Mayonnaise: versions of origin, composition of the sauce, benefits and harms of consumption. Who invented mayonnaise and ketchup? What language does mayonnaise come from?
The origin of the word mayonnaise in French is unknown. Larousse Gastronomique 1961 is of the opinion that the word comes from the old French "moyeu", which, among other things, meant yolk.
There are other versions of its origin, mostly legendary and based on significant historical events. Here is one of them:
The word “mayonnaise” is of geographical origin and is associated with the name of the city of Mahon, the capital of the Spanish island of Menorca, part of the Balearic Islands. As indicated in one of the French encyclopedic dictionaries, Mahon was conquered by the Duke of Richelieu. In 1757, the British besieged this city. The French ran out of food supplies, with the exception of eggs and olive oil. From these products, the cooks prepared scrambled eggs and omelettes, which the French officers were pretty tired of. Duke Richelieu ordered his cook to prepare some new dish. The resourceful cook beat the eggs with butter and seasoned the mixture with salt and spices. The sauce we liked was called “mayonnaise”, in honor of the city of Mahon.
In Menorca itself, mayonnaise is called salsa mahonesa (Mahon sauce).
It is possible that this simple sauce is quite ancient and originated independently in several places around the Mediterranean - where olive oil and eggs are available.
There is another version that mayonnaise originated from ali-oli sauce (garlic ground with olive oil), known since time immemorial.
Industrial mayonnaise
The original mayonnaise recipe is not suitable for long-term storage, and therefore industrial mayonnaise was developed for industrial production.
Classification
- high-calorie (mass fraction of fat from 55%; water less than 35%)
- medium-calorie (mass fraction of fat 40-55%; water 35-50%)
- low-calorie (mass fraction of fat up to 40%; water more than 50%)
Technology
Mayonnaise is an oil-in-water emulsion and was traditionally made using egg lecithin (egg yolk). Later it was almost completely replaced by soy lecithin and other emulsifiers.
The recognized leader in mayonnaise consumption is the city of Yekaterinburg, which is recorded in the Guinness Book of Records.
At first, mayonnaise was classified as a delicacy, a product for the elite of society. But over time, like other inventions of court culinary specialists, mayonnaise was sufficiently democratized and became popular and accessible to all layers of French, and later the entire European society.
History of the origin of mayonnaise
Several plausible legends about the origin of mayonnaise have survived to this day. All of them are connected with the turbulent history of the 18th century. You can learn something about these times by watching films. "Holidays of Love", "Fanfan-Tulip", “Follow me, rascals!”, TV movie "Mikhailo Lomonosov". In these funny films, we will also get acquainted with the methods of active recruitment into the then army, very similar to those in Russia at the beginning of the third millennium.
The island of Menorca lies in the Mediterranean Sea. Its capital is the ancient city of Mahon (or Mayon). In the 18th century, continuous wars were fought between European rulers for this fertile land. It was in the midst of those battles that the history of mayonnaise sauce began.
First, in 1757, Mahon was captured by the French under the leadership of the Duke de Richelieu (a relative of the same Duke and Cardinal Armand Jean du Plessis Richelieu, who lived from 1585 to 1642, who in “The Three Musketeers” besieged the Huguenot fortress of La Rochelle, which fell in 1628 , and in the siege of which the royal musketeer Rene Descartes actually took part). Soon the city was besieged by the British. Like his ancestor, Richelieu was determined to hold his position even under pain of starvation until the bitter end.
And the food supply in the besieged city was tight - only olive oil and turkey eggs remained. How much can you make from such a set? The garrison cooks, who themselves were tired of such a meager “menu,” tried to diversify it with all their might during the siege, experimenting as best they could, but the range of available products was too meager.
When the French garrison and Richelieu himself could no longer look at all sorts of omelettes and scrambled eggs, the Duke’s cook, who also showed extraordinary soldierly ingenuity, finally found a great solution which forever glorified him, but, unfortunately, did not preserve his name (in the difficult siege struggle, he forgot to name the sauce after himself).
