The White House press secretary got cute Tuesday when he tried to twist a cap on reporters’ questions about the Trump team’s alleged ties to the Kremlin.
“If the President puts Russian salad dressing on his salad tonight, somehow that’s a Russia connection,” Sean Spicer said.
Thing is, Russian dressing isn’t Russian. (Also, it’s really not for salads, but more of a sandwich spread — usually a Reuben.)
The mayo and ketchup concoction — often dressed up with horseradish and spices — was created in Nashua, New Hampshire.
It was grocer James E. Colburn who invented the spread in 1924, according to “New Hampshire Resources, Attractions and Its People, a History,” by Hobart Pillsbury. The Washington Post cites the 1927 text, which says Colburn sold the condiment to “retailers and hotels across the country, earning ‘wealth on which he was enabled to retire.'”
So what’s with the Russian connection? Some say it’s because Colburn liked to mix in caviar, or perhaps because it sometimes was added to the Russian-inspired Salad Olivier.
As for Nashua, that might not be a reference Spicer would want to have connected, either. Hillary Clinton trounced Trump there in November, 54% to 41%, en route to winning New Hampshire’s four electoral votes.