Name: 1. French Dressing.
Ingredients: 1/4 teaspoonful vinegar 2 tablespoonfuls olive oil 4 tablespoonfuls _method; 2 tablespoonfuls olive oil 4 tablespoonfuls _method; 1/2 teaspoonful pepper 1/4 teaspoonful vinegar 2 tablespoonfuls olive oil 4 tabl; 4 tablespoonfuls _method

Why it works: Vinegar and olive are a kitchen classic. They rank in the top 10% of all ingredient pairs, and cooks put them together in 12,297 recipes. Both carry isoamyl acetate, which smells banana, fruity. The science ↓

1. French Dressing.

Ingredients

1/4 teaspoonful vinegar 2 tablespoonfuls olive oil 4 tablespoonfuls _method
2 tablespoonfuls olive oil 4 tablespoonfuls _method
1/2 teaspoonful pepper 1/4 teaspoonful vinegar 2 tablespoonfuls olive oil 4 tabl
4 tablespoonfuls _method

Directions

Mix the salt, pepper, and vinegar, then stir in the olive oil slowly.
A few drops of onion juice may be added.

Nutrition, whole recipe (rough)

128Calories

0 gProtein

14 gFat

2 gCarbs

What these numbers assume: 3 portions

Ingredient	Portion assumed	kcal
Olive Oil	1 tbsp (14g)	119
Black Pepper	1 tsp ground (2.3g)	6
Vinegar	1 tbsp (15ml) distilled	3

One typical portion per ingredient; the recipe's quantities are not counted. A rough guide only, not for medical or dietary planning.

By Helen Kinne and Anna M. Cooley. Recipe from a historical cookbook (Project Gutenberg).

Transcribed from a scanned cookbook and modernised for today's kitchens. Where the book gave no heat or time, or said "a moderate oven", the temperatures and times here may be modern equivalents rather than the book's own figures. See the original page.

Explore the science

The flavor team

The pairs that carry this dish. Each one is judged two ways: how much their aromas overlap, and how often cooks already put them together.

Vinegar + olivetop 10% of all pairs

Smell alikemoderate

Cooked together12,297 recipes

Shared aroma: isoamyl acetate (banana, fruity).
Olive + peppertop 11% of all pairs

Smell alikemoderate

Cooked together30,263 recipes

Shared aroma: 2,4-decadienal (seaweed).
Vinegar + peppertop 14% of all pairs

Smell alikemoderate

Cooked together27,814 recipes

Shared aroma: 4'-methylacetophenone (bitter almond).

Ranks compare each pair with 20,000 random ingredient pairs on CompKitchen. How we score pairs

What each ingredient does

Vinegar: Adds acidity that sharpens the flavour and balances the richness of the oil.
Olive oil: Supplies fat that carries flavour and gives the dressing a smooth, rich body.

The step that matters

Stir in the olive oil slowly. Adding oil gradually while stirring breaks it into small droplets dispersed in the vinegar. A slow addition helps form a temporary emulsion, so the dressing stays blended rather than separating into layers.

“What each ingredient does” and “The step that matters” were written by Claude from this recipe’s own method and reviewed in samples by CompKitchen.

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1. French Dressing.