So, this resourceful cook carefully ground fresh egg yolks with sugar and salt and gradually, adding in small portions and vigorously stirring each time until completely homogeneous, mixed everything with olive oil, then added lemon juice to the mixture and mixed everything thoroughly again. (This is the classic mayonnaise recipe.)
Even the simplest soldier’s bread with such an additive became amazingly tasty!
Richelieu and his soldiers were delighted. Victory over the enemy was assured! This is how a wonderful sauce appeared, later named after the besieged city - “Maon sauce” or “mayonnaise”.
A magnificent new seasoning has gained worldwide fame under the name "Provence sauce from Mahon", or simply "mayonnaise" in French.
Another version the origin of mayonnaise also tells us about the events in Mahon, this time in 1782. The city was then conquered by the Spaniards, commanded by a Frenchman in the Spanish service, Duke Louis de Crillon. This time, the reason for the invention of the sauce was not the scarcity of food, but its abundance. A great feast was given to celebrate the victory, and the Duke ordered the cooks to prepare something “very special.” And then an unprecedented sauce appeared on the banquet tables, made from the best Provençal olive oil, eggs and lemon juice with the addition of sugar, salt and red pepper.
This version is very doubtful, because... In a short time of preparation for a feast, it is simply impossible to make a fundamentally new invention in cooking, even “according to the boss’s order.” Any development of a new idea and bringing it to fruition requires a lot of time. All inventors know this.
But there is another hypothesis. She says that mayonnaise did not appear in Mahon, it has even deeper roots! Imagine, culinary experts tell us, would a person in his right mind just take olive oil and eggs and start mixing them, without even imagining what unexpected result he would get in the end? No, whoever the cook in the city of Mahon was, he probably relied on someone else's experience and knew what he was doing. However, who would doubt that a person, even if he is a cook, taking a step into the unknown, bases his actions on previous experience?
So the fact remains that before that time there was no mayonnaise sauce. Mayonnaise was invented by a French chef in Mahon, of course, relying on previously acquired culinary knowledge and experience.
Indeed, mayonnaise had a direct ancestor - spicy Spanish sauce "ali-oli", translated from Spanish as “garlic-and-butter.” It's a cool mixture of garlic, eggs and olive oil. Residents of Southern Europe have known and loved “ali-oli” since time immemorial. The ancient Roman poet Virgil wrote about such a seasoning. Under the name "aoli" this sauce has survived to this day. But this is not mayonnaise at all!
However, adherents of this hypothesis still want to be sure that the French nobles in the 18th century simply published the old recipe and gave it a French name. And then his fame spread throughout France.
In this version, it is very difficult to explain why - if such a wonderful recipe was created a long time ago - it was never used before? And there can only be one explanation - because there was none.
But in any case, despite these theoretical disputes, it was at the end of the 18th century that the wonderful, previously unknown sauce firmly entered the menu of European aristocrats and became a classic dressing for cold appetizers.
In those days, mayonnaise was very expensive, because the cooks who owned the recipe for making mayonnaise kept it a big secret - although preparing mayonnaise is not difficult, it requires a certain skill and knowledge of cooking technology.
At the beginning of the 19th century, a cook from the family of famous French chefs Olivier invented a version of mayonnaise with the addition of mustard and a small amount of some secret seasonings (the composition of these seasonings is now lost). Mustard gave mayonnaise a special piquant taste and, being a natural emulsifier, greatly simplified its preparation and improved shelf life. This sauce is hotter than the one invented in Mahon classic mayonnaise, called “Provencal sauce from Mahon” - mayonnaise "Provencal"(Provencal sauce).
Later, a native of this family, Lucien Olivier, moved to live in Russia, where he became a famous Russian restaurateur. While working in Russia, he made an invaluable contribution to the creation of the richness and diversity of modern Russian cuisine, which has now absorbed and improved all the best from many national and court cuisines of the peoples of the world.
It was Provencal mayonnaise that provided the excellent taste of the Russian national salad "Olivier" invented by Lucien Olivier.
For the real recipe for the famous Russian salad and the history of the Olivier restaurant in Russia, see page .
