Foods, their selection and preparation

lemon juice. From J to \ as much acid as oil may be used for French dressing, with salt, paprika, onion juice, garlic, chives, herbs, tabasco, sugar, and other seasonings as desired. To 1 cup oil and J cup acid, at least 1 teaspoon each of salt and paprika are needed. Other seasonings are optional. An easy way of obtaining onion flavor is to allow the vinegar to stand on sliced onions for a while before making the dressing. Mix a French dressing just before using, or, if it is made in advance, remix just be¬ fore serving. A bottle is convenient for mixing, storing, and serving. Mayonnaise. This dressing contains the fat in a permanent emulsion. Egg yolk is the protein. The liquid and oil must be combined in such a way that the oil will be broken up into small droplets, each coated with liquid-protein solution. Emulsification is facilitated if the egg mixture is thick and contains some added water (vinegar or lemon juice). This dilutes the protein solution. and enables it to spread over more surface (of fat globules). If the seasonings (salt, pepper, paprika, and mustard) are added to the egg yolk, it thickens and acid can be added to bring it to the right con¬ sistency. This requires about one-third of [165] the acid. At first the oil is added drop by drop, and beaten in with a rotary beater. After the oil begins to emulsify, it may be added more rapidly. When about half the oil has been added, the mixture will be quite thick and then should be thinned by adding another third of the acid. The remaining oil then can be added, and the remaining acid beaten in at the last. The oil combines best at room temperature, since it is thinner than when chilled. Stop¬ ping the beating from time to time to add the oil and acid seems to facilitate the coating of the globules with the protein solution. When, for some reason, fat fails to form an emulsion or the emulsion breaks and the fat separates, the easiest way of reforming it is to begin with a new egg yolk, adding the curdled or broken mayonnaise gradually to the yolk. In other words, the curdled may¬ onnaise is treated as though it were all oil. The broken emulsion can be reformed also by adding it very gradually to a table¬ spoon of vinegar with hard beating. (The vinegar is not added to the curdled may¬ onnaise, but the curdled mayonnaise to the vinegar.) Basic proportions for mayonnaise are these: one egg yolk to 1 cup oil, 2 table¬ spoons vinegar or lemon juice, 1 teaspoon salt, | to 1 teaspoon paprika, dash cayenne, and \ teaspoon mustard. Mustard facilitates the formation of a stable emulsion, but may be omitted if the flavor is not desired. More acid may be needed and other seasonings added, as desired. Onion flavor may be added by grating in to taste or by the use of onion-flavored vinegar. Mayonnaise should be stored in a covered container, since evaporation will dry out the surface and tend to break the emulsion. It should be kept under refrigeration, but never allowed to freeze. Freezing also will break the emulsion.