Ranch dressing
Ranch dressing is a creamy American condiment typically made with buttermilk, herbs, and spices. It is used as both a salad dressing and a dip.
Buttermilk: Buttermilk is a fermented dairy drink with a tart flavor and a thicker texture than milk. Its tang and acidity give classic ranch dressing much of its characteristic flavor.
Hidden Valley Ranch: Hidden Valley Ranch is a California ranch founded by Steve and Gayle Henson that became the namesake of ranch dressing. The Hensons developed the dressing at this ranch in the early 1950s.
Salad dressing: Salad dressing is a sauce or seasoning added to salads to provide flavor, moisture, and texture. Ranch is one of the most widely used creamy dressings for salads.
Blue cheese dressing: Blue cheese dressing is a creamy salad dressing made with blue cheese and commonly served with salads and chicken wings. It shares ranch's role as a creamy wing dip but has a pronounced cheese flavor.
Mayonnaise: Mayonnaise is a thick, cold sauce made by emulsifying oil with egg yolk and an acidic liquid. It supplies richness and body in many ranch dressing recipes.
Steve Henson: Steve Henson was an American rancher and entrepreneur associated with the creation of ranch dressing. He developed the original dressing recipe with his wife, Gayle.
Vegetable tray: A vegetable tray is an assortment of raw or lightly prepared vegetables served together, often with a dip. Ranch is a common dip for raw vegetables such as carrots, celery, and peppers.
Thousand Island dressing: Thousand Island dressing is a creamy condiment commonly made with mayonnaise, ketchup, and chopped ingredients such as pickles. Its sweet, tangy tomato profile contrasts with ranch's buttermilk and herb flavor.
Sour cream: Sour cream is cream fermented by lactic acid bacteria until thick and tangy. It is a common alternative or addition to buttermilk for a thicker dressing.
Gayle Henson: Gayle Henson was an American businesswoman who helped develop and commercialize ranch dressing. Her work helped turn the ranch's house dressing into a product for wider sale.