Talk:Russian dressing

Nashua newspaper reference
In the Nashua, NH sunday newspaper there is an article about the origins of Russian Dressing:

One man’s recipe changed the taste of salads around the nation By DEAN SHALHOUP, Telegraph Staff dshalhoup@nashuatelegraph.com

http://www.nashuatelegraph.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070610/NEWS01/206100367/-1/XML07

The basic points: James E. Colburn, a New Hampshire, USA food distributor and caterer invented it sometime before 1924. The article references the 1927 version of "New Hampshire -- A History" by Hobart Pillsbury.

Quoting the newspaper article which quotes the book:

“Its wide acceptance by people in large numbers. . . assured the prosperity of Mr. Colburn,” reports a passage in author Hobart Pillsbury’s 1927 “New Hampshire – A History,” a compilation of biographies of leading New Hampshire residents. “He disposed of” – meaning sold – “the dressing to the largest hotels and most important retail dealers throughout the country, and very soon, there was such an eager demand for the product that its production and marketing constituted a considerable portion of Mr. Colburn’s business,” Pillsbury wrote.

MarcN 17:34, 10 June 2007 (UTC)

Russian dressing on a Reuben
It should be noted that many people in the NYC area refer to Thousand Island dressing as "Russian." This is probably why it is said to be put on a Reuben sandwich, since I've never seen the commercial version of Russian dressing anywhere except at Arby's. Also, the page on Thousand Island says that early Russian dressing recipes were similar to Thousand Island.72.78.157.207 (talk) 15:32, 27 January 2008 (UTC)

I agree with the above, I associate "russian dressing" only with a slightly tangier, redder "1000 island dressing," either one being suited to dress a rueben (I'm from Chicago).

What this article describes in taste profile, color, texture, etc. is what I associate with commercial "French dressing" in the U.S. such as Kraft brand "French" or "Catalina" dressings. If I ordered "French dressing" in a U.S. restaurant I'd expect what is described here, a smooth, sweet, non-creamy red dressing with a vinegar tang, if I was looking for "vinaigrette" I'd order it by that name (the "french dressing" article says it is a synonym for "vinaigrette" -in the states it's not), and a 1000 island order would bring forth something similar to the tangy smooth red if it had been mixed with mayonnaise and pickle relish. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 173.24.122.66 (talk) 07:22, 18 March 2009 (UTC)

Confusion with à la russe
The history sections states: "Some claim that the dressing's name originated in the fact that the condiment in those days typically included caviar, a food associated with Russia". I suspect this alludes to the classic French culinary style à la russe (in the Russian style), which includes a sauce made with mayonnaise blended with other ingredients, including caviar. It does not include tomato and, except for its name, has nothing in common with US Russian dressing described here. 86.142.40.24 (talk) 23:23, 22 February 2008 (UTC)

Hay I saw on the Martha Stewart show today that apparently if you have Mayo and Ketchup mixed together you get Russian dressing, is that technically correct? Im sure there's more to it then just mixing those two ingredients? P.S. Anybody know how they actually make it when sold in bottles like grocery stores? —Preceding unsigned comment added by 69.253.249.55 (talk) 17:54, 5 August 2008 (UTC)

Will the real "Russian dressing"...
Can someone with better facts at their fingertips than I please clarify just what Russian dressing is and address that it means different things in different parts of the world? Growing up in the US, I had always thought of Russian as a richer, tangier version of the bright-orange "French" dressing manufactured by Wish-Bone, et al. It was burnt orange in color, sweet & sour, and gelatinous. This version isn't mentioned in this article. As I came to understand it, both French and Russian as I knew them were US inventions, and that the "real" versions of these dressings mean something totally different both outside the US and in the restaurant business. Anyone care to jump in here? PacificBoy  11:22, 4 September 2009 (UTC)

14 June 1917, Boston Daily Globe, pg. 14: RUSSIAN DRESSING Mix well together 4 tablespoons of olive oil, 1/2 teaspoon of paprika, 1/2 teaspoon each of salt and dry mustard and 1 tablespoon of chili sauce, then add gradually 1/2 cup of mayonnaise. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 92.10.163.165 (talk) 08:37, 17 May 2010 (UTC)

What is shown in the pictures is not Russian dressing which is red in color similar to Catalina — Preceding unsigned comment added by 24.42.231.156 (talk) 15:13, 25 November 2012 (UTC)

I agree with the first poster. Kraft makes Russian salad dressing, I've often bought it. It's more like French salad dressing and has a "beet-like" flavor to it. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 98.20.112.65 (talk) 00:30, 29 July 2013 (UTC)

Russian Dressing in Russia
Can someone please provide the link about "ketchunaise" in Russia? I was born and raised in southwestern part of Russia, and I have never heard that word, nor do I recall any "legitimate" recipe that would call for blending ketchup and mayonnaise. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 155.247.198.99 (talk) 19:25, 16 September 2019 (UTC)


 * Didn't really get the point. "Ketchunaise" is a made up word that doesn't officially exist in Russian. Poverty and popularity of ketchup and mayonnaise in the country led to the appearance of such sauce as an alternative to more expensive ones sold in stores. So in fact it's just a homemade amateur sauce available in poor homes of Russia. As a Russia-born child I'm sure you know it. The only link I can provide on the subject is Heinz ketchunaise, a product that didn't get any popularity in Russia https://yandex.ru/images/search?from=tabbar&text=%D0%BA%D0%B5%D1%82%D1%87%D1%83%D0%BD%D0%B5%D0%B7%20heinz 176.59.17.155 (talk) 00:02, 17 February 2022 (UTC)
 * Heinz even makes ketchunaise-sauce for Russia, so the name is legitimate. Vodolaz (talk) 09:26, 14 September 2022 (UTC)