Judy Garland Mixed Her Salad The Old-Fashioned Way (No Tools Required)

Tossing a salad and doing it well is not an easy feat. Far too often, you will find that the veggies, leafy greens, and salad dressing are not distributed well. It kind of ruins the experience. But the good news is you don't need wooden spoons, tongs, or any utensils to mix a salad. Before there were essential kitchen tools, people were a little more inventive, and Judy Garland's now-famous "Over the Rainbow" salad is proof positive that sometimes all you need are your hands.

According to The Roanoker, "The Wizard of Oz" star who played Dorothy loved to nosh on a salad filled with chopped romaine, endive, watercress leaves, grated carrots, celery, tomatoes, olives, and baby peas. To dress it and bring it altogether, Garland added a sweet and spicy French vinaigrette dressing; however, when it came to tossing it, she opted to do it with her hands. This seemingly innocuous technique makes a big taste difference. Because your clean fingers are touching every square inch of the ingredients as you rotate them, you can actually feel whether or not the dressing has coated everything.

Using your hands to toss your salad and store-bought or homemade salad dressing is a good strategy because it does two things. It ensures delicate greens aren't bruised by tongs or other culinary tools, and it gives you greater control over those heartier greens like kale that may need a little massaging to hold the dressing and soften it ever-so-slightly. You can also use your hands to scoop up portions and place them on a salad plate if you are making individual servings. And if you like the idea of using your hands, but are worried about the possibility of cross-contamination, grab a pair of food-grade gloves and put them on when you are ready to toss it.

That said, while you want the salad dressing to stick to the veggies, you do not want it dripping or pooling at the bottom of your bowl. Soggy salad is a faux pas you want to avoid. To get it right like Judy Garland, you should add a third to half of the amount of dressing called for to your greens and mix-ins, and then gently toss with your hands. Some people prefer to first add the dressing to the salad bowl, and then their greens and veggies, and work from the bottom up. This prevents the top greens from oversaturation. Use Garland's trick for your favorite strawberry and spinach salad, Caesar salad, and everything in between.