1 Tbs. wine vinegar (red wine, white wine, or champagne will do) 1 ½ tsp. very finely minced shallot ½ tsp. regular or light mayonnaise ½ tsp. Dijon mustard 1/8 tsp. table salt Ground black pepper 2 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil

- Combine vinegar, shallot, mayonnaise, mustard, salt, and pepper to taste in small nonreactive bowl. Whisk until mixture is milky in appearance and no lumps of mayonnaise remain. - Place oil in small measure cup so that it is easy to pour. Whisking constantly, very slowly drizzle oil into vinegar mixture. If pools of oil are gathering on surface as you whisk, stop addition of oil and whisk mixture well to combine, then resume whisking in oil in slow stream. Vinaigrette should be glossy and lightly thickened, with no pools of oil on its surface. - Lemon Vinaigrette – Follow recipe for Foolproof Vinaigrette, substituting lemon juice for vinegar, omitting shallot, and adding ¼ tsp. finely grated lemon zest and pinch of sugar along with salt and pepper. - Balsamic-Mustard Vinaigrette – Follow recipe for Foolproof Vinaigrette, substituting balsamic vinegar for wine vinegar, increasing mustard to 2 tsp. and adding ½ tsp. chopped fresh thyme along with salt and pepper. - Walnut Vinaigrette – Follow recipe for Foolproof Vinaigrette, substituting 1 ½ Tbs. roasted walnut oil and 1 ½ Tbs. regular olive oil for the extra-virgin olive oil. - Herb Vinaigrette – Follow recipe for Foolproof Vinaigrette, adding 1 Tbs. minced fresh parsley or chives and ½ tsp. minced fresh thyme, tarragon, marjoram, or oregano to vinaigrette just before use.