The Cobb Salad endures on restaurant menus, decades after once-popular luncheon salads such as Allerton Salad, aspics, Russian Salad, spinach salad (with mushrooms and bacon), stuffed tomatoes and Waldorf Salad have faded into obscurity.

And thank goodness it’s still here, because it’s one of our favorites.

Below:

> The history of the Cobb Salad.

> Expanding the Cobb Salad with added ingredients.

> Cobb Salad Sandwich recipe.

> Asian Cobb Salad recipe.

Elsewhere on The Nibble:

> More yummy Cobb Salad recipe variations.

> The history of salad.

> The history of the chopped salad.

> The 40+ salad holidays.

> More Cobb Salad recipes.
 
 
THE HISTORY OF THE COBB SALAD

Late one evening in 1937, Bob Cobb, owner of The Brown Derby restaurant in Hollywood, was scrounging in the kitchen’s refrigerator for a snack.

He grabbed a head of iceberg lettuce, an avocado, some romaine, watercress, tomatoes, a cold breast of chicken, a hard-cooked egg, chives, blue cheese and some old-fashioned French dressing*. He took some crisp bacon from one of the chefs and started chopping.

He laid each ingredient in a row, in a bowl.

Cobb shared the salad with his friend Sid Grauman, proprietor of Grauman’s Chinese Theatre, who came back and asked for a “Cobb Salad” the next day.

It was put on the menu and became an overnight sensation. Customers like movie mogul Jack Warner regularly dispatched his chauffeur to pick one up.

Since then, the salad has often been served with the ingredients laid out on the plate in rows, rather than tossed or with the other ingredients layered atop the greens, like a chef salad. However….
 
 
The Original Cobb Salad Was Not Laid Out In Rows

In the original 1930s Hollywood Brown Derby presentation, the salad was brought to the table as a mound of finely chopped ingredients that the waiter would toss with the dressing at the table (it could be brought to the table pre-mixed).

The “striped” version that’s popular today was a later evolution in food styling.

The original fame of the Brown Derby’s Cobb Salad came from how finely the ingredients were minced, much like today’s chopped salad, where every forkful had a bit of every ingredient. The focus was on the blend of flavors, not a visual pattern.

As the salad became a mid-century American staple, chefs and cookbook photographers realized that a big bowl of finely chopped, mixed greens and proteins didn’t look particularly appetizing in photos.

By arranging the ingredients in distinct rows (“stripes”), restaurants could showcase the quality ingredients: fresh avocado, high-quality blue cheese, and real chicken breast (photo #7, below).

No one person has been credited with the first “striped” salad. It evolved through food photography and magazine styling in the 1950s and 1960s.

This layout became so iconic that now, almost any salad served in rows—regardless of the ingredients—is often called a “Cobb-style” presentation.

By the time the Cheesecake Factory and other modern chains popularized their versions), the rows had become the industry standard for the Cobb Salad’s identity.
 

[7] Today the Cobb Salad is laid out in “stripes” or rows, to showcase the ingredients (photo: The Nibble).
 
 
Expanding The Cobb With Added Ingredients

Over time, people have added an extra ingredient, like the ham in photo #1 and the corn kernels in photo #2, celery, bell pepper, scallions, croutons, and so on—a “kitchen sink” approach.

People who don’t like blue cheese substitute Cheddar. People who don’t like tomatoes substitute red pepper. People who don’t eat bacon substitute kidney beans.

There have been variations like Wolfgang Puck’s Lobster Cobb Salad. And now, here’s the Cobb Sandwich.

If you want to add to the classic, here’s a checklist:

Cobb has definitely become a “kitchen sink” salad over time. Here are other ingredients you’ll often see that weren’t part of the original Brown Derby version:

[1] Cobb Salads are typically served with the ingredients in rows (photo © eMeals weekly meal plans).

[2] In the chips? Trade the chicken and ham for a Lobster Club Salad. Here’s the recipe from Skinnytaste (photo © Skinnytaste).

[3] A Cobb Wedge Salad: the Cobb toppings used as a toppings for a wedge of iceberg lettuce (photo © Sid Wainer).

