The South Coast over the years has been the cradle of a number of inventions and products. Perhaps no product with South Coast origins, however, is as well-known as ranch dressing, served in restaurants worldwide, its tang used to liven up foods from fried zucchini to corn chips. It was the brainchild of one Steve Henson.
Henson was born in tiny Thayer, Nebraska, in 1918. At 16, under the impact of the Depression, he rode the rails to California. Here he worked at various occupations until, in 1949, he and his wife, Gayle, moved to Alaska. There he enjoyed success as a plumbing contractor in and around Anchorage and at age 35, he was able to retire. The couple settled in Santa Barbara, but after a year and a half, Henson found himself restlessly searching for something to do. He had always been attracted to ranching, so in 1956, he purchased the Sweetwater Ranch up on San Marcos Pass. He soon renamed the spread Hidden Valley Ranch.
The idea was to operate Hidden Valley as a guest ranch, offering fishing, riding, hiking, and other outdoor activities. The ranch also offered hearty home-cooked meals. Guests were particularly taken by the unique dressing that graced the salads. Henson had come up with the recipe while trying to keep his hungry work crews happy in Alaska. The dressing was made with buttermilk and mayonnaise and was enlivened with herbs and spices such as garlic, onion, pepper, and parsley.