Do I need to refrigerate salad dressing if there' s nothing in it but olive oil and apple cider vinegar?

If I make a salad dressing out of apple cider vinegar (with the mother) and olive oil as the only ingredients, does it have to be refrigerated or can I leave it on the counter? When I put it in the fridge the oil solidifies and I have to take it out awhile before I want my salad so that it mixes. Just wondering if it is safe to leave out since both products aren't cold to begin with.

— Jayne Welton
Tacoma, Washington

If you are using the dressing on a regular basis, there is no need to refrigerate. The acidity in the vinegar should be enough to keep the dressing stable. However, if you add raw garlic or raw herbal leaves (chopped or otherwise), then I would refrigerate because these lower acidity and can spoil.

— William Woys Weaver, contributing editor, Mother Earth News and Gourmet magazines

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