About mayonnaise
Mayonnaise refers to cold “real” or “noble” sauces, i.e. to sauces, the most important components of which are butter and eggs, while flour is completely absent.
Mayonnaise is one of the wonders of world culinary art. Not only is it a highly nutritious product in itself, but, importantly, it facilitates easy digestion of the food taken with it. Therefore, it is quite rightly considered an indispensable seasoning for many dishes.
This French sauce has long become one of the three most important international condiments: mustard(France), mayonnaise(Menorca, France), ketchup(created by the cooks of the English navy).
Chinese is now gradually becoming the fourth world seasoning soy sauce. Great seasoning "Russian table horseradish" the absolute instability in storage does not allow it to become a world seasoning - no more than 18 hours, and by and large - only 4-6 hours (recipe for Russian table horseradish, see below on this page).
Although everyone knows the name of the famous mayonnaise sauce, most people in Russia not only have not tried it, but have not even seen it.
Once you have seen and tasted real mayonnaise, you will never confuse it with those milky-white industrial mash with the consistency of liquid sour cream that are sold under the name “mayonnaise” in Russian stores for public consumption. All modern store-bought “mayonnaises” in the Russian Federation have nothing in common with mayonnaise, neither in composition, nor in appearance, nor, especially, in taste, i.e. they are completely wrongfully called after the famous sauce.
A real classic mayonnaise sauce (mayonnaise base) is an emulsion of olive oil in raw egg yolk with small additions of sugar, salt and lemon juice.
It is possible to add up to 0.5% of various dry finely ground spices - red or black pepper, nutmeg, lemon zest, etc. to taste. And there should be nothing more! No water, no milk!
(For comparison, look at the composition of modern Russian industrial “mayonnaises” indicated on the packaging and keep in mind that not all contents are indicated on them - food manufacturers always .)
Mayonnaise Provencal It also contains ready-made mustard.
Mayonnaise sauce looks like translucent light honey color, It has delicate jelly-like consistency And subtle refined taste.
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On the picture: ready-made mayonnaise, lightly stirred with a mixer for clarity. |
Mayonnaise is not intended for long-term storage(in the refrigerator no more than 3-5 days, but it is better to serve immediately), because Gradually, but quite quickly, it loses its excellent taste (although it does not become toxic) due to changes in the raw yolk included in the composition. That’s why you can try it either if you have a personal chef, or in a very good Russian restaurant for certain categories of visitors (see below for details), or by cooking it yourself at home without any hassle.
The mayonnaise base contains (variations to taste):
70 to 84% of the best olive oil (i.e. it may have more or less fresh yolk),
10-15% yolk (you can even increase it to 20-25%, but then the mayonnaise must either be served immediately or used within 24 hours!),
2-3% sugar (preferably fructose),
1-1.5% salt,
up to 5-6% freshly squeezed lemon juice (as a last resort - a solution of citric acid or unflavored 9% vinegar, preferably alcoholic),
Small additions of up to 0.5% of various dry ground spices are possible to suit the taste of this dish.
And up to 6% of finished mustard in Provencal mayonnaise.
AND NOTHING ELSE.
The more yolk there is in mayonnaise (up to a certain limit), the tastier it is and the faster it loses its great taste during storage. But if the oil content is below 70%, mayonnaise will not work - this limits the maximum content of fresh yolk, taking into account the percentage of content and other ingredients (sugar, salt and lemon juice).
Some variations of the components are possible in terms of the butter-yolk ratio, the content of sugar, salt, lemon juice and various spices (up to 0.5%) at the responsible choice of the cook, depending on the dishes to which this mayonnaise is assigned. In Provencal mayonnaise - more often used for fatty meat and some vegetable dishes - up to 6% of ready-made mustard is added. No water or milk is added to real mayonnaise.
IN classic mayonnaise sauce(it is also called mayonnaise base, or basic table mayonnaise) you can, if desired, immediately before serving, add a variety of additives suitable for various dishes (which will be discussed below). Additives can also be added to more acute mayonnaise provencal.