[4] The evolution of the Cobb Salad: the Cobb Sandwich (photo © Wisconsin Milk Marketing Board).

[5] Asian Cobb Salad, with bean sprouts, napa cabbage, seaweed salad and an Asian vinaigrette (photo © East & West Yotel | New York City).

[6] You can vary the ingredients to reflect different cuisines. This Italian Cobb Salad has speck and sundried tomatoes. We’d add some shaved provolone cheese (photo © Uncommon Flavors Of Europe).

 

[8] Cobb Salad ingredients on a baguette. On the left slice blue cheese mayonnaise, mixed salad greens, and tomatoes. On the right slice: avocado purée, sliced turkey, and bacon (photo: The Nibble).
 
RECIPE #1: COBB SANDWICH

The Cobb sandwich puts Cobb salad ingredients on a baguette (photo #8 above) or sourdough (photo #4).

Ingredients For 4 Servings

Blue Cheese Mayonnaise

 
Avocado Purée

 
Sandwich

 
Preparation

1. COMBINE blue cheese and mayonnaise in a small bowl; mix well and set aside.

2. MIX the avocado purée, lemon juice, salt and pepper until well blended.

3. ASSEMBLE: Spread one bread slice with 1 to 2 tablespoons of the blue cheese mayonnaise. Layer the mixed salad greens and 2 tomato slices. Spread the other bread slice with avocado purée, slices of turkey, 1/2 sliced hard-boiled eggs, and 2 bacon strips on the bread. Combine the two sides and secure with a pick as need. Repeat to make three more sandwiches.
 

[9] Asian Cobb Salad. The recipe follows (photo: The Nibble).
 
RECIPE #2: ASIAN COBB SALAD

Can you call something a Cobb Salad variation when the only ingredients it shares with the original are lettuce and chicken—ingredients common to more than a few salads? We’d say no, but we like this salad with a more appropriate name, like Asian Chicken Salad.
 
Ingredients For 8 Servings

For The Dressing

 
For The Salad

 
Preparation

1. COMBINE the dressing ingredients in a jar with a lid. Cover and shake to combine. Set aside.

2. MIX the lettuce, cabbage, snow/snap peas, bean sprouts and parsley in large serving bowl; toss to combine. Arrange the chicken, avocados, carrots, green onions and mushrooms on top.

3. SPRINKLE the rice noodles and almonds on top. Drizzle the dressing over the salad and serve immediately.
 
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*The French use vinaigrette—oil and vinegar—as a salad dressing. Originally, “French dressing” was synonymous with vinaigrette. Over time, a sweet, decidedly non-French, orange-colored vinaigrette (from ketchup, not a very French condiment) appeared in the U.S. and Canada. It’s what “French dressing” is today. To make it, combine 1/4 cup white wine vinegar, 1/3 cup olive oil, 1/4 cup ketchup, 1 tablespoon sugar, 2 teaspoons paprika, 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce, a pinch of salt. Our mother halved the sugar and threw in a clove of garlic.
 

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A marinade is a savory, acidic sauce comprised of an acid, oil and seasonings. The food—fish, meat, vegetables—is bathed in the marinade to enrich its flavor and/or to tenderize it. The breaking down of the tissue also causes meat and poultry to hold more liquid, making it juicier.

The marinade should be relatively thin in consistency, in order to penetrate the food. The acidic ingredient can be buttermilk, lemon juice, wine/beer, or yogurt, seasoned with herbs and/or spices. Sometimes oil is eliminated from red meat marinades, because meat generally contains enough fat.
 
EASY MARINADE RECIPE

1. MIX any good cooking oil with an acid (lemon juice, vinegar, wine).

Old-school marinating: in a glass or plastic dish. Photo courtesy 12Tomatoes.com.

Thanks to Linda Stadley of What‘s Cooking America and FoodSafety.gov for some of these tips:

EASIEST MARINATING: PLASTIC BAG

The easiest and least messy way to marinate food is to use a resealable plastic bag. When all of the air is pressed out before the bag is sealed, the marinade completely surrounds the meat.

