This is the story of a vinaigrette. A delicious, sweet-tangy vinaigrette that I adore.

Last year, I went to an event at Craftbar where I discovered my new favorite salad dressing: Shallot Vinaigrette. It was one of those edible moments where the fork glided into my mouth and I was instantly won over. Forkful after forkful, I couldn’t get enough. I loved it so much that I begged Maris, who was working at the event, to get my the recipe (sadly, they didn’t fork it over).

A few weeks ago, I was leafing through old editions of Everyday Food, looking for recipes, inspiration — something. And it was there that I found it. A recipe for Shallot Vinaigrette, tucked neatly between advertisements for coffee and maraschino cherries. I probably leafed right past it back in 2006 when the magazine arrived.

Honestly, there was no way of knowing if this dressing would be anything like the Craftbar one. Even looking at the ingredients, it was hard to tell if the result would be something I’d enjoy. The list included a substantial amount of mustard, which usually makes me skim past recipes. But I decided to go for it anyway. Who knows … it could be incredible, right?

I really paid little attention to the recipe directions, and just mixed everything together at once, exchanging Marjoram for oregano (since the grocery store was out of the latter). Of course, I sampled before pouring into a dressing container too … but the real verdict came when I dressed my salad with it. So, was it bliss? Um, yes. This Shallot Vinaigrette was fabulous. Everyone who tried it raved — a good sign, for sure.

Shallot Vinaigrette
yields about 2/3 cup
recipe adapted slightly from Everyday Food, December 2006

1 shallot, peeled and finely minced
2 tbsp red wine vinegar
1 tbsp Dijon mustard
1 tbsp honey
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
Kosher salt and pepper
1/2 tsp chopped fresh Marjoram

Combine all ingredients in a small mixing bowl and whisk until emulsified. Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.

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