Why it works: Vinegar and pepper are a kitchen classic. They rank in the top 14% of all ingredient pairs, and cooks put them together in 27,814 recipes. Both carry 4'-methylacetophenone, which smells bitter almond. The science ↓
French Dressing
Ingredients
Directions
In a small deep saucer, mix the pepper and salt.
Stir in 1 tablespoon of oil, then add a little vinegar.
Continue adding oil and vinegar, beating constantly until all is used and the dressing is thick.
For a firmer dressing, use more oil; for a less firm dressing, use more vinegar.
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.
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.
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Vinegar + peppertop 14% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked 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
- Oil
- Forms the continuous fat phase that gives the dressing body and a rich mouthfeel.
- Vinegar
- Adds acidity and thins the dressing, balancing the richness of the oil.
The step that matters
Adding oil and vinegar while beating. Beating breaks the oil into tiny droplets suspended in the vinegar, which lets the dressing emulsify and thicken. Adding the liquids too quickly or stopping the beating lets the oil separate out again.
“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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