Mayonnaise

Mayonnaise
A jar of mayonnaise
Alternative namesMayo
TypeCondiment
Place of originFrance, Spain
Main ingredientsOil, egg yolk, and vinegar or lemon juice

Mayonnaise (/ˌməˈnz/),[1] colloquially referred to as "mayo" (/ˈm/),[2] is a thick, cold, and creamy sauce commonly used on sandwiches, hamburgers, composed salads, and French fries. It also forms the base for various other sauces, such as tartar sauce, fry sauce, remoulade, salsa golf, ranch dressing, and rouille.[3]

Mayonnaise is an emulsion of oil, egg yolk, and an acid, either vinegar or lemon juice;[4] there are many variants using additional flavorings. The color varies from near-white to pale yellow, and its texture from a light cream to a thick gel.

Commercial eggless versions are made for those who avoid chicken eggs because of egg allergies, to limit dietary cholesterol, or because they are vegetarian or vegan.[5]

  1. ^ "mayonnaise". Oxford English Dictionary. Archived from the original on 26 October 2020. Retrieved 15 June 2022.
  2. ^ "mayo". Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary. Merriam-Webster. Retrieved 14 February 2015.
  3. ^ Holly Herrick, The French Cook: Sauces, 2013, ISBN 1423632397
  4. ^ McGee, Harold (2004). On Food and Cooking : The Science and Lore of the Kitchen (2nd ed.). New York: Scribner. p. 633. ISBN 978-0684800011. Mayonnaise is an emulsion of oil droplets suspended in a base composed of egg yolk, lemon juice or vinegar, which provides both flavor and stabilizing particles and carbohydrates.
  5. ^ Moran, Victoria; Moran, Adair (2012). Main Street Vegan: Everything You Need to Know to Eat Healthfully and Live Compassionately in the Real World. Penguin. p. 168. ISBN 9781101580622. Retrieved 28 November 2015.