The Art of Living in Australia: Together with Three Hundred Australian Cookery Recipes and Accessory Kitchen Information by Mrs. H. WickenMuskett, Philip E.
Science
The Art of Living in Australia: Together with Three Hundred Australian Cookery Recipes and Accessory Kitchen Information by Mrs. H. Wicken
Muskett, Philip E.
Australia -- Social life and customs; Cooking, Australian; Health; Hygiene
The bowl he employed to mix it was about 9 in. across at the top, and
its floor was rounded in shape, just as a salad bowl should be, to
facilitate the thorough incorporation of the ingredients. Then, taking
a couple of eggs, he broke each one by knocking its side midway between
the two ends against the rim of the bowl. The greater part of the white
of the egg was allowed to escape into a small vessel next the bowl, as
it is not required for the mayonnaise, but comes in handy for other
culinary purposes. He now, with the yolk in one half of the shell,
poured away all the white remaining in the other half. Next he
dexterously turned the yolk into this latter emptied shell and then got
rid of the white left in the half previously occupied by the yolk. One
egg was thus served in this way, and then the other, and the
two yolks were slipped into the bowl and broken up with a few stirs of
the egg-whisk. This latter is readily purchased from any ironmonger for
the modest sum of one shilling. The next proceeding was a wrinkle which
is worth knowing, and it consisted of placing, within the bowl about a
salt-spoonful of the ordinary dry mustard. This was well beaten up in a
second or two. About a tablespoonful of good vinegar was next added,
the whisk going vigorously to work, and thus blending well together egg
yolk, dry mustard, and vinegar. At this stage occurred a sort of halt
or breathing time in the manipulation, as the chief peculiarity of the
mayonnaise now began. The CHEF, with his left hand, managed to tilt up
the salad bowl and to hold a bottle of salad oil at the same time. The
latter being inverted, he kept it over the contents of the bowl in such
a way as to allow only a drop or so of the oil to escape at a time.
Drip, drip, drip, went the oil, and as his right hand kept unceasingly
plying the mixture with the whisk I could not help noticing what a fine
wristy action he had. Almost directly as the oil touched it the
mayonnaise began to thicken, to swell, and to change in colour. The
remorseless whisk almost seemed to lash it into foam, and now the oil
came faster and faster till the amber-looking sauce was ready, and all
this within the space of at most two or three minutes. I suppose he
must have used quite a teacupful of olive oil. Only one thing more:
after stirring in a sufficient quantity of pepper and salt, the CHEF
desired me to taste the result, and as I did so I read the triumph in
his eye--it was superb.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account