Avocado Salad with Hidden Valley Ranch
Written by: Alison Needham
Hidden Valley Ranch was a real place located just out of Santa Barbara, California. Purchased by Steve and Gayle Hensen in 1956, the 120 acre property served as a dude ranch for several years. At meal times, guests were served a creamy and herbaceous salad dressing that became so wildly popular that Steve would make packets of his famous seasoning to send home with guests so they could have a taste of Hidden Valley whenever they wanted. While the dude ranch concept never quite became as successful as the Hensens had hoped, another business opportunity had blossomed, and they began a mail-order business for Hidden Valley Ranch seasoning packets. The rest, as they say, is history. The original Hidden Valley Ranch dressing recipe called for (easy-to-ship) dried herbs and spices. Our version uses fresh herbs. Pair this salad with cool and crisp California Grenache Blanc or a chilled California white blend.
