Homemade ketchup is a fresh take on a condiment that‘s a staple in many homes. To can your ketchup in jars, as shown here, refer to the Canning and Pickling project (Project 10) in this section.
Mayonnaise
When I called my mother for her mayonnaise recipe, she was able to recite it right off the top of her head. I have vivid recollections of watching her make mayonnaise in her food processor and being fascinated. I marveled at the thin stream of oil slowly emulsifying the egg, completely transforming both ingredients. The recipe that follows yields approximately 1 cup.
Ingredients:
•1 egg
•1 cup oil
•1 tsp dry mustard powder
•½ tsp salt
•¼ tsp white pepper (you can use black pepper, but it makes specks in the mayo)
•1½ tsp white vinegar
•1–2 Tbsp lemon juice
Step 1: Crack the egg into the blender or food processor and then add the mustard powder, salt, and pepper.
Step 2: Start the blender or food processor. As it runs, slowly drizzle in the oil in a thin, steady stream (a blending device usually has a trough in the lid with a small hole for this purpose).
Step 3: When all of the oil has been added and the mixture is emulsified, stir in the vinegar and lemon juice—you may need to do this by hand—until everything is completely combined.
Store the mayonnaise in a jar in the refrigerator; it keeps for up to two weeks.
In a variation on the method presented in the recipe, you can use a hand mixer while slowly adding the oil.
Mustard
This recipe is simple yet full of possibilities for getting creative. You can vary the color of the mustard seeds to impart different tastes, and you can vary the grind to create different textures. You can change the proportion of vinegar to water and add different seasonings for a wide variety of flavors. This basic version has an initial spicy bite.
Ingredients/Additional Materials:
•1/3 cup mustard seeds (brown or yellow)
•¼ cup white vinegar
•2 Tbsp water
•¾ Tbsp sugar
•¼ tsp salt
•Spice grinder or coffee grinder
Step 1: Prepare your seeds according to the finished texture you want. For smoother mustard, grind the raw seeds in a spice grinder (for a rough grind) or coffee grinder (for a fine powder). Raw seeds are chewy, so toast them before grinding to make them more brittle and easier to grind. For coarser mustard, keep the seeds intact but soften them by soaking them overnight in vinegar and water.
Step 2: Combine the prepared seeds with the remaining ingredients in a bowl or a food processor. Refrigerate for twenty-four hours, stirring occasionally (the mixture will thicken).
Store the mustard in a jar or a small lidded crock in the refrigerator. It will keep for at least two weeks.
Once you’ve tried the basic recipe, experiment with flavor by using different types of mustard seeds.
Vanilla Extract
We’ve made our own vanilla extract for so long that I’d forgotten how tiny and expensive the store-bought bottles are. Whole vanilla beans are pricey—individual beans can cost more than a dollar each, and you’ll use six to ten beans for a pint of liquor. Let’s figure on $1 per bean for ten beans and around $10 for the bourbon, so a pint of homemade vanilla extract is going to cost you about $20. Because most recipes that call for vanilla extract require only a small amount, a pint will last you for a long time, and it’s still much cheaper per ounce than store-bought vanilla. We just keep topping our jar off with bourbon.
Ingredients/Additional Materials:
•10 whole vanilla beans
•1 pint bourbon (choose an inexpensive brand, but not rotgut)
•Optional: Pint jar
Step 1: Slice down the length of each bean, through just one side, leaving the ends intact and opening it up to expose the seeds.
Step 2: Stand the beans up in a jar or bottle that will hold a pint of liquid. Cover the beans with the bourbon. You can simply put the beans into the bourbon bottle if you pour out a little bit to compensate for the beans’ volume.
Step 3: Cap the bottle and shake it gently.
Step 4: Store the bottle in a dark place for five to six months, shaking gently once a week or so to blend and infuse.
Use the extract directly from the bottle; no filtering is necessary.
It’s normal for your homemade vanilla to appear a bit cloudy.
Spices
Because so many spices are exotic, they can be expensive, especially if you buy them prepackaged in little bottles or jars. Even buying in bulk, by the ounce or pound, can add up if you use a lot of a particular spice or spices. If this is the case, consider buying the seeds or nuts of your favorite spices and grinding them yourself. You’ll get more ground spice for your money. Grind only a little at a time; the flavor starts to deteriorate once the whole spice is ground. Unless otherwise noted, use a coffee grinder:
•Coriander (the very prolific seed of cilantro)
•Cloves
•Allspice
•Nutmeg (special grinders store whole nutmegs inside)
•Mace (the “web” of veining from the outside of a nutmeg)
•Cayenne pepper
•Ginger (peel, store in freezer, and grate frozen root as needed)
•Cumin
•Mustard
Ground (left) and dried (right) cayenne pepper.
Project 5 :Baking Bread
Why would you want to do this? You want to eat better and exercise your creative side in the kitchen.
Why wouldn’t you want to do this? You don’t eat bread, or you don’t enjoy baking.
Is there an easier way? Bread machines have many benefits (they do all of the work for you, and you can wake up to freshly baked bread) but just as many drawbacks (they are expensive; they are big; in my family’s opinion, the crust isn’t great; you can waste ingredients on failed batches and not find out until it’s too late). The more you bake bread by hand, the more you’ll see how easy it can be and the more you’ll want to experiment.
Cost comparison: As with many homemade food products, the materials cost less and yield more than the packaged versions.
Skills needed: No special skills are needed. My mom taught me how to bake bread when I was still in grade school.
Learn more about it: Knead It! ( i-5 Press, 2013) by Jane Barton Griffith is a comprehensive guide to baking artisan bread, enhanced by interviews with and tips from accomplished bakers. The Bread Baker’s Apprentice (Ten Speed Press, 2001) by Peter Reinhart is one of the better books to help you advance and perfect your bread-baking skills. Check local community colleges, other adult-education centers,