Ranch Dressing

Ranch dressing is a popular condiment used for more than just salads. People use ranch dressing to dip fish, french fries, potato wedges chicken and a variety of other things including vegetables like carrots and celery.

Ranch dressing is made from buttermilk, sour cream, mayonnaise, green onions, garlic powder and other seasonings. You can buy ranch dressing already prepared or you can make your own. There are several recipes for ranch dressing.

In the early days, ranch dressing didn't seem likely to take Italian's crown. It was a strictly local delicacy—the pride of Steve and Gayle Henson, a couple who'd opened a dude ranch near Santa Barbara, Calif., in 1954. Visitors to the Henson spread, known as Hidden Valley Ranch, came for the horseback riding, but they frequently left with fonder memories of Steve's special dressing. The Hensons began to give their guests to-go bottles, and eventually they started a small plant where they manufactured packets of ranch seasoning for the retail market. — Slate

• Hidden Valley®: Ranch Dressing History