I was just a little girl when I first met coleslaw but I can tell you that I have been in love with it ever since.

So much so that I don't even care if it's creamy or vinaigrette, but my lack of preference may come from knowing two people -- a neighbor and an aunt -- who could make both kinds so well they were dubbed, "The best in the whole wide world!"

The neighbor, Mrs. Florence Gross, made the best creamy coleslaw you ever did taste and though she was quick to hand out the recipe, no one could ever duplicate hers identically.

This made my sister Margie think that Mrs. Gross was doing something beyond the recipe to make it extra special so she began investigating different techniques like soaking the cabbage in salt water or sprinkling fresh cut cabbage with lemon juice.

I don't know if Margie ever discovered Mrs. Gross's secret, but I do know that I've held onto the recipe for more than 30 years. God bless Mrs. Gross!

My aunt's recipe required no detective work. Her sweet and sour slaw was easily revealed to us as she went out of her way to show us exactly how to make it, and she did so without the benefit of a recipe because, as she put it, "One should know these things off-the-top-of-their-head!"

Off-the-top-of-your-head cooking is a tradition that runs rampant on my mother's side of the family and while this is a marvelous concept, the reality is it leaves you with no recipes written down, thus making their loss inevitable.

Luckily, my aunt's recipe for slaw is so simple even I can remember it.

That, and I can still hear her voice in my head telling me how to make it; "One, three-quarters, half'. Vinegar, sugar, water" is all she'd say.

This translates into 1 cup of vinegar, 3/4 cup of sugar, 1/2 cup of water, which is mixed then poured over a small head of shredded cabbage and a carrot, if you like.

She'd chill it overnight then salt and pepper it to taste. That simple. God bless her soul!

While the word "coleslaw" is thought to be derived from the Dutch word "Koolsla," meaning cabbage salad, the love of this dish is found in many different cultures around the world.

Americans have loved coleslaw ever since it was first made popular by the New York City deli owner, Richard Hellmann, who by bottling his wife's mayonnaise recipe, created a product and a salad that would become a staple in most homes today.

Here are some delightfully delicious ways to create a cool crunch with a crisp classic dish that tastes good no matter where you live. Enjoy!

Sweet 'n' Sour Slaw

1 cup white sugar

1 cup vinegar

2 teaspoons celery seeds

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup oil

1 medium cabbage, shredded

1 green pepper, chopped

1 carrot, chopped

1 onion, chopped

* In a small saucepan, combine, vinegar, celery seeds, salt and oil.

* Bring to a boil then reduce and simmer for 5 minutes.

* Pour over prepared vegetables.

* Chill overnight before serving.

Makes 10 servings.

Nutritional information per serving: Calories 210; Fat 11g; Sodium 254mg; Carbohydrates 27g; Fiber 3g; Sugar 24g; Protein 2g.

Cool 'n' Creamy Slaw

8 cups finely diced cabbage (about 1 head)

1/4 cup diced carrot

2 tablespoons minced onion

1/3 cup granulated sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon pepper

1/4 cup milk

1/2 cup mayonnaise

1/4 cup buttermilk

1-1/2 tablespoons white vinegar

2-1/2 tablespoons lemon juice

* Dice cabbage and carrots, fine.

* Pour cabbage and carrots into a large bowl and stir in minced onions.

* Using regular blade on food processor, process remaining ingredients until smooth.

* Pour over vegetable mixture and mix thoroughly.

* Cover bowl and refrigerate several hours or overnight before serving.

Makes 10 servings.

Nutritional information per serving: Calories 94; Fat 4g; Sodium 221mg; Carbohydrates 14g; Fiber 1g; Sugar 10g; Protein 1g.

Caribbean Coleslaw

2 cups shredded cabbage

1 cup crushed pineapple

1/4 cup cashews

1/2 cup yogurt

1/2 cup mayonnaise

Zest of one lime

1 teaspoon jerk seasoning

* Mix all ingredients together and refrigerate for one hour before serving for flavors to develop.

Makes 4 servings.

Nutritional information per serving: Calories 217; Fat 13g; Carbohydrates 23g; Fiber 2g; Protein 4g.