Salad cream is a creamy, pale yellow condiment based on an emulsion of about 25–50 percent oil in water, emulsified by egg yolk and acidulated by spirit vinegar. It is somewhat similar in composition to mayonnaise, but mayonnaise is made with oil as its main constituent whereas salad cream is based on vinegar and water. Both salad cream and mayonnaise usually include other ingredients such as sugar, mustard, salt, thickener, spices, flavouring and colouring.[3] The first ready-made commercial product was introduced in the United Kingdom in 1914,[1] where it is used as a salad dressing and a sandwich spread.
 Heinz Salad Cream | |
| Type | Salad dressing, also used as a sauce |
|---|---|
| Place of origin | United Kingdom[1][2] |
| Created by | Heinz |
| Main ingredients | Oil, water, egg yolks, spirit vinegar |
Historically, salad cream, often mentioned in Victorian sources, consisted of "hard-boiled eggs puréed with cream, mustard, salt and vinegar".[4]
Brands
editIn the UK, it has been produced by companies including H. J. Heinz Company and Crosse & Blackwell. Heinz Salad Cream was the first brand developed exclusively for the UK market. When first created in the Harlesden kitchens of Heinz in 1914, it was prepared by hand. The jars were packed in straw-lined barrels with 12 dozen in each. The quota was 180 dozen jars a day, with a halfpenny a dozen bonus if the workforce could beat the target.[5]
In the 1990s, Heinz was considering discontinuing the brand. The BBC described the public response as an "outcry". Heinz relaunched salad cream a few months later with a £10m advertising campaign, redesigned packs and increased price points.[6][7]
In 2017, Salad Cream was the fifth best-selling table sauce in the UK according to data from Nielsen, with sales of £28.8m.[7]
See also
edit
- List of sauces
- Miracle Whip, a similar North American condiment
References
edit- ^ a b "Ministry of Food.—statutory rules and orders - Analyst (RSC Publishing)". Rsc.org. 1945-01-01. Retrieved 2015-08-14.
- ^ Corcoran, Caroline (2014-06-05). "Heinz Salad Cream celebrates its 100th anniversary next week - but is". The Independent. Retrieved 2022-06-16.
- ^ Ranken, M. D.; Baker, Christopher G. J.; Kill, Ronald C.; Kill, R. C. (1997-02-28). Food Industries Manual - M.D. Ranken, Christopher G J Baker, R.C. Kill - Google Books. ISBN 9780751404043. Retrieved 2015-08-14.
- ^ Flanders, Judith, The Victorian House: Domestic Life from Childbirth to Deathbed, p. 231, 2003, Harper Perennial, ISBN 0007131895
- ^ "Salad Cream". Heinz. Archived from the original on 2015-07-13. Retrieved 2015-08-14.
- ^ "Salad Cream: Heinz 'considers Sandwich Cream re-brand'". BBC News. 2018-06-05. Retrieved 2023-12-13.
- ^ a b Selwood, Daniel (2018-06-05). "Heinz weighs up new name for Salad Cream in brand overhaul". The Grocer. Retrieved 2023-12-13.