The mayonnaise emulsion is unstable at elevated temperatures (above 45 degrees Celsius) and when heated, it easily breaks down into pure vegetable oil with small, clearly visible droplet-shaped inclusions of other products included in the composition.
Based on this way to check the quality of mayonnaise: Place a tablespoon of mayonnaise in a frying pan and heat it up a little.
If the mayonnaise is benign, the emulsion will disintegrate, and in the frying pan you will get almost pure oil, on which you can fry any food until browned.
In case of surrogate mayonnaise in the frying pan, a sizzling and gurgling milky-white mass is formed, reminiscent of semolina porridge, either without any visible signs of separated oil, or with scanty individual oil drops. With further heating, this mass quickly burns with the characteristic smell of burnt semolina porridge.
This makes it clear that there is no point in using real mayonnaise for baking foods. You can bake it with flour sauces or sour cream. All culinary recipes that recommend mayonnaise for baking are designed specifically for industrial mayonnaise, which is flour sauce imitating sour cream with vegetable oils.
Of course, for any restaurant, cafe or canteen, preparing real mayonnaise will not be difficult. But then the majority of Russians, accustomed only to a surrogate, will not understand what it is, and misunderstandings will begin. And everyone will have to carefully explain what exactly this and there is real mayonnaise. The waiters simply do not have enough energy or time for such “lectures”. In public catering, it is easier and more reliable to use the counterfeit goods from the store that are familiar to Russians.
Inventor: Cook of the Duke de Richelieu
A country: France
Time of invention: 1753
Now we can no longer imagine a daily and holiday table without a variety of salads and many other dishes seasoned with mayonnaise sauce. This sauce, like many products that we see on our table every day, has a very interesting history.
There are several versions of the invention of Mayonnaise sauce. Two of them are associated with the city of Mahon (or Mayon), the capital of the island of Minorca, only they relate to different historical events and outstanding people of that time.
Here is one of the beautiful legends. During the military campaign, the town of Mahon (or Mayon), the capital of the island of Menorca, became the scene of battles in 1757. It was occupied by French troops, led by the Duke of Richelieu. Soon the British appeared under the city walls and took Mahon into a tight ring.
The Duke did not want to surrender the city to the enemy, but the population of Mahon was already in danger of starvation, and only olive oil and chicken eggs remained from provisions. The Duke of Richelieu was served alternately scrambled eggs and an omelet for all meals, until even the ruler became tired of such monotonous dishes.
Therefore, the chef, who wanted to surprise the aristocrat with a new delicious dish, showed resourcefulness. The cook, whose name has not been preserved, ground sugar and egg yolks, then added olive oil to them and stirred the mixture until smooth. The new sauce, the taste of which was appreciated by the Duke of Richelieu, was named after 
named after the legendary besieged city - it was called Mahon sauce, and later - mayonnaise.
According to another version, the invention of mayonnaise is associated with the name of the commander Louis of Crillon, the first Duke of Mago. In 1782, while in Spanish service, the Duke conquered the capital of the island of Minorca, the city of Mahon, from the British. This time, the reason for the invention of the sauce was not the scarcity of food, but its abundance. A great feast was given to celebrate the victory, and the Duke ordered the cooks to prepare something “very special.” And then an unprecedented sauce appeared on the banquet tables, made from the best Provençal olive oil, eggs and lemon juice with the addition of sugar, salt and red pepper.
It is possible that this simple sauce is quite ancient and originated independently in several places in the Mediterranean - where olive oil and eggs are available. For example, that mayonnaise originated from ali-oli sauce (garlic ground with olive oil), known since time immemorial.
But be that as it may, despite these theoretical disputes, it was at the end of the 18th century that the wonderful, previously unknown sauce firmly entered the menu of European aristocrats and became a classic dressing for cold appetizers.
In those days, mayonnaise was very expensive, because the chefs who owned the recipe for making mayonnaise kept it a big secret - although preparing mayonnaise is not difficult, it requires a certain skill and knowledge of cooking technology.
