Homemade Special Dressing
Although it has been many years since the Special Dressing was produced, uncle Tommy Alt had provided us with a short-cut recipe for making small homemade batches. This short-cut recipe is all we have to keep the memory and taste-buds alive to it.
Although not exactly the same as the original production recipe, it is close enough to do the trick. My wife Gayle and I make a couple or three jars several times a year. She was introduced to the Dressing back in 1963 before we got married and remembers the good old Brockles days. We all agree that the memories come back with one little taste.
Until recently, this recipe was not openly circulated, partly in hopes that the original might one-day be produced again by a family member. However, this has become less and less likely. My son and I took a hard look at doing so in the Fall 2007 but couldn’t make a reasonable business case for a one product venture, and a multi-product venture involved too much time and investment for us. So, we are content to reminisce and enjoy making our homemade jars for family get-togethers.
I was so excited to find this webpage. While home recently in Roswell, N.M. I was asking my Dad if there was anything he wanted me to look for here where I live in TN. The first thing he said was “Brockles Special Dressing”. He said He doubted I could find it, as it was years ago (he didn’t say how long) since it had been out on the shelves. He was very fond of it. . . Such an interesting time and place.
Thanks So Much.
Dowless Solberg
Clarksville, TN for my Daddy in Roswell, N.M.
Dowless Solberg
June 12, 2008 at 5:05 pm
Dowless,
Thanks for the comments. Send our best to Pop Solberg.
Jim
June 12, 2008 at 7:58 pm
I first tasted the Brockles dressing at the Alps Cafe in Mt. Pleasant, TX during the late 50’s and early 60’s. They served it as the Thousand Island dressing. I moved to Dallas in the early 80’s and found it at Safeway, some Skaggs, and some Kroger stores. I tried the Ranch dressing, but preferred the tangy original for salads and as a dip for veggies. I truly miss it.
Mary Vann
June 21, 2008 at 7:32 pm
How wonderful to run across this site! I was Margaret’s roommate at Warm Springs in 1951 and have such great memories of her and her warm family. I went home with her when she was discharged and ate at the restaurant and did lots of other things that I’ll never forget – like going to Neiman Marcus and being impressed that the salespeople knew Margaret. My mother in Georgia often ordered the Brockles dressing.
Jeanne Clements Hall
September 4, 2008 at 6:34 am
i keep trying to get the short cut recipe from this site with no results
donna
September 21, 2008 at 10:52 am
Sorry Donna. I mentioned that there is a short-cut recipe, but have not divulged it. It remains a family secret for now.
Jim
September 21, 2008 at 4:01 pm
My mom owned the original Rockin’ R cafe in Antelope, Texas. As her house dressing she served a mixture of 1/2 Brockles Dressing and 1/2 Buttermilk. People would come for a long way for her Country Fried Steak, fries, salad with Brockles & buttermilk dressing, all the homemade bread you could eat and all the iced tea you could drink. The price was $3.95. Ah, the good old days. Sure do miss the Brockles! Hope you decide to at least patent the recipe and lease out the patent to someone. That way you don’t have to be involved and you make money, and we get to enjoy that great dressing again.
Ann O
October 1, 2008 at 9:37 am
Thanks for stopping in, Ann. My mom used to thin the Brockles dressing with a bit of buttermilk at the Brockles Jr. Restaurant. It made the dressing go further and folks weren’t used to a drssing as thick as Brockles Special on a salad anyway.
From what I understand, recipes are not patentable and a simple list of ingredients & amounts is not even copyrightable.
Jim
October 1, 2008 at 1:16 pm
What a wonderful Christmas Gift it would be to have a copy of the short cut receipe. I have talked about this dressing for years to friends and co-workers who did not come to Dallas until later years or where to young to remember the dressing.
Barbara Chapman
December 6, 2008 at 8:43 am
We seriously need to source a case of small wooden spoons to increase the authenticity.
J. Richard Ellis, Jr.
December 12, 2008 at 4:05 pm
I am so happy to actually get the recipe for the dressing. I don’t know of any dressing better and the fond memories that go with it.
Thank you so much!
Susan King
March 13, 2009 at 7:25 am
I remember eating in house many times. I also would get it at the stores. I have one recipe on my website along with Shangai jimmy’s Chili rice and Brownie’s coconut cream pie.
bill johnson
August 2, 2009 at 10:16 am