This dramatically reduces the amount of marinade necessary, and also affords even marination, allowing maximum penetration of the marinade from all sides.

Here are tips from McCormick for five-minute marinating. If your recipe calls for a longer time, follow the instructions.

1. PLACE the food and the marinade in a resealable plastic bag.

2. PUSH the air out of the bag and seal tightly.

3. MASSAGE the food for five minutes, turning the bag often so it absorbs most of the marinade. (this is easy to do with meat and seafood; vegetables should just be squished around in the bag).

4. REMOVE the food and cook. Discard the bag with the remaining marinade.

Everyone we lunch with seems to order a Greek salad or a Cobb salad. And they admit that they never make it at home!

So today’s tip is: Enjoy a Greek salad at home, regularly. When you make your own, you can add as much feta, olives, pepperoncini, and other favorite ingredients as you like.

 
Serve your Greek salad as a main meal, a smaller salad course, or as a soup-and-salad or sandwich-and-salad combo for lunch.

FOOD TRIVIA: In Greece, the feta-cucumber-onion-plus salad is referred to as horiatiki, which translates to country/village/peasant salad. It is a common part of a traditional Greek meal. Horiatiki doesn’t contain lettuce—that’s an American preference. In Greece, you’ll only see lettuce used at restaurants that cater to tourists.

A cute Greek salad preparation from Stix
Mediterranean Grill in New York City. What’s missing? The lettuce, which is not part of authentic recipes.

The recipe below is from Molyvos, one of the finest Greek restaurants in New York City. Executive Chef Jim Botsacos. He serves an American-style Greek salad, but check out the preparation: He uses the techniques of a top chef.
 
 
RECIPE #1: GREEK SALAD

Ingredients For 6 Side Servings

 
______________

*When beefsteak or heirloom tomatoes are not in season, use halved cherry tomatoes.

Preparation

1. CORE the tomatoes. Cut each tomato in half crosswise, then cut each half into 6 pieces. Place the pieces in a mixing bowl. Add the cucumber.

2. CUT the onion in half lengthwise and then slice each half lengthwise into thin julienne. Add the onion to the bowl. Add the olives, cheese, and capers. If using pepperoncini, slice into circles and add; or use whole as a garnish.

3. ADD the vinaigrette and toss to coat. Taste and season with oregano and salt and pepper to taste.

4. PLACE an equal portion of the lettuce on each of the 6 salad plates or bowls. Top with an equal portion of the tomato mixture, and sprinkle lightly with oregano. Serve immediately.
 
 
RECIPE #2: RED WINE VINAIGRETTE

Ingredients

 
Preparation

1. COMBINE the vinegar with the garlic and oregano in a small mixing bowl. Using a wire whisk, whisking constantly. add the olive oil in a slow, steady stream until all the oil is incorporated.

2. SEASON with salt and pepper to taste and set aside until ready to use. Whisk briefly before using.
 
 

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The baked potato becomes a potato pancake; crumbled bacon, green onion and Gruyère cheese go into the pancake; and the sour cream becomes avocado cream. The pancakes are topped with toasted corn salsa.

This recipe, courtesy of Simply Gourmet and our favorite potato recipe website, PotatoGoodness.com, was part of the Amazing Appetizers Culinary Challenge at Eat, Write, Retreat. It makes 12 potato pancakes for a first course or side.

Ingredients

A potato pancake with toasted corn salsa. Photo and recipe courtesy Simply Gourmet | Potato Goodness.

Preparation

1. ADD diced potatoes to a large pot and fill with water until just above potatoes. Bring to a boil. When potatoes are done, drain the water and let the potatoes dry out in the pot for a minute or two.

2. FRY bacon and cut into small pieces. Save the grease and use to fry the potato pancakes.

3. COMBINE the bacon, green onion, cheese, egg, flour, salt and pepper in a medium bowl.

4. RICE the potatoes into the bowl with the other ingredients, using a potato ricer. Stir to combine. The consistency will be very thick.