At the beginning of the 19th century, a cook from a family of famous French 
chefs Olivier invented a version of mayonnaise with the addition of mustard and a small amount of some secret seasonings (the composition of these seasonings is now lost). Mustard gave mayonnaise a special piquant taste and, being a natural emulsifier, greatly simplified its preparation and improved shelf life. This sauce, spicier than the classic mayonnaise invented in Mahon, was called “Provencal sauce from Mahon” - “Provencal” mayonnaise.
Later, a native of this family, Lucien Olivier, moved to live in Russia, where he became a famous Russian restaurateur. While working in Russia, he made an invaluable contribution to the creation of the richness and diversity of modern Russian cuisine, which has now absorbed and improved all the best from many national and court cuisines of the peoples of the world. It was Provencal mayonnaise that provided the excellent taste of the Russian national salad “Olivier” invented by Lucien Olivier.
The original mayonnaise recipe is not suitable for long-term storage, 
Therefore, industrial mayonnaise was developed for industrial production. Mayonnaise is an oil-in-water emulsion and was traditionally made using egg lecithin (egg yolk). Later it was almost completely replaced by soy lecithin and other emulsifiers.
Regarding the exact origin of the word "mayonnaise", Larousse Gastronomique 1961 is of the opinion that it comes from the old French "moyeu", which, among other things, meant yolk.
Mayonnaise was one of these truly “folk” products, which came into our everyday life with the light hand of Comrade Stalin, issued on ration cards. 
grocery set.
The recognized leader in mayonnaise consumption is the city of Yekaterinburg, which is recorded in the Guinness Book of Records.
At first, mayonnaise was classified as a delicacy, a product for the elite of society. But over time, like other inventions of court culinary specialists, mayonnaise was sufficiently democratized and became popular and accessible to all layers of French, and later the entire European society.
Several plausible legends about the origin of mayonnaise have survived to this day. All of them are connected with the turbulent history of the 18th century. You can learn something about these times by watching the films “Holidays of Love”, “Fanfan-Tulip”, “Follow me, rascals!”, and the television film “Mikhailo Lomonosov”. In these funny films, we will also get acquainted with the methods of active recruitment into the then army, very similar to those in Russia at the beginning of the third millennium.
The island of Menorca lies in the Mediterranean Sea. Its capital is the ancient city of Mahon (or Mayon). In the 18th century, continuous wars were fought between European rulers for this fertile land. It was in the midst of those battles that the history of mayonnaise sauce began.
First, in 1757, Mahon was captured by the French under the leadership of the Duke de Richelieu (a relative of the same Duke and Cardinal Armand Jean du Plessis Richelieu, who lived from 1585 to 1642, who in “The Three Musketeers” besieged the Huguenot fortress of La Rochelle, which fell in 1628 , and in the siege of which the royal musketeer Rene Descartes actually took part). Soon the city was besieged by the British. Like his ancestor, Richelieu was determined to hold his position even under pain of starvation until the bitter end.
And the food supply in the besieged city was tight - only olive oil and turkey eggs remained. How much can you make from such a set? The garrison cooks, who themselves were tired of such a meager “menu,” tried to diversify it with all their might during the siege, experimenting as best they could, but the range of available products was too meager.
When the French garrison and Richelieu himself could no longer look at all sorts of omelettes and scrambled eggs, the Duke’s cook, who also showed extraordinary soldierly ingenuity, finally found an excellent solution that glorified him forever, but, unfortunately, did not preserve his name (during the grave siege fight, he forgot to name the sauce after himself).
So, this resourceful cook carefully ground fresh egg yolks with sugar and salt and gradually, adding in small portions and vigorously stirring each time until completely homogeneous, mixed everything with olive oil, then added lemon juice to the mixture and mixed everything thoroughly again. (This is the classic mayonnaise recipe.)
Even the simplest soldier’s bread with such an additive became amazingly tasty!
Richelieu and his soldiers were delighted. Victory over the enemy was assured! This is how a wonderful sauce appeared, later named after the besieged city - “Maon sauce” or “mayonnaise”.
A magnificent new seasoning has gained worldwide fame under the name "Provence sauce from Mahon", or simply "mayonnaise" in French.
