The Best 50 Salad Dressings

I purchased this little book five or six years ago. Just recently as I took it off the shelf once again to make a favorite (merlot vinaigrette), I noticed a dried splash of merlot on the page and realized just how often I had used this book over the years. Bristol published dozens of these small, specialized books ranging from Best 50 Martinis to Best 50 Mushroom Recipes. I own a dozen books in the series and this is one of the best. The recipes I most frequently make, besides the aforementioned merlot vinaigrette, include the Thai peanut, citrus vinaigrette, Chinese-style dressing, and dried cherry vinaigrette. The last few pages of this brief book features "fat-free" dressings at least two of which I can say are quite tasty: the balsamic-apple vinaigrette and green goddess. While this book is small at well under 100 pages, in five years I have yet to make all of the recipes. I also like the serving suggestions offered with nearly all of the recipes. With several recipes the author suggests ways to modify the dressing to use with another application, such as serving the avocado dressing as a sauce over grilled or poached fish for example. I have to agree with one reviewer about the number of creamy dressings versus vinaigrettes - vinaigrettes win out by a large margin. So that is something to keep in mind as you consider whether or not you would be interested this book. But considering the small price tag I'd say you could hardly go wrong if you are interested in making your own salad dressings and need a place to start.

This little book is cute and easy to use. It has a few creamy recipes in the beginning, but most of the book is devoted to vinaigrettes. I was personally hoping for more creamy recipes, but this will still be a useful tool. I look forward to trying the Avocado Dressing, the Italian Buttermilk Dressing and the Creamy Curry Dressing. I would wholeheartedly recommend this for people who love vinegar-based dressings.

Using the most exotic flavors, this cookbook is a creative and delightful new way to dazzle your dinner guests. Designed by a young, busy working woman, the recipies are fast and simply written. A necessity for any kitchen!