Russian is similar to Thousand Island? Not where I come from. Russian = red, vinegary, some spices, some thickeners?
I would never put THAT russian dressing on a reuben. Thousand Island and sauerkraut go together perfectly.
this is ‘Wishbone’ russian dressing…“Ingredients: corn syrup, water, soybean oil, tomato paste, distilled vinegar, sugar, salt.”
But, I can see, researching, a wide variety of ‘Russian’ dressing, including ‘Creamy Russian’, that looks a lot like thousand island in color. All different pinkish to orangish shades depending on the recipe.
This thread reminded me of my post over in the trivia game about the rules for when an island can be counted as one of the Thousand Islands. There are 1,864 islands.
I posted this two weeks before Zeldar’s OP (and Idle Thoughts’s Big Mac vs. Whopper thread):
Trivial.
Yeah, I’ve heard the "Russian is Thousand Island without the relish) a lot, but, growing up, we had Wishbone Thousand Island and Russian around the house, and they were quite different. The Russian dressing was like a redder, sweeter version of Wishbone’s “French” dressing. I would never have made a connection to Thousand Island. I don’t remember there being any mayo-ness at all to their Russian dressing.
Learned it as a schoolboy in Texas but couldn’t tell you at exactly what age.
I"m 65, and I found out today. 
I knew the name was a geographic reference, but I didn’t know where the Thousand Islands were. Until now.
I think Arthur Godfrey sang a song about losing his love among the Thousand Islands, but that is from the very dawn of my memory, so it might not be right.
Regards,
Shodan
Wishbone Russian and NYC deli Russian are totally different creatures. Deli Russian is, as noted, pretty much 1000 Island without the relish but with some horseradish.
Young adulthood. When I developed an interest in the history of the Great Lakes.
I’ve never really liked Thousand Island dressing (or McDonald’s Big Mac sauce…) so I guess I’d never really thought much about where the Thousand Islands were.
Sorry. Should have clarified. Yes, I’ve had NY Russian dressing and it is indeed like Thousand Island without relish. But there is some confusion about the term, and if people don’t understand the Thousand Island without relish description, that’s why.
I have no idea where Wishbone came up with their formulation of “Russian.” As you noted, it’s more related to French than anything else (or perhaps Catalina.)
From New York City, and I knew about it quite young. My wife’s family went on vacations there, and when we moved to NJ we took our kids to Thousand Island Park on Wellesley Island (the biggest island on the American side) every summer.
Her favorite coffee mugs have images from the islands, including Boldt Castle, both the American and Canadian bridges, and the hotel in TIP which we stayed at one night to get away from the kids and her parents.
I always assumed the “Islands” were tropical. Interesting that they are where they are.
There is Thousand Island nature center in Kaukauna, WI (http://www.1000islandsenvironmentalcenter.org/) but I knew it had nothing to do with the salad dressing
Brian
I think I was in my mid-20’s when I found out it was a sexual thing and I have never been able to look at an eggbeater the same ever since.
Huh. I did not know that the Thousand Islands were a real thing.
Many of you will doubtless know, however, that Newman’s Own has a version called Two-thousand Island Dressing, obviously better than that of its competitors because, as they proudly (tongue in cheek) advertise, it has twice as many islands as any other brand.
Didn’t see your post until after I posted mine. Kaukauna folks represent 
Brian