My love affair with French Onion Dip

It was the summer of 1968 and I was 10 years old. I was spending the weekend with my maternal grandmother's sister, my great aunt Gladys. I had a lot of firsts when I was at her home. We lived in the county and did not have indoor plumbing. The first time I took a bubble bath in a real tub was at the home of Aunt Gladys. She took me and a good friend to see our first movie which was The Knome Mobile. I also got my first taste of French Onion dip while visiting my aunt. Aunt Gladys had four children, three boys and a girl. My cousin June was good friends with a family two houses away where there were four girls. One of those young ladies was having a birthday party and I was invited.

When I went into the dining room where the food was on the table, I saw a plastic container of Frenches French Onion dip. I had never tasted chip dip before but once I did I was hooked. I kept going back to get more because it tasted so delicious. Everyone else had gone home or was outside but I hung around the dining room like an addict. I found myself craving this food product like nothing ever before it. From that point on, whenever my friends had parties, the first thing I looked for was the dip, I was so disappointed when there was none. At age 14 when I obtained my first summer job, and received my first paycheck, guess what I purchased?

My friends and I walked to the Minute Market that was about a mile away and I found Ruffles potato chips and a container of dip. I knew the green label meant that it was French onion and I was elated. I went home and got out my comic books and began reading. One hand turned the pages and the other was dipping my chips. My brothers and grandma began teasing me that every book I read was greasy because I ate while reading. I ignored them and continued the routine. I made a point to have French Onion dip at every affair that I was a part of. I was so joyful from 1979-1985 when the job I worked used the break room for holiday dinners and employee birthdays.

Each time I was asked what I was bringing I said chips and dip if no one else had beaten me to it. I also found that I enjoy frenh onion dip better when someone else supplies it. My oldest son had a birthday party and I found myself eating the dip and chips until the dip was almost gone. I could not help myself. Over the decades there have been many foods and snacks that I once loved but no longer have the taste for. I am happy to say that French Onion Dip is not one of them. I have eaten many types of dip over the years, including Green Onion, but French Onion remains number one on my list. I do not have a favorite brand although I am partial to Frenches. This is only because when I was a child this was the only brand I recall ever seeing anyone use.

Frenches now has their French Onion dip in glass jars but Kroger, Walmart and Food Lion have their own versions in the plastic containers. I have also used Heluva Good and Dean's brands. I enjoy each of them and have found no difference in taste between the big names and store brand dips. As I write this I am 62 years old and still reading books while eating chips and dip. I don't do it as often now because I know it's not healthy. When I do, I definately indulge and then go back to healthy eating the next day. One thing that I have not done, but I think I will try is to make my own French Onion Dip. I have included an easy one minute recipe for anyone who might like to try it.

The ingredients that are needed are as follows;

400 g / 14 oz sour cream (full fat is best)

40 g / 1.4 oz French Onion Soup Mix (preferably reduced salt)

½ cup mayonnaise (Hellmann’s or a whole egg mayo is recommended).

Mix the ingredients together in a bowl, then wait 5 minutes or until you see that the onion bits in the soup have become soft. Now all you have to do is serve and eat. This sounds so easy I cannot wait to try it. I don't know why I never thought of it before.