Like many recipes, Cobb salad evolved as a solution to a rather mundane problem.
In the late 1920s, Bob Cobb, manager of the original Brown Derby in Hollywood, California, was becoming tired of his daily meals, which consisted mostly of hamburgers and hot dogs. Then one day he chopped up an avocado, along with lettuce, tomato, and bacon, added some salad dressing, and had the result for dinner. A few days later he elaborated on his creation, adding other ingredients he had picked up on his way to the restaurant: chicken breast, chives, egg, watercress, and a wedge of Roquefort. This salad became a staple at the Brown Derby and, eventually, an American classic.
