Wednesday, May 19, 2010

Homemade Mayonnaise



I make mayo because
1. it's not that hard and I like messing in the kitchen
2. I don't have to wait for a coupon or a store sale,
3. there are no strange additives,
4. and it can be local-ish due to the eggs.

I use the blender mayonnaise recipe from More with Less, but after I significantly reduced the lifespan of my blender motor, I started using my food processor.

I can't get along without my handy jigger.





I put the finished batch in a quart jar and it keeps indefinitely in the fridge. Did you notice that my list above did not include taste? Homemade mayo is good, but it doesn't have a noticeable edge over quality commercial mayo. . .



but put some mayo on homemade bread with a fat slice of fresh homegrown tomato and lots of salt. Oh man. OH MAN. I still remember my first tomato sandwich when Crystal came in August heat to help me clean my first apartment as a married woman, on East James Street. It tasted like everything important in summertime.

8 comments:

Adele said...

I just wrote about industriousness, and you are seriously industrious, lady! I am very impressed, and inspired to try some of these things myself.

Unknown said...

Oh, my dear! Homemade tastes much better than commercial. Especially if you put some fresh herbs in a bottle of vinegar and let it stand for a few days, then use that flavored vinegar in your mayonnaise. Basil is my favorite in the summertime...a bologma sandwich, homemade bread, homemade mayonnaise, lettuce, and a ripe, homegrown tomato...heaven!

A said...

And what are your dear readers who are not blessed with More With Less supposed to do? Guess at the ingredients? Looks like eggs, cayenne pepper and ginger to me! And you say there's no taste difference? Pah!
(Is this one of those times you call me Bratty?)
Not like I'll be making it--my house partner dislikes all white globby foodstuffs, especially since watching a kid in the cafeteria each a bowl full of Ranch dressing with bacon bits.
One last tale: I had no idea Mayo could be made as opposed to bought (I know, silly me) until I went grocery shopping with a German woman who was visiting us, and who was making us dinner, and really needed to go to the store to get ingredients for "May-o-neh-zz" I thought this was some special new dressing til she was described it further in the aisle and I was like 'But we have that in the fridge at home!'

Margo said...

A, I was just being lazy. Next time I have my cookbook at the computer, I'll update with the recipe (but not, of course, I understand, for YOU!).
I love the story about the German! And truly, I keep realizing all the things I *can* make that I just assume you need factory/specialized equipment for (maraschino cherries, mustard, hoisin sauce. .. yup, possible all at home).

Margo said...

dear Eisensim, I stand corrected. Never thought it could be so easy to flavor vinegar and hence dress up the mayo. I would throw in a garlic clove with that version, too. Hoo boy - can't wait for the 'maters!
How long do you leave the herbs in the vinegar? Or does the vinegar preserve them?

Emily on the Southern Prairie said...

Oh this is so cool! I am planning to try doing this myself this summer when making potato salad ... yum!

Crystal said...

I use the recipe from the Mennonite Country Style cookbook and think it tastes much better than store bought. I'll have to compare the recipes and see if there's a difference. I think it's so fun to make, maybe it's because it makes me feel so self sufficient!

Oh and I can't wait for fresh tomatoes either.

Margo said...

Crys, I'm so glad I have that cookbook so I can check it out too. I like making it also because it seems like such a chemistry project!