Salads - do you dress the bowl?

[TastyReuben]

Decades ago, when MrsT and I were dating, her society grandmother would sometimes visit the family, and she’d bring a load of what I considered outdated finishing school rules for how, well, everything should be done.

One of her mandates was that when adding dressing to a salad, “One must always, always dress the bowl first…it’s only proper!”

I’ll admit, I do follow her instruction on the matter more often than not, even though she’s probably now in Heaven, telling The Almighty he’s hung his pictures too low.

Anybody here dress the bowl when putting together a salad (with dressing, obviously)?

 

[Barriehie]

Had to look that up! We just toss, add dressing, and eat!

 

[kaneohegirlinaz]

TastyReuben I think that the only time I've dressed the bowl was with Caesar Salad.
But now that you mention it, that does make sense I guess.

 

[Z-Cook]

Anybody here dress the bowl when putting together a salad (with dressing, obviously)?

No, never have. Is there a reason?

We always rub the dish that dauphinoise potatoes are going to be baked in with a clove of cut garlic for extra flavour. French thing.

 

[TastyReuben]

No, never have. Is there a reason?

She used to say it dressed the salad with fewer turns/tosses, so the lettuce was less likely to be bruised or damaged from too much handling, something like that.

We always rub the dish that dauphinoise potatoes are going to be baked in with a clove of cut garlic for extra flavour. French thing.

That’s how fondue works as well.

 

[Z-Cook]

She used to say it dressed the salad with fewer turns/tosses, so the lettuce was less likely to be bruised or damaged from too much handling, something like that.

Makes sense

 

[badjak]

I think I sort of do.
I make the vinegraite* in my salad bowl. Add some finely chopped onions and let it sit. Lettuce gets added and stirred** just before eating

* Much higher vinegar to olive oil ratio
** Stirring by hand, maybe "tossing" would have been a better word

 

[TastyReuben]

Makes sense

A refined woman in 1910 Syracuse had to know those things!

 

[medtran49]

I do, but mainly for picture taking when making a composed salad. Dressing covers up too much of the ingredients.

 

[detroitdad]

We do not. When we have salads, I usually prepare enough for two people. I dress the salad on the plate.

 

[karadekoolaid]

I don't dress the bowl. I prep the salad and either serve the dressing in a sauce boat, so everyone can add what they wish, or dress, mix and serve at the last minute.
I recall seeing a Gordon Ramsay video where he said, after dressing the salad, you only have 7 minutes to eat it before it starts to wilt.

 

[TastyReuben]

Note the pic on the YT video from ATK:

View: https://youtu.be/pdhDJU0g5lI?si=AA7yw3XyAbFadHAf