for the love of mayo

my most favorite condiment

Hey there, condiment connoisseurs , history buffs and life loving friends! Today, we're scooping into the thick and luscious tale of none other than mayonnaise. MAY-OOOOOh, can I get a what-what! You read that right. It's not just a spread – it's a journey through time!

My love for mayo started at a wee age. With Norwegian parents, I fondly remember the tin tubes of the ever so perfect, decadent, necessary spread that was slathered on almost every single flat edible surface that met my mouth. (knekkerbrod, salami, mayonnaise med agurk was a daily staple in my household.) And although Hellmans is not to be overlooked, I genuinely feel better knowing I can make my own with just a few ingredients. (cut to my reel recipe here on the ol’ insta for a demo) but it’s so easy if you follow a few simple steps & one rule - everything should be ROOM TEMP.

I’ll share the recipe at the end of this post but thought I’d share a little bit more about this loved or hated condiment. I find there is yet to be an in-betweener in this world.

Where did mayo come from?

Let's crank up our time machines and slather on the facts. The origin story of mayo is as mixed as an egg yolk emulsified in oil. Some say it hails from the French town of Bayonne, but hold your horses – others claim it’s a Spanish delight, born during the French occupation of Mahón in Menorca, hence 'mahonnaise.' But let's not split hairs over it; we love a good origin myth!

Flash forward, and mayonnaise starts strutting its creamy stuff across European aristocracy. It's slinking its way into salads, seducing sandwiches, and becoming the belle of the ball in the form of aioli, its garlicky cousin. **** add in info from the cook books

Now, fast-forward to the 20th century, when mayo gets its industrial glow-up. Brands like Hellmann's and Kraft flip the script, churning out jar after jar of this velvety goodness, making it a pantry staple from the U.S. of A to the distant shores of Japan. please tell me you have tried Kewpie, its different, when compared to hellmans, but oh-so-good. and yes, we ate that entire jar of kewpie.

But hold up, let's not overlook the culinary glow-up mayo has had. From a simple spread to a base for remoulade, tartar sauce, and even as the secret ingredient in that cake recipe that blew your mind – mayonnaise has done it all. It’s gone gourmet, with truffle, wasabi, and chipotle varieties having foodies everywhere raising their pinkies while dipping their fries. I have yet to try the mayo in the cake batter, but after all it’s basically egg & oil which is normal in cake batter recipes, right?!

So, how did this emulsified ecstasy cement its place in our hearts (and sandwiches)? It's all about versatility, baby. A dollop of mayo can moisturize a dry sandwich, bind a potato salad, or create the crispiest crust on a grilled cheese that’ll have you singing hallelujah. I have tried all of the ways and it truly blows my mind. When you think about it as Mayo its just you know. mayo. But when you break down to the BARE minimum ingredients (egg yolk, oil, lemon, water, leaving out the mustard, garlic & salt) i mean it is perfectly understandable that it would pair well in all of these recipes . The emulsion is what helps take it to another level.

There you have it, folks – a dollop of history and a spread of facts on your favorite condiment. And if you're now craving a sandwich slathered with the good stuff, who am I to judge? Grab that jar and indulge in the legacy of mayonnaise!

After: A food lovers Dream

But it’s not just about taste – nope. Mayo's got science on its side too. It’s all about that emulsion, where oil and water (courtesy of an egg yolk) decide to hug it out and create this silky spread. It's culinary chemistry at its finest, and we're here for it.

I have a little insta reel part 1 & part 2 where I make the easy peasy recipe shown below

The recipe I’ve come to use and love the most comes from The Food Lab it goes something like this;

**Ingredients**
I egg yolk (ROOM TEMP!!)
2t water
Juice from a Lemon
One garlic clove
1t mustard
Salt
1cup canola oil

Add egg yolk, lemon juice, water, garlic, mustard, salt to a tall slim mason jar

Slowly pour 1 c canola oil so it floats on top

Gently immerse the immersion blender, and blend
When it starts to turn slowly bring up and mix until all of the oil has emulsified

And voila there you have homemade mayonnaise 👩‍🍳 💋

Until our next saucy adventure, keep it spreadable, keep it edible, and as always, keep it fun.xxoo