The History of Ranch Dressing

Morning dudes. Let’s kick this off with a throwback to when men settled things with their fists—and a lot of stamina. On this day in 1889, John L. Sullivan and Jake Kilrain stepped into the ring for the first-ever professional boxing match fought with gloves. After a brutal 75 rounds and 2 hours and 16 minutes of non-stop action, Sullivan came out on top, officially closing the book on the bare-knuckle era and introducing modern boxing.

Don’t bail early! There’s a trivia question waiting for you at the end 👇

📕 History Stuff

The Tangy Tale of Ranch Dressing

Ranch dressing—it’s practically a food group for many. Whether you’re dunking wings, drenching a salad, or sacrilegiously dipping pizza (don’t worry, no judgment here), this creamy, tangy concoction has worked its way into the hearts and stomachs of millions. But where did ranch come from, and how did it become such an icon? Let’s dive into the history of America’s favorite sauce.

The Tangy Tale of Ranch Dressing

Ranch dressing—it’s practically a food group for many. Whether you’re dunking wings, drenching a salad, or sacrilegiously dipping pizza (don’t worry, no judgment here), this creamy, tangy concoction has worked its way into the hearts and stomachs of millions. But where did ranch come from, and how did it become such an icon? Let’s dive into the history of America’s favorite sauce.

From a Dude Ranch to Your Plate

In the 1950s, a man named Steve Henson, a former plumber turned rancher, was working as a construction worker in Alaska. To keep his team happy, he started whipping up a homemade salad dressing. What did it include? The holy trinity of buttermilk, mayonnaise, and a blend of herbs and spices. It was a hit with the crew, and little did he know, this humble dressing was on its way to becoming a national phenomenon.

After his Alaskan adventure, Henson and his wife Gayle moved to Santa Barbara, California, where they opened Hidden Valley Ranch—a dude ranch where guests could ride horses, enjoy the scenery, and, of course, eat delicious food. Naturally, the ranch dressing became the house specialty, and guests couldn’t get enough of it.

The dressing became such a hit that people were begging to take it home. Seeing the demand, Henson began selling packets of the seasoning mix so guests could make ranch dressing in their own kitchens. And where did the name ranch come from? You guessed it—from the Hidden Valley Ranch itself, where it all began.

Hidden Valley Hits the Big Time

By 1972, word had spread far beyond the dude ranch, and Hidden Valley Ranch couldn’t keep up with demand. The Hensons started bottling and shipping the dressing across the country. Before long, they sold the brand to Clorox for $8 million—about $60 million in today’s money.

While Clorox wasn’t an obvious choice to take over a salad dressing company, they saw its potential. They tweaked the recipe to make it shelf-stable so that it could hit grocery store shelves nationwide. And once it did, ranch didn’t just succeed—it exploded.

The Ranch Boom

Ranch dressing didn’t just become popular—it became a cultural phenomenon in the ‘80s and ‘90s. What started as a simple salad dressing turned into the go-to dip for everything from wings to pizza. By 2021, ranch dressing accounted for over 40% of all salad dressing sales in the U.S., cementing its place as America’s favorite condiment.

So, what made ranch dressing such a runaway success? Let’s break it down:

• Widespread Availability: Ranch didn’t stay confined to salad bowls for long. By the ‘90s, fast-food chains and restaurants started offering it as a side for everything—fries, wings, mozzarella sticks. It became a default dip across the country, appearing on menus everywhere.

• Flavor Appeal: Ranch’s creamy, tangy, and herby flavor struck the perfect balance. It pairs well with spicy, salty, or savory foods, making it a versatile condiment that complements a wide variety of dishes. From hot wings to pizza crust, ranch became the go-to flavor enhancer.

• Universally Appealing Ingredients: At its core, ranch dressing blends buttermilk, savory herbs, garlic, and a little tang, which pleases a range of palates. Its familiar, approachable taste makes it an easy favorite for salad lovers, snackers, and comfort food enthusiasts alike.

From Dressing to Cultural Icon

By the late ‘90s, ranch was no longer just a dressing—it was a cultural staple. It had solidified its place on restaurant menus and kitchen shelves across the country. Today, ranch is more than just a condiment; it’s part of the American food experience. Whether you’re dipping veggies, drizzling it on pizza, or slathering it on wings, ranch continues to be a beloved favorite that transcends its humble beginnings at Hidden Valley Ranch.

🤔 Damn That’s Interesting

How Penalty kicks work in blind soccer 👇

📝 Math Stuff

Fermi Estimation

Estimating the Uncountable

Ever wondered how many grains of sand are on a beach or how many pizza boxes fit in the back of a truck? Enter Fermi estimation, a simple but powerful mental tool for making quick, rough calculations of huge numbers. Named after physicist Enrico Fermi, who was known for his ability to estimate the magnitude of things that seemed impossible to calculate on the fly, this method is all about making educated guesses by breaking a big problem into smaller, more manageable pieces.

Here’s an example: How many piano tuners are in New York City? You’d start by estimating the population (around 8 million), then guess how many people own pianos (let’s say 1 in 100). If each piano needs tuning once a year, that’s 80,000 pianos. Now, if a piano tuner can handle 2 pianos a day and works 250 days a year, that’s 500 pianos tuned per year per tuner. Divide the total number of pianos (80,000) by 500, and you get 160 piano tuners. Not bad for a quick mental exercise!

Fermi estimations aren’t about pinpoint accuracy—they’re about getting a ballpark figure quickly. It’s like back-of-the-napkin math for big questions, perfect for showing off in front of friends or tackling real-world problems when time is short. Whether you’re figuring out how many hotdogs were sold at a ballgame or the number of stars in the galaxy, Fermi’s got you covered.

This method is proof that, with the right approach, even the impossible-to-count becomes possible to estimate.

📷 Photo of the Week

People seeing the iPhone for the first time - June 29, 2007

🧠 Tuesday’s Trivia