Another version of the origin of mayonnaise also tells us about events in Mahon, this time in 1782. The city was then conquered by the Spaniards, commanded by a Frenchman in the Spanish service, Duke Louis de Crillon. This time, the reason for the invention of the sauce was not the scarcity of food, but its abundance. A great feast was given to celebrate the victory, and the Duke ordered the cooks to prepare something “very special.” And then an unprecedented sauce appeared on the banquet tables, made from the best Provençal olive oil, eggs and lemon juice with the addition of sugar, salt and red pepper.
This version is very doubtful, because... In a short time of preparation for a feast, it is simply impossible to make a fundamentally new invention in cooking, even “according to the boss’s order.” Any development of a new idea and bringing it to fruition requires a lot of time. All inventors know this.
But there is another hypothesis. She says that mayonnaise did not appear in Mahon, it has even deeper roots! Imagine, culinary experts tell us, would a person in his right mind just take olive oil and eggs and start mixing them, without even imagining what unexpected result he would get in the end? No, whoever the cook in the city of Mahon was, he probably relied on someone else's experience and knew what he was doing. However, who would doubt that a person, even if he is a cook, taking a step into the unknown, bases his actions on previous experience?
So the fact remains that before that time there was no mayonnaise sauce. Mayonnaise was invented by a French chef in Mahon, of course, relying on previously acquired culinary knowledge and experience.
Indeed, mayonnaise had a direct ancestor - the spicy Spanish sauce “ali-oli”, translated from Spanish as “garlic-and-butter”. It's a cool mixture of garlic, eggs and olive oil. Residents of Southern Europe have known and loved “ali-oli” since time immemorial. The ancient Roman poet Virgil wrote about such a seasoning. Under the name "aoli" this sauce has survived to this day. But this is not mayonnaise at all!
However, adherents of this hypothesis still want to be sure that the French nobles in the 18th century simply published the old recipe and gave it a French name. And then his fame spread throughout France.
In this version, it is very difficult to explain why - if such a wonderful recipe was created a long time ago - it was never used before? And there can only be one explanation - because there was none.
But in any case, despite these theoretical disputes, it was at the end of the 18th century that the wonderful, previously unknown sauce firmly entered the menu of European aristocrats and became a classic dressing for cold appetizers.
In those days, mayonnaise was very expensive, because the cooks who owned the recipe for making mayonnaise kept it a big secret - although preparing mayonnaise is not difficult, it requires a certain skill and knowledge of cooking technology.
At the beginning of the 19th century, a cook from the family of famous French chefs Olivier invented a version of mayonnaise with the addition of mustard and a small amount of some secret seasonings (the composition of these seasonings is now lost). Mustard gave mayonnaise a special piquant taste and, being a natural emulsifier, greatly simplified its preparation and improved shelf life. This sauce, spicier than the classic mayonnaise invented in Mahon, was called “Provençal sauce from Mahon” - mayonnaise “Provençal” (Provençal sauce).
Later, a native of this family, Lucien Olivier, moved to live in Russia, where he became a famous Russian restaurateur. While working in Russia, he made an invaluable contribution to the creation of the richness and diversity of modern Russian cuisine, which has now absorbed and improved all the best from many national and court cuisines of the peoples of the world.
It was Provencal mayonnaise that provided the excellent taste of the Russian national salad "Olivier" invented by Lucien Olivier.
Mayonnaise has firmly entered our lives and, it seems, has always been on our table. It is a dressing for many salads and is present in various dishes. However, the age of mayonnaise is not as venerable as many people think, and it appeared in Russia relatively recently.
There are various legends that describe the origin of this noble sauce. All events related to the history of mayonnaise relate to the turbulent events that took place in the 18th century.
№1
The Seven Years' War was going on in 1756. French troops landed on the Spanish island of Menorca, which is located in the Mediterranean Sea, and successfully captured its capital, Mahon. In turn, the English army landed on this island and besieged the fortress. The siege dragged on, and the French troops, commanded by the Duke of Richelieu, had a hard time, since there were practically no provisions.
The defenders of the fortress were left with only a constant “supply” of eggs.
