Back at the Ranch

I enjoyed your piece on salad dressings (Aug. 25) and want to add a note on the “ranch” dressings.

In the very early ‘50s, probably 1950 and 1952, my husband and I stayed overnight at a motel in Bakersfield. Both evenings we had our dinner at a restaurant close by (name long forgotten) and were served a delicious and completely novel salad dressing made with buttermilk. At least once I bought a jar to take along. The dressing was featured and labeled as the restaurant’s own, and whether it was a precursor of Hidden Valley Ranch or an imitation, I don’t know. I just remember it as being very, very good.

--BESS CHRISTENSEN

Lompoc

Thanks for the info on Hidden Valley Ranch. If the public knew that the second ingredient listed on the (seasoning) package was MSG, I wonder what percentage (would use it)?

--DENNIS COBAUGH

Hollywood

Editor’s Note: And the first ingredient listed is salt.