A brief history of mayonnaise

Egg, oil, and an acid. The simplicity of its basic elements belies the rich and complex character of mayonnaise that makes it one of the world’s best loved and best-selling condiments. Equally complex is the origins and history of mayonnaise.

Widely credited as a French invention (although this may be disputed by the Spanish, among others), legend has it that mayonnaise was first created in 1756 in Mahón, the capital of Menorca. During the Seven Years’ War the Duc de Richeilieu had seized Mahón from the English, and his personal chef is said to have created “mahonnaise,” out of necessity when he needed to make a sauce from the limited ingredients he had on hand.

Popularized by French cooking, mayonnaise’s popularity spread throughout Europe. In 1815 the word “mayonnaise” was first recognized in the Oxford English dictionary. By 1838 it had made its way to the United States and was being served in the finest restaurants in Manhattan, including Delmonico’s, which offered its patrons dishes such as lobster and chicken dressed in mayonnaise.

Now hugely popular in the U.S., George Hellmann began selling jars of mayonnaise at the deli he owned in New York in 1912. By 1917 his mayonnaise was selling so well Hellmann closed his deli and dedicated himself to growing his mayonnaise business. Today, Hellmann’s and Best Foods (both brands are now owned by the same company) account for almost 50% of all mayonnaise sold in the U.S.

In its purest form, mayonnaise is an emulsion created through the combination of egg and oil, with an acid, typically vinegar or lemon juice, and small amounts of salt, sugar and seasonings added to create its rich and complex flavor. Its simplicity both belies and underlies what makes mayonnaise so great. Look at what goes into the mayonnaise in your refrigerator or that you regularly buy in the stores. If there are ingredients that you just don’t recognize, you are probably eating something that is a pale imitation of what great mayonnaise can be.

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