During the recent heat wave, I spent a lazy afternoon on the couch with the fan pointed at me while I perused the July 1955 issue of Woman’s Home Companion. I was looking for the article featuring Lilly Daché’s “Secrets of Lifelong Glamour,”¹ when I stumbled across these words and sat straight up:

Like most Frenchmen, Balmain appreciates good food and takes a great interest in his own table. In the warm summer days ahead you might like to try his “Vent Vert” salad. Here is the recipe he gave me—if you can’t get some of the ingredients, you can eliminate or substitute as you choose.

It was from Margaret Thompson Biddle’s column, “Companion in Paris.” “Vent Vert” salad clearly borrowed its name from Balmain Vent Vert fragrance. Here’s the recipe:

“Vent Vert” Salad

Cut young romaine into pieces to make 1 quart. Add 1 cup each of diced celery, chopped endive, thinly sliced green pepper and about 8 asparagus tips cut in half…

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