Ingredients: Imitation

The last time I was in the Kroger picking up some groceries, the woman in front of me was buying a large container of Mullen's Imitation French Dressing. I was intrigued. French dressing, although thought delicious by some (indeed, the only dressing I liked as a child), isn't really French. But reader, you already knew that. What could imitation French dressing possibly be?

So today, as I picking up some groceries, I made a point of checking Mullen's product out. Apparently, they produce only two different dressings that are stocked by the Kroger: French dressing and Imitation French Dressing. Even more intrigued. Further investigation revealed that the ingredients in both were exactly the same, but in different proportions. Hmmmm.

The web site revealed this information about the Imitation French Dressing:

For many decades J.D. Mullen marketed this delicious dressing Americans have loved, no matter what is was called. in order to meet state and federal law requirements, we chose to change the name rather than add more oil to the original recipe. You'll find this delightful pouring type dressing light and delicious.

And this about Mullen's French Dressing:

	J.D. Mullen created a formula designed to meet strict government standards or a French dressing using the same ingredients as the original recipe. More corn oil was added and the other were ingredients reapportioned. Because it is not quite so tart or sweet, some folks like it even better.

Apparently, some folks have the government to blame or thank. I didn't buy either.

The Venn Diagram of My Blogs

I have two blogs on two fairly different subjects, but a little bit of an overlap pops up every once in a while. For instance, you often see my wonderful dish finds from MTSS displaying my cooking or food finds on bYb.

Last week while I was shopping at Half-Price Books, my blog worlds collided when I found a copy of Jean Anthelme Brillat-Savarin's The Physiology of Taste , first published in 1825. The edition I found was the 1949 translation by M.F.K. Fisher, herself arguably one of the most important food writers of the twentieth century, with delightful illustrations by Sylvain Sauvage. The book is inscribed "Darling, I hope you enjoy this delightful gentleman & his world as much as I have done. Love & happy birthday, Mother. 1990."

Some important quotes by Brillat-Savarin:

Tell me what you eat, and I shall tell you what you are.

The discovery of a new dish does more for human happiness than the discovery of a star.

A dinner which ends without cheese is like a beautiful woman with only one eye. (My favorite. Bring on the cheese!)

M.F.K. Fisher, a pretty woman with two eyes!

And a quote from M.F.K. Fisher
People ask me: "Why do you write about food, and eating, and drinking? Why don't you write about the struggle for power and security, and about love, the way the others do?" . . . The easiest answer is to say that, like most other humans, I am hungry. (I concur.)

You can read more about Fisher is the biography Poet of the Appetites: The Lives and Loves of M.F.K. Fisher by Joan Reardon. You can also pick up a paperback version of Fisher's translation of the Physiology of Taste at Amazon.