19th Century Salad Oil

[Delmonico]

If you are cooking a recipe and you want to stay as close to period with it as possible what do you do about salad oil? 

For recipes such as most corn bread ones, I simply use 2/3 as much melted lard or one can use melted butter in the same amount as called for salad oil.

Also olive oil was used in salads, making mayo and other things where only oil will do.  It is listed in most lists of groceries as sweet oil.   There was some production of olive oil in California, but much of it came from Italy and Spain, just as much of it does today.

Also melted bacon grease was mixed with vinegar and poured hot over salad greens, making the "Wilted Lettuce Salad" popular at the time.

[Oregon Bill]

By golly, Del, thanks for the post. You really keep after the details of period-correct cooking in the 1800s, and I sure do appreciate it. Hope your health is fine. Get that book done!

[Mogorilla]

I have not thought of wilted lettuce since my folks passed.  My folks were big time gardners and by default I was their mule.   My mom watched my dad's diet pretty closely as he could have eaten nothing but dirt and still had cholesterol in the 300s.   She did fix him wilted lettuce a couple of times a year as a treat.  That was the first salad I ate and probably the only variety I ate until I turned 18.   I may have to go get some leaf lettuce tonight. 

(on a funny side note, my wife bought some low cal italian dressing.  It was essentially pure vinegar, and not good vinegar.  We were trying to use it up, and I made use a nice salad with a little bacon, apples, walnuts and blue cheese.  We only had the low cal dressing, so I kicked it up with a little of the bacon drippings.  (not much as I only fried 2 pieces in the first place).  Wife loved it.  She asked what I had done to make the dressing taste better.  I told her this low fat dressing wasn't too bad, if you added some bacon grease to it.     I thought she was going to fall out of her chair laughing.)

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[Hemlock Mike]

I make wilted lettuce dressing all the time.  Not too much grease but for sure enough to be good.
I add garlic and onion for extra flavor.  Use good lean smokey bacon - Thick sliced.

Mike