lemon herb dressing

Simple Yet Sophisticated

This salad dressing recipe hails from my Cousin Julie’s kitchen and it’s a little slice of history from a speciality retailer that is no more – Frost Brothers. It graced cities including San Antonio, Austin, Houston, Laredo, Corpus Christi… and I saw something about a Dallas opening in my second hometown – Dallas – at the iconic North Park Center.

With San Antonio roots dating back to 1917, Frost Brothers is a Texas original considered one of this country’s finest retailers… until it met its demise in the late 80s. 70 years is a long haul and Frost Bros. will be forever missed by those who experienced it.

Frost Bros. At San Antonio’s North Star Mall

My Aunt Delores would have racks of the season’s finest clothes delivered to her Terrell Hills home so she could try them on and decide the chosen ones… this was about as “froufrou” a thing I could imagine! But then again my Aunt and Uncle also got in-home haircuts back in the 70s and 80s so my relatives were definitely a beat ahead of the tempo before the days of Amazon or the monthly box subscription.

I remember when I was a kid I always referred to the fancy store as “Fross Bross” because I didn’t know “Bros.” was the abbreviation for brothers. Who knew?! Apparently my Mom, “Betty,” did because she’d laugh at me when I butchered the pronunciation of the store’s name.

For those who remember Frost you’ll likely enjoy this lemon-herb dressing recipe that’s a treasured treat that comes to us via their “Tastesetter” Restaurant… and my Cousin’s kitchen!

Foodie Tips

❤  We served this dressing on top of this family favorite – Jackson Salad. These two creations make a remarkable and tasty pairing, so try them if you can! Especially if you like a salad with artichoke, hearts of palm, bacon, and gorgonzola graced by the touch of fresh lemon and herbs!

❤  While my gut said to use fresh herbs we mostly used dried. Either way you’ll eat your way home a hero.

❤  I noticed on the original recipe (below) Cousin Julie pumped up the jam with MORE basil, oregano, and tarragon (or thyme). We used thyme from the garden (sorry, tarragon).

i. Time

Total prep: About 10 minutes.

ii. Ingredients

1 cup | safflower oil
⅓ cup | fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon | salt
¼ teaspoon (or more) | fresh cracked pepper
¼ teaspoon (or more) | sweet basil
¼ teaspoon (or more) | oregano
¼ teaspoon (or more) | tarragon or thyme
1 clove | garlic, minced

iii. What to do

1. In a medium-sized bowl blend all ingredients together with a wire whisk until things are nice and smooth.

2. Serve immediately or you can let it rest in the fridge before serving.

Yield: 1 ⅓ cups, prepared.

~ Patrick

Betty’s Son
Founder and “Nostalgic Food Blogger” of Betty’s Cook Nook

A Scan Of The Original Tastesetter Lemon-Herb Dressing Recipe From Frost Bros.

While you whip up this dressing why not get your kitchen a rockin’ with this 1980s favorite from Technotronic!? Crank it!