COLE SLAW, COLD SLAW: The reason cole slaw became as popular a side dish as it did in America was due to NYC deli owner Richard Hellmann's 1903 creation of a formula for bottled mayonnaise, which he began marketing in 1912. It became a bestseller, quick and easy to use as a dressing for shredded cabbage, which thereafter became a standard side dish to the increasingly popular sandwiches and hamburgers in American kitchens. Cole slaw (cold slaw) got it's name from the Dutch 'kool sla' - 'kool' is cabbage and 'sla' is salad - meaning simply, cabbage salad. In English, that became 'cole slaw' and eventually 'cold slaw'. The original Dutch 'kool sla' was most likely served hot. 1 2 3