May…

Welcome to the Beltane Tarot Blog Hop. Our wrangler, Karen, asked us to take the word “may” and play with it as we chose and so I have *sniggers*. But before I share my mental musings on the subject, here are some links to help you navigate to my neighbouring hoppers and the master list:

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So what have I come up with you for this hop? I mused about “maybe”, the month of May, May Day and May blossom amongst other things, then had a sudden epiphany and decided that what was required here was may…onnaise! Yep, that’s right, a dash of mayo 😀

What on Earth, I hear you ask, (yes, I know you actually thought WTF!), has mayonnaise got to do with Tarot. Well, pull up a comfy chair, pour yourself a beverage befitting the hour, lend me your virtual ear for a few moments and I’ll explain.

You see, it occurred to me that Tarot is like aioli. Using just a few basic ingredients, Aioli, (or mayonnaise if you prefer to exist with the possibility of vampires), serves to flavour and makes food more palatable. It helps it to go down more smoothly and adds a little dressing to it. Tarot does much the same – think of it as the lubricant in the sandwich of life, the essential dip with which to smother your crudités.

Let us think about the Mayonnaise model for Tarot.

Mayonnaise is surprisingly easy to make with a little care and patience, and even if it goes awry, it can be rescued by going back to basics. You just start again with a new egg yolk (stable base) and a little lemon or vinegar (zest), then gradually add the curdled mess until it binds as it should. Does that sound like life guidance, or what? 😀

Aside from the analogous parallel, it is truly a spread in every sense, so I give you… The Mayonnaise Spread:

1. Egg – First we have the egg yolks, the base component and emulsifier that binds everything together. What binds your life together?
2. Mustard/Seasoning – A good mayonnaise needs flavour and a generous dollop of Dijon mustard is essential in my book. What provides the flavour in your life?
3. Oil – The oil is the largest component of mayonnaise, providing the lubricating qualities. What greases your wheels?
4. Lemon/Vinegar  – a little acid is necessary to stop mayonnaise from curdling. My preference is lemon juice rather than vinegar, though both are extremely good for you. What adds the zest to stop your life curdling?
5. Garlic (optional) – Garlic is essential in Aioli, but not a component in standard mayonnaise. I’m rather fond of making “Vampire Killer ©” mayo using lots of raw garlic and “Smoky Vampire Killer ©” using, you guessed it, smoked garlic. What is the special extra ingredient in your life?

Arrange the cards any way you like, though between two slices of crusty bread probably works best.

I do love a bit of homemade mayo, and if you use a food processor (the only sane thing to do), you can make a basic batch and then split it into several different varieties, including Tartare Sauce (try adding fresh dill to that). Don’t overdo the quantity though, unless you eat a lot of mayonnaise, as it obviously doesn’t keep as long as the manufactured stuff.

Of course, the finished product is only as good as the quality of the ingredients and, as with all natural products, one must take appropriate measures for preservation and storage. Always remember that life inevitably leads to….

…but that’s no reason to help it get there faster. (Nope, remembering the existence of this card came after the epiphany.)

I hope you have enjoyed this slippery oil-based slope to silliness. In next week’s instalment, we look at the Salad Cream Oracle and French Dressing your Runes. Meanwhile, you can continue your navigation of this Hop using the links below…

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