What is with all this posting right after I said I wouldn’t give you any recipes?  Maybe I’m feeling inspired with all this sketching (no pics, today, though – all the sketches turned out crappy and I never promised to embarrass myself).  Or maybe, because I don’t have to do it, posting is fun!  I call it The Law of Human Contrariness.  It may be closely related to the Law of Weather Contrariness – i.e., what seems to be the universal truth that adults are congenitally unable to appreciate whatever weather is currently happening.

I am undergoing a bout of Weather Contrariness myself at the moment.

But here is a pile of white fluffiness that will not wrong you.  Nor will it ever wrong your deviled eggs or radish sandwiches.

Don’t be intimidated. I know some of you are out there thinking “You do WHAT? That sounds hard.”  But I usually make my mayo in about 5 minutes in between putting dinner in the oven and tackling the dishes.  It’s that simple.  It only makes 3 dishes (a measuring cup, a measuring spoon, and a blender). And it tastes a little richer, a little more lemon-y than what you get in the store.  Not to mention you have the option to make it with whatever oil you deem healthiest or tastiest.  Imagine – sesame flavored mayo?  Mayo with an olive oil tang (I really dig it)?

Mayo
from Jam it, Pickle it, Cure it – the book includes a lot of very tasty variations, so it’s definitely worth looking into!  And it includes a killer homemade cracker recipe.  In case you wanted crackers, mayo dip, and radishes. Oof, I would cry with joy if someone gave me a bunch of radishes today.

1 egg a room temperature
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. prepared mustard (as opposed to mustard powder)
2 tsp. lemon juice
1 cup oil

Combine the first four ingredients in a blender and blend for 30 seconds.  Keep the blender going, and keep adding oil to it in a thin stream – the book recommends 1/2 tsp every 30 seconds.  Honestly, you don’t have to be too particular about pace as long as you are adding it just a little at a time so the emulsion can form.  If you add it all at once, you will get something that tastes mayo-like but looks like a vinaigrette (oops!).  That is also what you will get if you decide to try and make a half batch with 1 egg but 1/2 the amount of oil (what can I say? I was worried about using it up efficiently since there’s no artificial preservatives involved).

Now, if you want to make it the traditional French way in a copper mixing bowl by hand with a whisk and use only egg yolks — yeah, you’d be crazy.  Or teaching a French culture class (hopefully full of very energetic and appreciative participants).

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