A critical moment came when the French got tired of the monotonous food. This had a negative impact on the morale of the soldiers. The Duke's cook had to show military ingenuity and find a way out of the situation. Through his efforts, a new sauce was born, the recipe of which has survived unchanged to this day.
The resourceful cook ground the egg yolks, added salt and sugar to them. He introduced olive oil into the mixture in a thin stream, accompanying the process with intense stirring. Finally, lemon juice was added to the mixture with continuous stirring. This is how a sauce with an exquisite taste was born.
Experiments with using various products with it delighted the French. The soldiers were soaring in spirit and were able to successfully repel the enemy's attack.
In honor of the city of Mahon, the sauce was called Mahon or, similar to the name in French, mayonnaise. The heroic cook turned out to be a humble man, so his name is forgotten.
№2
The action took place in 1782 in Mahon. At this time, Mahon was conquered by the Spaniards under the command of Duke Louis de Crillon, a Frenchman by nationality.
According to legend, the sauce was invented due to the abundance of food. The Duke decided to celebrate the victory and ordered to decorate the table with some unusual dish. As a result, the idea was born to combine olive oil with eggs, lemon juice, sugar and spices.
It is very difficult to call such a story plausible. With all the desire to please your commander, it is difficult to come up with something fundamentally new in cooking in a short time. From an idea to obtaining the required result is a long journey that takes time.
№3
The composition of mayonnaise resembles aioli sauce.There is an assumption that the 18th century is not the time when the sauce was invented. According to this hypothesis, mayonnaise was invented much earlier, and not in Mahon. This opinion is based on the assertion that, without guessing what the result will be, the cook would not randomly mix different ingredients. That is, this means that the cook knew what the result of his work would be and had a recipe or heard about someone’s experience.
Before the events in Mahon, no one knew about such a sauce, so it can be argued that this city can be considered the place of invention, and its inventor is a cook who knew the old recipe.
Long before the appearance and popularization of mayonnaise, ali-oli sauce was known. It is of Spanish origin and literally translated its name sounds like “and butter.” It consists of a mixture of eggs, garlic and olive oil and has been known in southern European countries since Antiquity. In the works of Virgil there are references to such a sauce, which has come down to our time under the name aioli. However, its taste is far from the delicate taste of mayonnaise.
This version is somewhat strained, since it is difficult to find an explanation for the fact that the recipe for the sauce, which has existed for a long time, was not found anywhere until the 18th century. This can only be understood in such a way that before that time it simply did not exist.
Travel from France to Russia
The debate between culinary theorists regarding the origin of mayonnaise continues to this day. However, no one disputes the fact that it was not known until the 18th century, when it took a leading position in the cuisines of Europe.
The cost of mayonnaise was high, and the method of preparation was a secret. At first glance, preparing mayonnaise seems simple, but without certain skills and knowledge of technology it is impossible to make.
The dynasty of French chefs named Olivier is known for many inventions, including one of the sauce variants. Mustard and seasonings were added to it, the composition of which is currently lost. The presence of mustard in the mayonnaise added piquancy to the sauce. In addition, it is a natural emulsifier, which greatly simplifies preparation and increases the shelf life of the product. This sauce is more spicy than the classic version.
One person from the Olivier family - Lucien - came to Russia and became a restaurateur. During the period of his activity in Russia, he made a great contribution to Russian cuisine. One of his works of culinary art is the famous salad, named after the author's surname. The dressing for this salad is mayonnaise, which thus began to spread in Russia. About the national love for salad Olivie It’s probably unnecessary to say.
What is mayonnaise?
The consistency of mayonnaise is an oil emulsion. To prepare it, various types of butter, yolks or whole eggs and various flavorings are used. Mayonnaise does not contain flour, so it is classified as a noble sauce.
In addition to its wonderful taste and nutritional properties, mayonnaise promotes the absorption of foods that are eaten with it. All this is evidence that this sauce is a suitable seasoning for a variety of dishes.
Sauces such as aioli, tartar, and remoulade are similar to mayonnaise. In terms of popularity in the world, the sauce is among the top three, along with mustard and ketchup.
