This is a recipe that I am going to have to work on a bit for the Murder, She Cooked book as I think there must be a typo in Angela’s recipe. Here’s a scan of the recipe from Angela’s fabulous Positive Moves book.
I did make some vinaigrette to this schema but had to add a LOT more vinegar to get it to the right consistency.
I got a bit obsessed with vinaigrette ratios after making this dressing because I knew something was off with the recipe. Let’s do some maths!
I converted Angela’s measurements to grams so my brain could handle it. 1/2 cup olive oil = about 107g and 2.5 teaspoons vinegar = about 12g so the ratio in Angela’s recipe is therefore almost 9:1 oil to vinegar. Let’s look at how some other folks make their vinaigrette as a comparison.
In her fabulous book, Kitchen Confidence my bosom buddy Battenburgbelle’s ratio is 3:1.
Dinah Shore uses a 3:1 ratio too…
and on travels around the internet, the general consensus seems to be that 3:1 is the standard ratio for vinaigrette.
However, my culinary hero Vincent Price goes for 1/2 cup of oil and 2 tablespoons of vinegar in A Treasury of Great Recipes
so I am wondering whether Angela’s recipe should have read 2 & 1/2 TABLESPOONS of vinegar rather than 2 & 1/2 TEASPOONS. I will try this again sometime soon with this ratio and report back.
The last word on vinaigrette must go to Nora Ephron. I have read Heartburn SO MANY TIMES because I love it so.
My Guild of Food Writers chum Laura Washburn Hutton uses the name Bad Vinaigrette on social media which makes me laugh.
She told me that the idea for this moniker was sparked by this passage in Heartburn.
“[I] had gotten to the point where I simply could not make a bad vinaigrette, this was not exactly the stuff of drama. (Even now, I cannot believe Mark would want to risk losing that vinaigrette. You just don’t bump into vinaigrettes that good.)”
Nora’s ratio? 3:1
Mix 2 tablespoons Grey Poupon mustard with 2 tablespoons good red wine vinegar. Then, whisking constantly with a fork, slowly add 6 tablespoons olive oil until the vinaigrette is thick and creamy.
If anyone has any thoughts about Angela’s vinaigrette ratio I’m dying to hear them. My life is just so rock and roll!
There are still recipes up for grabs to test for the Murder, She Cooked book. Skip over here to check out what’s available. Everyone welcome.
I think you’re right: it should read tablespoons, not teaspoons. The classic ratio of oil:acid for a vinaigrette is 3:1. So, 1/2 cup of oil equals 24 teaspoons. 24/3 = 8 teaspoons which is just about 2 1/2 tablespoons (there’s 3 teaspoons in a tablespoon).
So disappointing when cookbooks contain typos!
Oooh, Cindy! Thanks a million for stopping by and I love your teaspoon translations and advanced mathematics. I am going to try this ratio at the weekend. Fingers crossed!