I love making homemade food stuffs, like jams and jellies, but my favorite are condiments, and I have a special affinity for mayonnaise. The French claim to have invented the sauce (yes, mayo is a classic French sauce!), but the Spanish contest that claim. The Spanish say it was invented in Port Mahon (and thus the name). In its early years in the USA (19th century), it was considered a sauce to be found in fine dinning restaurants, but along came a restaurateur named Richard Hellman, who owned a popular NYC deli, and he changes America’s eating habits. His house made mayo was so popular he saw an opportunity, and started mass producing it, and yes, Hellman’s is still going strong.
Mayo is an odd sauce, most people either love it or hate it and there seems to be very little middle ground. I could eat it out of the jar with a spoon, but I have friends who simply deplore it. I am not sure the reason for such strong feelings, but I guess it is a textural thing.
Mayo is quite easy to make, but you really do need an immersion blender (all good kitchens should have one!). Tale 1 cup of good quality oil, and one whole egg. Place the egg in a container whose mouth is just wide enough for the blender. SLOWLY pour the oil in while pulsing the blender. If you over blend the sauce, it will break and become watery. It’s hard to fix a broken sauce, so be careful.
What do you think you have if you follow the above recipe, but use olive oil and some crushed garlic? Aioli, of course, one of my favorite sauces (I also add a pinch of red pepper flakes).
Mustard is pretty easy too. Grind 6 tbs mustard seed, add1/2 cup mustard powder, mix well, add ½ cup water and 3 tbs vinegar (your favorite). Mix well and let sit for at least 12 hours. Boom.
Aioli makes for a great dipping sauce, and goes well with grilled beef, baked potatoes, French fries (I can make a meal of aioli and French fries!), and a lot of other things. I think any good sandwich, from bologna to roast beef, needs a thick smear of aioli or mayo.
So, what is the best commercial mayo? Get into this discussion, and you most likely will have a debate on your hands. I think Duke’s and the Japanese made Kewpie are tops, but there a lot of opinions out there. Give them all a try and see for yourself.