Carl Esbjornson, our assistant editor’s husband, has been making a tasty balsamic vinaigrette for years, with the herbs and garlic they grow. The vinaigrette has been used as a salad dressing and a marinade for chicken. When their daughters were in high school, one of the girls’ friends, Kathryn, was having dinner with them. Pouring a large amount of the vinaigrette on her salad, she grinned and said, “You know, if you want to give me a Christmas gift this year, you could just give me a big bottle of this dressing! I could just drink it!” Carl was inspired and created a label—Carl’s Own—complete with a photo of him on the shores of Bradley Lake, the Grand Tetons in the background. He taped the label to a salad dressing bottle. When opening Christmas gifts, Kathryn was thrilled to receive Carl’s Own. The recipe is still a hit with friends—Carl says, “Eat your heart out, Paul Newman!”
Ingredients:
¾ cup olive oil
2 tablespoons Balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
¼ teaspoon pepper
¼ teaspoon salt
½ tablespoon crushed garlic (1 large clove)
½ teaspoon dried thyme
½ teaspoon dried oregano
½ teaspoon dried dill
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