My mother was giving me a crash-course on mayonnaise making recently, and she recounted a story somewhat similar to yours. She and a childhood friend were on a vacation in their teens when they awoke one morning uncertain as to how to spend their day. So, they decided to investigate the upper limit of oil that can be mixed in with a single egg. They gave up: they never hit the limit. Since this was neither a scientific nor a particularly well-funded venture, they stopped before using gallons of oil: certainly, there is some upper limit. What they learned, though, was that the limit was high enough that one needn’t worry too much about using too much oil and ruining one’s mayonnaise.

I am always intrigued by food items that have been–through mass production, advertising, or some other force–been rendered elemental in my mind. Salt and pepper are, of course, not truly elemental, but for food purposes, it’s fair to say that they are. Mayonnaise is not. It is just a particular prepared sauce, like bearnaise, hollandaise, etc. I love the point where I learn how to take apart what I previously thought was an atom and mess with its innards. Pesto is another example.

Somewhat different is the particular recipe that becomes–again in my mind–distinct from a category of which it is actually a part. Chili is the best example I can think of. Chili is a stew. But I was startled when I read the phrase “a classic stew” used to describe chili in one of the Moosewood cookbooks. In my mind, this was a major breakthrough.

Kudos, Mitch Magee!

I am hungry right now and wish I could have some.