Heritage of a Recipe

Two of my favorite salad dressing recipes are Sheila’s Best Balsamic Dressing, and Bob’s Salad Dressing.

I wondered about Sheila and Bob.

Were they the ones who actually created the recipe, or were they the conduit of seeing that the recipe survived until I could discover it?

Mike’s Grandmother Edy’s Chocolate Buttercrunch candy recipe, that I now make, did it come from her creative mind, was it passed to her from her family, or did a candy-maker share it with her? 

Does anyone really own the right to say this is my creation?

Are all the tastes and combinations of recipes, just a remix of someone else’s hand before our time?  Will we ever know? 

I want to believe rather that the creative skills of those who lived in the past are ours to enjoy and to be thankful for.

Here they are, my two favorite salad dressings, for your enjoyment.

Be sure to pass them along.

Sheila’s Best Balsamic Dressing 

(I found this on recipezaar.com)

• 2 T balsamic vinegar
• 1 T red wine vinegar
• 1T Dijon mustard
• 1 tsp light brown sugar
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp black pepper, ground
• 1/4 cup olive oil

1. Mix all the ingredients, except the oil, together.
2. Add the oil, and mix well with whisk.

Bob’s Salad Dressing

• 1/3 cup olive oil
• 3 T wine vinegar
• 1 T Dijon mustard
• 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tsp sweet basil
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp black pepper, ground

1. Combine all ingredients in a dressing bottle.
2. Shake to combine.