[6] Local historians claim that the mayonnaise-based version was invented in Nashua, New Hampshire, by James E. Colburn in the 1910s.

[7] A 1927 biographical article calls him "the originator and first producer of that delectable condiment known as Russian salad dressing".

... [Colburn] hit upon an assembly of ingredients, which he named Russian salad dressing, ... [and earned] wealth on which he was enabled to retire.

... As he rests on his laurels, he is conscious of having done his part well in conferring a blessing upon the people who have learned the art of eating well.By 1914, Colburn's company was manufacturing it,[10] and distributing it to retailers and hotels.

[8] Typically piquant, it is today characteristically made of a blend of mayonnaise and ketchup complemented with such additional ingredients as horseradish, pimentos, chives, mustard, and spices.