A French or Mayonnaise dressing is more often used plain, but by adding various flavorings, can be greatly changed, giving variety at a time of the year when salad greens are limited. Take lettuce which we always have in California. This popular green salad vegetable could be served many days in succession but with a different dressing for each day. In this manner variety is introduced and the family will not tire of lettuce, as would often be the case were the same dressing used each meal. There is a strong appetite appeal in variety and when the person who plans the meals realizes this she will have learned one of the most valuable lessons in menu building.

Salad dressings have as their base, acid, oil and seasonings. Your base recipe may be one of the three foundation formulae - French, Mayonnaise or Cooked dressing. French dressing or variations of it is the most suitable for green salads and for a salad served with a heavy meal. It is less hearty than either the Mayonnaise or Cooked dressing, and will be relished more than the richer dressings. Cooked dressing is preferred by those who do not care for the flavor of oil. This dressing admits of as many variations as a Mayonnaise dressing. It is a very convenient salad dressing for it can be prepared in a quantity and kept for some time. Mayonnaise is considered by many somewhat difficult to prepare. Lack of success might be traced to two things - haste in adding the oil, and not having the ingredients used all of about the same temperature.

If the oil is cold and the egg and acid warm, it is difficult to make the egg absorb the oil; or it might be the egg was cold and the oil warm. It is far easier to have all ingredients cold. If that is not possible, have them all about the same temperature. One egg yolk will only absorb one cupful of oil and remain thick and firm. If more than that quantity is used, the dressing may separate; if not at once, it will do so after standing some time.

The seasonings and a teaspoon of acid should be added to the egg yolk and the whole beaten or well mixed before any oil is added. Add about a teaspoonful of oil, then beat well, using a small spoon or a very small egg beater. Always use a small bowl for making mayonnaise, so there will not be much surface at the bottom of the bowl. This enables you to mix the ingredients well. Add oil, a tea-spoonful at a time, until the mixture begins to thicken. As soon as this dressing has once become thick, the oil may be added in larger quantity, if it is beaten well or until absorbed, between each addition of oil. An egg beater can be used and the dressing made very quickly after it has once thickened. If more acid is desired, it can be added during the mixing or at the last. Adding the acid to the egg yolk before the oil is used, lessens the liability of the mixture to curdle. The egg beater also aids in keeping the dressing from curdling, as the larger surface over which the oil is spread the less likelihood of separation. One point, most important: be sure all the oil added at any one time is entirely absorbed before adding more. If, after all these precautions, the dressing should curdle, put it aside, and begin the process all over again with another egg yolk.

As soon as this begins to thicken, the curdled mixture may be added gradually, just as you would add oil. This should remedy the trouble and prevent waste. A double quantity of oil can be used. When well made a mayonnaise is smooth, thick and glossy in appearance. Dressing made with these proportions - 1 cupful of oil to each yolk of egg - will keep some time without separating, if kept in a cool place.

Oil is the main ingredient in a French dressing, and if the salad is to be perfect, to have the right flavor, a good olive oil is required. Other vegetable oils may be used for mayonnaise with very good results, but French dressing will lack flavor if made of an inferior oil. Much depends on the vinegar, which sould be pure and not too sharp. To prepare a French dressing, put all the ingredients into a small glass fruit jar, adjust the cover and shake vigorously until well blended and thick. A perfect emulsion will result, which will remain thick for half an hour or more.

Cooked dressing somewhat resembles mayonnaise and usually has butter added to supply the necessary fat.

Cooked dressing is usually served to persons who do not enjoy the flavor of oil. However, oil may be used, as the flavor is scarcely perceptible after it has been heated.