
The Cobb salad was a signature menu item of the legendary Brown Derby in Hollywood, a landmark restaurant in Los Angeles, California. Variations of the salad are now served in restaurants world-wide. The original recipe contained:Lettuce (head lettuce, watercress, chicory, and romaine)TomatoesCrisp baconChicken breastHard-cooked eggsAvocadoRoquefort cheeseChivesSpecial Cobb salad vinaigrette The salad was presented to the customer on a plate, then chopped fine with knives before serving.In 1937, Brown Derby owner Robert H. Cobb went into the restaurant's kitchen to fix a late night snack for Sid Grauman, operator of the Chinese Theater of the same name. He combed the refrigerator for what ingredients he could find and chopped them up finely because Grauman was suffering from a terrible toothache. Thus, the Cobb salad was born. From then on, Grauman would always request that a Cobb salad be prepared for him. The news about this wonderful creation spread quickly throughout Hollywood making it an instant hit, therefore it was added to the menu.The Hollywood Brown Derby Restaurant at Disney's Hollywood Studios in Walt Disney World, a 90% accurate replica of the original, serves Cobb salad. Cobb salad dressingAlthough there are many variations on the dressing used for a Cobb salad, this one is purported to be the one originally used at the Brown Derby. 1/4 cup water1/4 cup red wine vinegar1/4 teaspoon sugar1 teaspoon freshly squeezed lemon juice2 teaspoons salt3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper3/4 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce1/4 teaspoon dry English mustard1 small clove garlic, finely minced1/4 cup full-flavored olive oil3/4 cup salad oil