

Why Is Mayonnaise Loved and Hated So Deeply? - dnetesn
http://nautil.us/blog/why-is-the-merger-called-mayonnaise-loved-hatedso-deeply?utm_source=tss&utm_medium=desktop&utm_campaign=linkfrom

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hanlec
I still remember when I was a kid how everyone was teaching me how complicated
making mayonnaise is. Years later, I was taught how to prepare it in minutes
by dropping all the ingredients in a jar and using a mixer. Nobody could tell
the difference.

(and yes, sign me under those that love mayo... actually I'm in the group of
"can I have some extra mayo")

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sharpercoder
I can still remember the half-disgusted and half-suprised faces of my fellow
students when I was eating fries with mayonaise while studying abroad in the
US. As a Dutch guy, I grew up with "frietje-met" (fries with mayonaise). In
turn, I was surprised most Americans eat fries with ketchup.

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jinushaun
So gross. I love mayo (extra please), travel the world and eat pretty much
everything, but cannot simply understand mayo and fries. I don't understand
dipping oily fried food in thick oily sauce.

I think tomato sauce (ketchup) provides a much better contrast. The acidity
counteracts the oiliness and the sugar in the tomatoes and salt on the fries
rounds out the flavor profile. You get nearly all the flavours in one meal.
Even better with curry ketchup. Mayo, OTOH, doesn't provide a strong enough
contrast. It's sweet and tangy, but still predominantly tastes like fat to me.

But enough people like it, so there has to be something to it…

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beachstartup
some points:

* lots of people eat fries with 'fry sauce' which is mayo and ketchup mixed 1:1. i'm a fan of this. why choose?! this is popular in many western us states and i'm pretty s

* mass-produced mayo is not nearly as good as fresh mayo

* sometimes people really mean aioli when they say mayo, and oftentimes aioli has that citrusy tang that counterbalances the fried fat

* sometimes i dip my fries in mustard, which also has the tang

* same with vinegar (usually with fish & chips)

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mcv
The best mayonnaise (Belgian) is slightly acidic, usually from lemon juice.
Though admittedly Dutch mayonnaise does not have that and is sweeter.

Aioli is different. It is also an emulsion, like mayonnaise, but it's mostly
about the garlic, and in some cases doesn't even contain egg yolk (but it
usually does).

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tshadwell
Google Chrome Version 42.0.2311.135. When I middle click to open this link in
a new tab, or use "open in new tab" or "open in new window", no tab or window
seems to open.

If I press the middle mouse on the link rapidly the tabs to the left jump as
though a new tab is being created and then immediately closed. The link works
if I left-click it. Is anyone else experiencing this? This seems to be the
only link doing this.

Is anyone else experiencing this?

Oh, looks like the popup blocker is blocking it?

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ronniemcdon
Same exact issue here, first time i've encountered this with Chrome.

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seszett
The article specifically talks about _white_ mayonnaise.

I have noticed that myself, why is mayonnaise white in the US? As far as I can
tell, both home-made and store-bought mayonnaise is yellow in France.

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switch007
Have you seen the ingredients list? Hellman's doesn't resemble the real stuff
(they even have the gall to call it 'REAL'):

"Soybean oil, water, whole eggs and egg yolks, vinegar, salt, sugar, lemon
juice, natural flavors"

Compare to a recipe
([http://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/wordofmouth/2010/jul...](http://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/wordofmouth/2010/jul/01/how-
to-make-perfect-mayonnaise))

    
    
      2 egg yolks
      Generous pinch of salt
      250ml groundnut or sunflower oil
      25ml extra virgin olive, walnut or rapeseed oil
      1 tbsp mustard of your choice (or 1tsp mustard powder)
      1 clove garlic, crushed (optional)
      1 tbsp white wine vinegar or lemon juice 
    

The mustard, olive oil, presumably more egg yolk and mustard must contribute
to the colour.

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modfodder
Let's compare the ingredients:

Guardian Recipe vs Hellman's

    
    
      2 egg yolks vs Whole eggs and egg yolks
    
      pinch of salt vs salt
     
      olive/walnut/rapeseed oil vs soybean oil
     
      white wine vinegar or lemon juice vs vinegar & lemon juice
    
      garlic vs natural flavors
    
      mustard vs sugar
    

So really not that different. Hellman's adds sugar instead of mustard and uses
soybean oil vs the other three options. This isn't to promote Hellman's, but
your argument that it doesn't resemble the real stuff doesn't make sense when
the ingredient list is about 90% the same.

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mikecmpbll
This is probably a fine place to mention that the best mayonnaise you can get
in Britain is Sainbury's own French Mayonnaise. Incredible.

(~ A mayonnaise aficionado)

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switch007
Heh.. "French style", "Produced in Belgium". I'll give it a go though. Thanks!

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mikecmpbll
I care not for provenance!

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Shivetya
Likely one area that leads many to underestimate their caloric intake. It is
present on a great many sandwiches served by fast and sit down restaurants. I
always remember the day one of our supposedly healthy eaters declared he had
purchased a market fresh club sandwich and he had them make it healthy by not
putting the bacon on it. A little trip to the company's own website showed
that the mayonnaise contribute more than half again the calories of the bacon.

The article did highlight just how wide spread its usage is, I am amazed of
what people use it for. Pizza?

I will stick with the derivative I grew up on, Miracle Whip. For some reason
straight mayo doesn't work for me.

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Namrog84
For me, it's completely a psychological thought that makes me think it's
disgusting, combined with many restaurants or sub places tending to just way
to much on. I hated it as a child, then as a young adult I came to be okay
with it and like it. But something along the way seriously turned me off and
it really really grosses me out now. I know it doesn't taste bad but it just
gets me deep down to where I've even given away or passed on food when I was
hungry

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MisterBastahrd
I like mayo in very small doses. You can smear a very thin layer on something
you will roast or toast and you will end up with a fantastic crust. Try it on
the exterior of a panini.

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gitaarik
You know the dutchies love mayonnaise:

[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g_WomCkKsLs](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g_WomCkKsLs)

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sharpercoder
Note that the "mayonaise" mentioned in the video is not actual mayonaise, but
frietsaus. Frietsaus is 20% or 10% oil, water, and some binding agent. The
taste is very similar to mayonaise though (I personally find mayonaise having
a much fuller taste). Nowadays, only more expensive restaurants serve
mayonaise.

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riffraff
FWIW, I've noticed mayonnaise, even the industrial one, is drastically
different between countries (i.e. strong lemon aroma, different consistency
etc).

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collyw
Its not in the UK, its very average. We have Marmite to fill that role, which
I am sure it does a thousand times better.

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cdcarter
Ketchup better catch up!