5. SCOOP with an ice cream scoop to portion the pancakes, then shape them into 2-inch disks. Fry the potato pancakes in bacon grease until they are golden brown (if you don’t have enough bacon fat, supplement with another fat or oil). Remove them to a wire rack over paper towels to drain.

6. TO SERVE: Top with avocado cream and grilled corn salsa.

RECIPE: AVOCADO CREAM

Ingredients

 
Preparation

1. COMBINE avocado, sour cream, lime juice, salt, garlic powder and onion powder into a small bowl.

2. MASH with a fork; then whip until smooth with a wire whisk. Alternatively, you can use a food processor. Makes 2 cups.

RECIPE: TOASTED CORN SALSA

Ingredients

 
Preparation

1. HEAT a cast-iron pan until very hot. Add the corn and toast on all sides, stirring frequently so it does not burn. Remove once it has a nice brown color.

2. COMBINE corn and the remaining ingredients in a medium bowl. Serve hot or cold.

Aside from a constant stream of delicious things to eat, the nice thing about working in the specialty food space is that the “discoveries” never end.

Just in time for National Ice Cream Sandwich Day (August 2nd), we came across something new at Dolce Gelateria in Greenwich Village (33 Barrow Street, just east of Seventh Avenue).

In addition to 24 appealing flavors of gelato (the cantaloupe is the hands-down winner in a tasty field), Dolce Gelateria introduced us to the gelato ice cream sandwich—on a brioche roll.

Proprietor Salvatore Potestio says that’s how ice cream sandwiches have always been served in his native Sicily. He scoops what seems more than a half pint of gelato—your choice of two flavors—onto a hamburger-size brioche roll.

We ate ours like an overstuffed sandwich, without the colorful little gelato spoon. As large as the portion was, we soldiered on, finishing every last crumb.

Then we went home and tried it with almond croissants, chocolate croissants, plain croissants and King’s Hawaiian Bread. It works with all of t hem!

Serve an ice cream sandwich on brioche. Photo courtesy Dolce Gelateria | New York City.

They are joined by “American” flavors that Salvatore created to acknowledge his kids, American college students: in Almond Joy, Butter Pecan, Nutella*, Rice Pudding and a constantly growing roster.

House-made waffle cones are about eight inches tall—the NBA of ice cream cones. We preferred them to the equally tall imported Italian cones, which are still an improvement over the wafer-like American cake cones, which have less flavor and body than a sugar cone or a waffle cone.
 
*While Nutella is an Italian bread spread, finding many more ways to use it seems to be an American pursuit.

There’s a King’s Hawaiian roll for every
purpose—including ice cream sandwiches.
Photo courtesy King’s Hawaiian.

BACK TO THE BRIOCHE ICE CREAM SANDWICH

Wait a minute. What is brioche, that most buttery and eggy of French breads, doing in Sicily?

Salvatore references the Norman conquest of southern Italy, including the island of Sicily, which spanned most of the 11th and 12th centuries. With the conquerors came the bakers, and ultimately the brioche.

The first recorded use of “brioche” in French dates from 1404, the very beginning of the 13th century. So on the great food timeline, the reference works.

Given the random survival of printed records (destruction by fire, earthquake, war, general decay, etc.), foods and any items and practices can be in use for decades before a printed reference appears.

It should also be noted that, while fruit juice-flavored ices have been around since about 2000 B.C.E., gelato was invented in the 14th century. (Here’s the history of ice cream.)

Switch the brioche for King’s Hawaiian, a line of breads based on a Portuguese sweet bread recipe. They’re made in a variety of ever-so-delicious styles: burger, dinner, hot dog, mini sub and sandwich buns and rolls, plus loaves and sliced bread.

Founded in Hawaii in the late 1950s, the company now has a bakery on each coast and national distribution. Look for them at your retailer, or ask the store manager to bring them in.

Our whole family has fallen for King’s Hawaiian, a recent Top Pick Of The Week.

King’s Hawaiian and any flavor from Dolce Gelateria (or your favorite ice cream or frozen yogurt) are a match made in heaven. Enjoy them on National Ice Cream Sandwich Day.