Herb Mayonnaise

Another test of a cook, Bourdain and I agreed, is a passion for real mayonnaise. The making of it demands the same proof of a real cook – patience, love of perfect ingredients, knowledge of when which ones should be used, and a respect for simplicity.

An old French bistro favorite, “Eggs Mayonnaise,” is one of the glories of that cooking. And a sure way to judge the quality of any restaurant. My first test is not the food, but a glance at the restaurant’s windows. Are they clean? If not, l know that nothing will be prepared with love. But if they are and I go in and test the eggs mayonnaise. If they are perfect in taste and texture, I can relax and order more food, knowing I was in good hands and spending my money is not a waste.

Whereas flavored butters lend themselves to food processors, the closer mayonnaise gets to a machine, the less good it is. Make mayonnaise in a bowl by hand and then compare it to one made in a food processor or a blender. Each mayonnaise tastes, feels, and looks different. Mayonnaise made in a mortar and pestle is the most sublime. Silkier, smoother, lighter, and more delicate-tasting, and sit easier in the stomach. A close second is hand-whisked.

As for the choice of oils to use and, if only olive oil, match the power of the oil with the food it accompanies (on cooked artichokes, for example, a stronger oil like extra virgin from Spain or Italy is perfect, while on poached scallops it is not). Costco’s Kirkland is a choice for the strongly-flavored oil, and the strength of, for example, French Puget “Cold Extracted” oil is for mild greens and seafood. Or mix the extra virgin oil with organic, cold-pressed canola, or with very good quality peanut or grapeseed.