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"Mingle, mingle, mingle You that mingle may."

Shakspere.

Green vegetables that are eaten raw and dressed with oils, acids, salt and pepper are classed as salads. Potatoes, string beans, beets, asparagus and many other vegetables which have been cooked are eaten cold with a salad dressing. Lobster, salmon and other kinds of cooked fish, eggs, chicken and delicate meats are combined with lettuce, cresses or celery and salad dressing, and furnish many appetizing dishes.

A Frenchman thinks he cannot eat his dinner without a salad, and it would be well if all Americans had the same appreciation of this wholesome, refreshing and, at the same time, economical dish.

There are two kinds of dressing which are in very general use, the mayonnaise and the French dressing. Epicures prefer the simple French dressing for salads served without fish or fowl; and for chicken and fish salads and for some kinds of vegetables, such as tomatoes and cauliflowers, they use the mayonnaise sauce. This choice of dressings is almost universal in London and Paris. In America we use the mayonnaise on all salads, which is really to be deplored. A simple salad with French dressing is, after all, the most satisfactory when one has been served with a heavy dinner before it.

In giving recipes for salad-dressing it is almost impossible to mention exact quantities, especially when we consider the diversity of tastes. Delmonico, it is said, used but one yolk as a foundation for a quart of oil, with salt and cayenne for seasoning. In preparing dressing, use a silver or wooden fork, a large soup-plate, which should be very cold, the best oil and strong vinegar. A common question is," What can we use in place of oil ?" Cream and melted butter may be used, but they by no means take the place of the oil. Green vegetables that should be crisp but have become wilted can be freshened by being laid in ice-water for at least an hour before using, and then dried carefully on a soft towel, care being taken not to bruise them. The dressing should never be mixed with any salad until it is needed to serve, and both salad and dressing should be served on as cold a dish as possible.

Simple French Dressing

Three table-spoonfuls of olive oil. One table-spoonful of vinegar. One-half tea-spoonful of salt. One-quarter of a tea-spoonful of pepper. One tea-spoonful of onion, scraped fine.

Mix the pepper and salt together, add the oil and onion, and then pour in the vinegar. Mingle all well, and pour the dressing over the salad.

Mayonnaise Dressing, No. 1

To make a pint of dressing (which should be sufficient for twelve persons) use

Two eggs (yolks). One tea-spoonful of mustard. One-half tea-spoonful of salt. One-half tea-spoonful of cayenne. Two table-spoonfuls of lemon juice. Two table-spoonfuls of vinegar. Twelve table-spoonfuls of olive oil.

In order to make this dressing properly, it is necessary to have all the materials cold. The oil should stand in the refrigerator for at least an hour before being used. Place the yolks in a soup-plate, and beat them a minute with a silver fork; then add the salt, pepper and mustard. Stir these well together, and commence to add the oil, a few drops at a time, stirring continuously. When the mixture becomes thick and ropy, the oil may be added more freely; and when the liquid is at this stage, the vinegar should be added, half a tea-spoonful at a time. After the dressing has become very thick, the oil may be added, a table-spoonful at a time. When all the vinegar is added, commence to add the lemon juice in the same way, and stir continually until all the oil and lemon juice are added. Set the dressing on the ice for. half an hour before using.

If the taste of the oil is not liked, four table-spoonfuls of thick sweet cream, well whipped, may be stirred into the dressing at the last; this tones down the taste of the oil. Thick whipped cream may be used in place of half the oil, if the latter is very disagreeable to those served.

In warm weather this dressing may be prepared in half the time by making it in a bowl set in a pan of cracked ice and having both eggs and oil as cold as possible.

Should the dressing break or curdle, stir into it at once the well beaten yolk of an egg, which will render all smooth again.