This popular
salad dressing was first
invented by
Sophia Lalonde in the early 1900's in the village of
Clayton, NY. Most people do not associate the name "Thousand Island" with any particular
geographic region, let alone from upstate
New York. It is the only salad dressing named for any region in the
USA.
Sophia's husband, George Lalonde Jr., frequently brought visiting fisherman and other guests home for dinner where this 'different and unusual' salad dressing was part of the meal. Miss May Irwin, a stage actress and renowned cook from New York City upon visiting asked Sophia for the recipe, which she was given and invented the name "Thousand Island Dressing" for it. Mrs. Ella Bertrand of the Herald Hotel, the most popular in Clayton, recieved the recipe from Sophia at the same time and began offering it to the general public as a regular salad dressing.
When Miss Irwin returned to New York City, she offered the recipe to George C. Boltd of the Waldorf Astoria Hotel where the the maitre d' Oscar Tschirky introduced it to the world.
The Herald Hotel was later renamed Thousand Islands Inn in 1972 by the new owners Allen and Susan Benas where this dressing is offered as the house dressing.
Recipe for
Old-Fashioned Thousand Island Dressing:
1-1/4 cups Mazola Mayonnaise
1/4 cup Chili sauce (or Tomato Paste)
1/2 teaspoon scraped onion
1 tablespoon minced pickle
2 tablespoons chopped, stuffed olives
1 hard boiled egg, chopped fine
1/2 cup whipped cream
History Source: Thousand Islands Inn at
http://www.1000-islands.com/inn/dressing.htm
Recipe Source:
http://www.freerecipe.org/Extras/Dressings/ThousandIs_hgbd.htm