Russian dressing facts for kids
Cheeseburger topped with grilled onions and Russian dressing
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| Type | Salad dressing |
|---|---|
| Place of origin | United States |
| Region or state | New Hampshire |
| Created by | James E. Colburn |
| Main ingredients | Mayonnaise, ketchup, horseradish, pimentos, chives, spices |
Russian dressing is a creamy and tangy sauce often used on salads and sandwiches. It's a popular American salad dressing. It gets its special taste from a mix of mayonnaise, ketchup, and other yummy ingredients.
Russian dressing is a bit like Thousand Island or French dressing. Some kinds you buy in stores might not have mayonnaise. These versions are clear instead of creamy.
Contents
The Story of Russian Dressing
How Old Is It?
People started talking about Russian dressing in the United States around the year 1900. It was even mentioned in a cooking book from 1910. This book suggested using it on tomatoes or asparagus. An older recipe from 1913 was more like a vinaigrette with paprika and mustard. A recipe that used mayonnaise appeared in 1914.
Why Is It Called "Russian"?
The dressing got its name "Russian" because the first recipes sometimes included caviar. Caviar is a special food that comes from fish eggs and is very popular in Russia.
Who Invented It?
Many local historians say that the creamy, mayonnaise-based version was created in Nashua, New Hampshire, by a man named James E. Colburn. This happened in the 1910s. A newspaper article from 1927 called him "the person who first made that delicious sauce known as Russian salad dressing." Colburn had been selling his own "Colburn's Mayonnaise salad dressing" since at least 1910.
By 1914, Colburn's company was making Russian dressing and selling it to stores and hotels. He earned enough money from selling it that he was able to retire in 1924.
How Russian Dressing Is Made
Russian dressing usually has a strong, tangy flavor. Today, it's typically made by mixing mayonnaise and ketchup. Other ingredients are often added to make it even tastier. These can include horseradish, pimentos (which are small, red peppers), chives, mustard, and different spices.
How Russian Dressing Is Used
Besides being a great salad dressing, Russian dressing is also used as a spread on sandwiches. It's especially famous for being a key ingredient in Reuben sandwiches.
Other Similar Sauces
Thousand Island Dressing
Russian dressing has been mostly replaced by Thousand Island dressing. Thousand Island dressing is usually sweeter and not as spicy as Russian dressing.
Fry Sauce and Other Names
Other sauces that mix mayonnaise and ketchup, but without the spicy ingredients, are known by names like fry sauce. These are often served with French fries or tostones (fried plantains).
Tartar Sauce
Tartar sauce has some of the same spicy ingredients as Russian dressing, but it doesn't have ketchup. It's usually served with fried fish.
Marie Rose Sauce
Marie Rose sauce is similar to Russian dressing, but it uses different spicy ingredients. It's often served with seafood.
Red Russian Dressing
There's also a version called red Russian dressing. This is very much like Catalina or French dressing.
American Dressing in Germany
In Germany, a similar salad dressing is called "American dressing."
See also
In Spanish: Russian dressing para niños
