Salad Dressing Etiquette from Gorham

“Fifth: Mix very quickly with silver, china, glass or wooden utensils.” – In the Gilded Age, utensil design proliferated to its zenith. New utensils were designed for dining elegantly and in style. Forks specifically for eating salads were introduced in 1885. Sporting unusual tines and each with a unique design, they were perfect for holding on to several varying sized pieces of the salad’s components. By the 1960’s, salad forks had become so generic in size and shape, no longer were they unique, but merely looked like smaller and wider versions of the dinner forks. This fork is in the 1953, Decor pattern, by Gorham. It was one of the last beautiful and unique designs in salad forks.

Certain Rules

Certain rules for salad dressing are well to observe:

• First: Have suitable ingredients and condiments.
• Second: Mix carefully.
• Third: In regular order.
• Fourth: Serve most salads very cold.
• Fifth: Mix very quickly with silver, china, glass or wooden utensils.
• Sixth: Garnish with something that will afford a contrast and at the same time be suitable to eat.
• Seventh: In serving salads, serve rich salads for luncheon and supper. Serve light salads for dinner or for tea.
• In America we are apt to use mayonnaise dressing for everything, but in England and France, they serve French dressings with fish or fowl and most vegetables. Cauliflower and tomatoes are nice with mayonnaise dressing.
• In the dressing no flavor should predominate.
• When a salad is served, no oil should ever remain at the bottom of the bowl.

From the book, “ Ninety-Nine Salads and How to Make Them, with Rules for Dressing & Sauce,” by Gorham

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