6.6.06

The muses are heard



Here´s some marginally lobster related material, in the shape of the mayonesa Musa jar.

I love it because it looks fabulous,but also, of course, because it has a lobster.

And because it´s soo so fifties.

It promises at once the old-world lustre of the belle-epoque signature dish, and at the same time, the convenient, pre-packaged foods available from then on.
On one hand, the lobster, meaning high life and luxury, and on the other, the bottled mayo, ease and speed for the modern housewife.
The name, muse, hints at inspiration, divine empowerment and good ideas. The dark blue and the gold lines ( you can´t see those, because I did this in the kitchen with some colouring pencils I bought when I was ten) would not be out of place on a sheik´s Rolls Royce.

It´s very sweet. I´m glad that even though they´ve moved with the times, and do a very good olive oil mayonaise, and several other sauces, they keep the old label. I always keep a jar around, because it makes me smile.

I´m not blind to the defects of bottled mayo, and much prefer home-made. But sometimes you only want a dollop for a sandwich. Or someone around has a thing about raw eggs ( just hiss "chocolate mousse" at them, they´ll usually shut up).
Here´s what I do to perk the commercial product up: to two generous tablespoons of mayo, I add a glug of the best olive oil, and the juice of half a lemon. Maybe a drop of vinegar, maybe a little more lemon. Taste as you go. It makes a world of difference.

6 comentarios:

Anónimo dijo...

Hello!

I found your blog via Anita's blog, Dessert First.

I just love your illustrations. You're very talented ... I look forward to visiting often.

Anónimo dijo...

I love the mayo jar! I'm not usually a big mayo fan, but if I came across a cute jar like this I'd have to buy it.

lobstersquad dijo...

That happens to me all the time. I buy stuff just for the looks, so many times,and you never know. But this mayo really isn´t bad.

Anónimo dijo...

Nice deconstruction job on the mayonnaise brand name and logo. I would never have managed to arrive there.

I'd still be looking at the jar and wondering why anyone would think that Muse was a good brand name for a mayonnaise and what on earth the lobster had to do with anything.

(Great lobster picture by the way.)

Anónimo dijo...

I only wish we could obtain olive oil mayonnaise in this country; perhaps I would eat it then.

lobstersquad dijo...

hi there
Julie: I think I let my college reminders of symbology class run away with me. But it was fun deconstructing the jar.
rebecca:
Bottled olive oil mayo is not all it´s cracked up to be. I think I quite prefer the ordinary one with a little bit of good olive oil poured by myself.

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