We just spent the long weekend in Strasbourg, the capital of Alsace. It is not only home to several European institutions, ahem, the European Parliament, the Council of Europe just to name one or two but it is also the new home to our ex-Parisian neighbors and friends who left us behind. So we had to pay them a visit and found ourselves in the Upper Rhine Plain sandwiched between the Vosges mountains and the Black Forest.
Remember Lady Jo? Well, take a look at her hubby, Christoph, making mayonnaise. What a dynamic duo! While she reigns over the sweets, he reigns over the savory bits. It's a four minute process and it is way better than any of that store-bought stuff. Trust me, I am documenting this for our own good. You won't go back to mayo in a tube (that's how it's packaged in France) once you have tried this.
"A successful mayonnaise is one with a standing spoon in it" says the man behind the mayo.
While Christoph was making the mayo, our boys were out in the garden picking cassis or blackcurrant for our muesli breakfast in the morning. By the way, here's a post on my milk kefir, those very same grains have spread and traveled to Alsace too. What did you think we were having our muesli with...kefir and cassis of course! Leave it to Lady Jo to keep us nice and healthy before attacking the Black Forest—and I don't mean the cake, I mean the hike.
Cassis is a small deep purple berry and —boy, it's tart with a mild sweetness and jam-packed full of vitamins and antioxidants.
This Alsatian cake landed on our breakfast table too...
Needless to say, we had a fantastic time with the dynamic duo and now I have another memory jotted down. Sharing great moments with friends and recipes of course brings me joy. We can thank Christoph for this one!
Christoph's Homemade Mayonnaise
INGREDIENTS
• 1 free-range egg, yolk only
• 150-220 ml sunflower oil
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• salt, adjust accordingly
• pepper, adjust accordingly
INSTRUCTIONS
Whisk the egg yolk in a small bowl with the mustard,
Continue to whisk and add some of the oil with a steady thin stream. It will thicken up.
Then add more oil. It will loosen the mayonnaise up. Keep whisking until it thickens up again. You will find the color turning paler and brighter.
Gradually add the remaining oil while whisking continuously.
Then add some salt and pepper accordingly. Transfer it to a small dipping bowl and serve.