Two Great French Dressing Recipes

When I was in intermediate school (now known as Junior High), I had a classmate named Nick DeGrace. Nick’s parents, Philip and Elizabeth, owned a local restaurant called the Manor House (Liberty, Mo 69 Hwy.) The restaurant was operated by Nick’s big sister Rosalie. I remember there was a fire there, but I don’t remember if that’s why they closed.

I never went there that I can remember, but I do remember my parents going there for parties and dinners. They always seemed to enjoy the place.

Now, as I remember going to other restaurants about that same time (around 1966) you usually only had two or three choices for salad dressing. Those were French, Italian (vinegar & oil), and if you were real lucky, thousand island.

My mother loved the Manor House’s Coronado Court salad dressing and the DeGrace’s graciouly provided her the recipe. It’s easy to make and it’s delicious.

Coronado Court – from the Manor House Restaurant, Liberty, Mo

½ cup sugar
1 cup vinegar
1 cup oil
1 cup catsup (or ketchup)
½ tsp salt
½ tsp tobasco
1 whole garlic button

Mom always mixes it up in a big mason jar, shakes it like crazy, then lets it sit for At least 24 hrs before serving.

In the early 90’s, Marie Calendar’s had a tomato vinegarette that reminded me of Coronado Court dressing but it had tomatoes in it. So, I decided to add a can of drained whole tomatoes to the recipe. It turned out great.
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I met my wife in 1980 and we started dating January 1981. My wife is originally from North Platte, Nebraska. Nebraskans love Dorothy Lynch French salad dressing.

The salad dressing was made in Duncan, Ne. Dorothy and her husband sold the recipe in 1964 to a company called Tasty Toppings for $40,000 and a contract for a 1% royalty. Tasty Toppings opened a production facility in Columbus, Ne. Dorothy died in 1975. In 1987 Tasty Toppings changed the recipe and reduced the calorie content. Arthur, Dorothy’s husband died in 1992. The company again made some changes to the recipe and quit paying the Lynch family the royalties. The Lynch family sued and it went to trial in 1996 at the Platte County, Ne courthouse. The royalties were recovered.

Every time we go to Nebraska, we have to pick up a few bottles of Dorothy Lynch to bring home. In 2009, our local Wal Mart carried the dressing for about three months but then stopped.

Sometime in the 90’s, my wife ran across this recipe which is pretty close and very good.

Dorothy Lynch French Salad Dressing

Mix in blender
1 cup sugar
1 cup oil
1 can (10 3/4 ounces) Campbell’s tomato soup, undiluted
1/2 cup vinegar
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon dry mustard
1 teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon celery seed
1/8 teaspoon garlic powder

Enjoy!