DRESSING Family #3:
DAIRY-BASED DRESSINGSThese dressings are by far the easiest to make, because dairy
products, as a general rule, come preemulsified. That’s right
—the creamy milk you’re drinking is creamy precisely
because it has fat distributed through it in tiny, tiny droplets.
With a dairy-based dressing, you never have to worry about
it breaking. On the flip side, dairy-based dressings don’t
have nearly as long a shelf life as constructed emulsions like
a vinaigrette or a mayonnaise.
Cultured milk products, like sour cream, yogurt, or crème
fraîche, are the best bases—their thickness makes them ideal
for coating leaves and vegetables evenly, while their
tanginess is a natural in salads.