Makes about 1½ cups

By the time I came along, my mom no longer made her mayonnaise weekly except on those weeks that it was her day to host her bridge club.  She always put the egg yolks, mustard, and salt in a large, flat soup bowl and whisked them together with a fork.  Very, very gradually, she would add oil – I would guess it must have been some kind of vegetable oil – whisking vigorously to emulsify the mix.  Lastly she would whisk in the cayenne, taste, and, if the mayonnaise was too thick for her liking, beat in a little lemon juice.  She never added more salt but that was probably because she knew exactly how much salt to add in the beginning.  I often make my own mayonnaise but, like as not, it is quickly put together in the small bowl of my trusty food processor.  Easy to do and always works IF you very gradually beat in the oil.  This quicker method will yield a mayonnaise that will be slightly looser than the hand-whisked version.

2 large egg yolks, at room temperature

½ teaspoon dry mustard powder

Salt to taste

1 cup fine quality olive oil (not extra virgin) or peanut oil

Pinch cayenne pepper

1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice if necessary