A historical salad from The White House cook book; a comprehensive cyclopedia of information for the home .. (1913). Only use perfectly ripe tomatoes - the skins should peel off easily. Don't scald as it injures the flavor. The mustard and cream addition is optional for a more refined dish.
Preserved exactly as written in the original source
Carefully remove the peelings
Slice them and sprinkle generously with salt, more sparingly with black pepper
To a dish holding one quart, add a light tablespoonful of sugar to give a piquant zest to the whole
Add a gill of best cider vinegar
For epicurean palate, add a teaspoonful of made mustard and two tablespoonfuls of rich sweet cream
Modern guidance to help you succeed with this vintage recipe
Salt draws out excess moisture from tomatoes through osmosis, concentrating their flavor while creating a flavorful brine. The sugar balances the tomatoes' natural acidity and enhances their fruity notes through taste perception. Peeling raw tomatoes rather than scalding preserves their fresh, delicate flavor compounds that are volatile and break down with heat, while the acidity from vinegar helps maintain the tomatoes' bright color by preventing enzymatic browning.
The vinegar dressing (vinegar, sugar, mustard, and cream whisked together) can be prepared up to 2 hours ahead and kept at room temperature. However, the tomatoes should be peeled and dressed no more than 1 hour before serving, as they will continue to release liquid and become watery if left too long.
This salad is best consumed the day it's made. Leftovers can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 24 hours, but the tomatoes will become very soft and watery. Drain excess liquid before serving leftovers.
AI-generated tips from Chef Cecil's culinary database
The vinegar dressing (vinegar, sugar, mustard, and cream whisked together) can be prepared up to 2 hours ahead and kept at room temperature. However, the tomatoes should be peeled and dressed no more than 1 hour before serving, as they will continue to release liquid and become watery if left too long.
This salad is best consumed the day it's made. Leftovers can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 24 hours, but the tomatoes will become very soft and watery. Drain excess liquid before serving leftovers.
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