the importance of mayonnaise

Everyone has that one moment. That perfect place in time when everything seems to align in perfect harmony. That jump start to all reason. The “ohh, I get it!”

I couldn’t have been any older than 9 years old when I experienced this nearly orgasmic sense of conquest. Standing nearly at eye level with the high kitchen counter, I watched in awe as oil slowly drizzled, in what seemed to me a perfectly glowing stream that had no end, into a bowl of egg yolk, as a hand magically fused their molecules together. Baffled by what was happening I nearly lost sense of time and space. The hand moved rapidly – a pinch of this a squeeze of that. Suddenly there it was. Just a few moments before what I thought to have been a product of nature harvested from some far off land – mayonnaise.

I prefer using a wooden spoon inplace of the wire whisk.

It was that day in my father’s kitchen that I began to question all things food, and more specifically the discipline behind it. I spent many hours and needless to say much product, in attempting to recreate my own mayonnaise. I tried relentlessly, adding the oil to the egg, whisking mad, splattering walls and people around me. Still, no mayonnaise. Defeated I asked my father to show me how it was done. I watched his hands closely, callused from years of practice as they carefully cracked an egg and separated it. Grabbing the oil from the shelf, smelling it for the proper scent, he took the time to explain- not something that happened often- that using all the right ingredients meant nothing unless one correctly applied method.

I starred into the bowl as the molecules once again fused together slowly, creating a pillow of white. I understood the importance of taking proper time, the importance of carefully preparing each separate ingredient, and most importantly that there was more to cooking than magic- there was science. I remember the first time I had finally succeeded in my own making of mayonnaise. I felt like I had conquered a fear, an impossibility. I had harvested the making of an emulsion, and the confidence that proper execution led to a successful end product.

But I wasn’t happy with just a successful product, I wanted the best product I could make. With each attempt I was on the search for the perfect mayonnaise. I understood how it was made but I did not understand why sometimes it worked and sometimes it did not. It had a life of its own it seemed, never knowing what mood it would be in at the next attempt. What I didn’t take into consideration were all of the other elements- temperature, and volume.

To this day I enjoy enormously the making of mayonnaise and its importance to my understanding of food. It taught me to be present in my work. That every element and every action has an affect on the outcome. It taught me that perfection was something to always work towards through practice and patience but something never to be reached.

 Mayonnaise

1 egg yolk

1 cup olive oil

Squeeze lemon

Salt

White Pepper

Ratios are often as important as recipes themselves. The important thing to remember is that to every cup of oil there is a yolk. Everything else in this recipe can be applied to suit personal taste preference.

 Make sure the egg is at room temperature. This can be done by allowing the egg to sit out on the counter for about 30 minutes, or preferably use a fresh egg when available.

Carefully separate the yolk into a non reactive bowl- glass or ceramic work best. Making mayonnaise by hand is a gratifying process. If you choose to use a mixer, emulsion blender or any of the hundred of other gadgets out there that promise the perfect mayonnaise, go for it- just don’t tell me about it.  

Dampen a kitchen towel with water and roll it around the base of your bowl for additional stability. Slowly begin to whisk in the oil- first a few droplets at the time till fully incorporated, gradually increasing to a steady stream. You will begin to see the egg molecules break apart and begin to merge with the oil, turning the mixture increasingly pail as more oil is introduced. As you rapidly whisk, the mixture should now begin to thicken slightly. Keep whisking at this pace till all of the oil is incorporated. Add lemon juice, salt and pepper, and go make a sandwich.

Tagged as: mayonnaise