of a burner. Heating the yolks with the acidic
reduction also minimizes curdling; if the pH
is around 4.5, the equivalent of yogurt’s
acidity, the yolks can be safely heated to
195ºF/90ºC. (The acid causes the proteins to
repel each other, so that they unfold before
bonding to each other and form an extended
network rather than dense curds.) Cooks
concerned about salmonella should make sure
the yolks are cooked at least to 160ºF/70ºC, or
else should use pasteurized eggs.
Olive Oil Can Make Crazy Mayonnaise
Mayonnaise can be made with any kind of
oil. One popular choice, unrefined extra
virgin olive oil, often produces an unstable
mayonnaise, one that forms properly, but
then separates just an hour or two later.
Ironically, the likely troublemakers are
molecules with emulsifying abilities: oil
molecules that have been broken into
fragments that have a fat-like tail and