🥄 What Is This Salad?
The “108-year-old salad” refers to a dish commonly known as Southern Pear Salad — a recipe that has been around for more than a century and remains a familiar, if controversial, part of Southern U.S. culinary tradition. Southern Living+2Food Republic+2
A typical serving looks like this:
- A half of a canned pear (often a Bartlett pear) southernfoodandfun.com+2Southern Bite+2
- Placed on a bed or leaf of iceberg (or sometimes romaine/bibb) lettuce AOL+1
- A generous dollop of mayonnaise on top of the pear southernfoodandfun.com+1
- A sprinkle of shredded Cheddar cheese over the mayonnaise southernfoodandfun.com+1
- Often finished with a maraschino cherry on top (some versions include this) southernfoodandfun.com+1
Some people skip the lettuce, or substitute mayonnaise with cottage cheese, but the core remains the same: pear + creaminess + cheese + a touch of sugar/sweetness. Southern Bite+1
📜 A Brief History — How It Started, and Why
- The earliest known pear-based salads in American cookbooks date back to the late 19th century. For instance, in the 1899 edition of The American Salad Book, there’s a salad that uses fresh pears, sugar, syrup (maraschino or ginger), and cream — though this early version didn’t include cheese or mayo. Southern Living+1
- The transformation into the “canned-pear + mayo + cheddar + lettuce” style arose during the early 20th century — reportedly around World War I and after, when fresh produce was harder to come by and canned goods became staples in many households. Southern Living+1
- By 1917 and 1918, newspaper recipes from Mississippi were already suggesting canned-pear salads served on lettuce with cream cheese or walnuts, mayonnaise or dressing — a practical, accessible dish for home cooks. Southern Living+2AOL+2
- Over the decades, especially mid-20th century (1950s–70s), the salad became a fixture in Southern potlucks, family dinners, holiday gatherings (like Easter, Thanksgiving, Mother’s Day), church socials — thanks to its simplicity and the ready availability of canned pears and mayo. Mashed+2southernfoodandfun.com+2
Thus, over more than a hundred years, the salad has survived — not because it’s gourmet, but because it’s affordable, easy to assemble, and carries deep nostalgic resonance for many Southerners. Southern Living+2Southern Bite+2
🎯 Why It Remains So Controversial
The recipe stirs very strong opinions — even within the South. Here’s why:
🤔 The “Weird” Flavor + Texture Combination
To many unfamiliar with it, the idea of sweet canned pears + creamy mayo + sharp cheddar + a cherry seems odd, even unappetizing. Some critics describe it as a “salad abomination” — a combination that’s more clash than harmony. Mashed+2Parade+2
Others, often those with nostalgic ties, defend it fiercely: for them, it tastes like home, childhood lunches or holiday dinners. Mashed+2southernfoodandfun.com+2
As one article noted: “Southern pear salad — canned pear halves topped with mayo and shredded cheddar cheese, garnished with a Maraschino cherry, and served on a bed of iceberg lettuce.” The reaction? Some love it, others “dry-heave at the mere thought.” Mashed+2Tasting Table+2
🎭 Nostalgia vs Modern Taste
For many people from the South, this salad recalls family gatherings, church potlucks, school lunches of the 1950s and 1960s, or holiday tables — a dish that tied communities together, not a gourmet recipe. Southern Bite+2southernfoodandfun.com+2
But for younger generations, or people outside the South, the combination can seem dated, icky, even laughable. What was once comfort food may now seem like a culinary oddity — especially in a world of trendy, “fresh” salads with greens, vinaigrettes, nuts, and gourmet toppings. Parade+2Mashed+2
🥣 Cultural Divide & The “What Counts as Salad” Debate
Part of the controversy comes from what people define as a “salad.” In much of global cuisine, a fruit-and-mayo-and-cheese concoction might seem more like a dessert or a “Jell-O salad” than a true salad. The Southern Pear Salad straddles that line — part fruit, part creamy side dish — which makes classification messy and sometimes laugh-inducing for skeptics. Food Republic+2Southern Bite+2
Moreover, because it’s easy to ridicule — “mayo on pears? really?” — it becomes a cultural talking point. For some it’s a badge of Southern identity; for others, it’s an example of outdated, kitschy cuisine. Mashed+2Newsweek+2
📝 How It’s Made (Classic Recipe & Variations)
Classic Version (Vintage/Traditional)
Here’s a widely accepted “traditional” version of Southern Pear Salad:
Ingredients:
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