquefort sometimes, but I haven’t bothered in years.
Anyway, when I’m at a restaurant, I always ask for blue cheese dressing. This was one of the foods (like butter pecan ice cream, or raw radishes with salt) that I started eating to emulate my dad. Dad knew what was good.
At home, I usually just make up a simple vinaigrette with olive oil, vinegar, shallots, and some salt and pepper.