Composition of mayonnaise
The ingredients for making traditional mayonnaise are simple, but its quality largely depends on the technology of the process. This sauce should not contain air bubbles, which eliminates the use of a mixer. It takes quite a lot of time to prepare the right mayonnaise, since the entire procedure is done by hand. When choosing ingredients, you can adhere to the following recommendations.
Olive oil
To obtain a tasty sauce, it is recommended to use high-quality olive oil. It is difficult to give advice regarding the choice of this product, since there are many varieties. We can say with confidence that you should not buy very cheap oil. It is also better to buy a small sample size. It is perfectly acceptable to experiment with different types of olive oil to find the one that suits your taste.
If you come across sunflower oil on store shelves, to which, according to the manufacturer, olive oil has been added, then you should refrain from such a purchase. It is important that the quality of the oil is undeniable.
To find out the quality level, you need to carry out a simple test and put the oil in the refrigerator. When cooled, it becomes cloudy, then changes color to white and acquires a very thick consistency.
After removing the frozen oil into the room, it restores its previous appearance. If it takes considerable time for the oil to become white or if white flakes appear, then suspicions arise about its quality. It may be diluted oil or obtained by pressing the seeds, or this product has nothing to do with olive oil. When using this liquid, the emulsion will not work or will negatively affect the taste of the sauce.
Eggs
Waterfowl eggs are not suitable for making sauce. To obtain high-quality mayonnaise, it is advisable to use farm eggs. Moreover, these can be not only chicken eggs, but also quail or turkey eggs.
However, you should know that waterfowl eggs are not suitable for mayonnaise. Due to the fact that such eggs pose a certain threat to human health, they must be boiled for a long time before consumption.
When breaking eggs, you first need to make sure they are of high quality. Then you can begin to separate the yolks from the whites and threads.
Lemon juice
In industrial production, lemon juice replaces vinegar. Mayonnaise, according to the classic recipe, contains. It is possible to use vinegar, but as a result the taste of mayonnaise becomes coarser and a specific smell of vinegar appears. If the taste of industrially produced mayonnaise is familiar, then sauce with vinegar will become a kind of transition to using mayonnaise prepared at home.
Sugar
There must be sugar in mayonnaise, but only in very small quantities. It is preferable to use powdered sugar, as it dissolves better and faster. Sugar can be replaced with fructose, which is beneficial for human health. In some cases, dry fruits ground in a mortar are used to add sweetness. This slight modification to the recipe is considered advisable to better pair the mayonnaise with a particular dish.
Salt and spices
Mayonnaise requires even less salt than sugar. It is advisable to use crushed salt, but be careful not to over-salt. Moderation is also required when adding spices.
Despite the fact that the basic mayonnaise recipe does not require the presence of spices, variety and new notes will not harm the sauce. This issue should be approached with sensitivity and restraint. The choice of spices is not limited and depends only on the imagination of the cook. As a rule, various herbs are used, previously crushed in a mortar. You need to be especially careful when adding pepper. Its task in mayonnaise is to create a light aftertaste, but not to come to the fore.
Mustard
Mustard is a variable component of mayonnaise. The inclusion of mustard in the sauce is required when preparing the popular Provencal mayonnaise. For this, the simplest table mustard that does not contain additives is best suited.
Quantitative ratio of ingredients
There is no strictly defined ratio of mayonnaise components. As the number of eggs increases, the sauce becomes thicker and the taste more intense. In this case, mayonnaise should be prepared immediately before serving, and storage is limited to one day. As the amount of oil added to the sauce increases, the shelf life increases slightly. However, it is still advisable that the sauce be prepared before using it.
The presence of water, milk or any components from the list present on the factory container is excluded in homemade mayonnaise. If you conduct a comparative analysis of the ingredients of the product, which is available on store shelves under the name “mayonnaise,” it becomes clear that these two products are similar only in name.
A little about industrial mayonnaise
It goes without saying that the industrial scale of production does not allow us to adhere to the classic recipe for Mahon sauce of the 18th century. The product, produced in factories in the USSR, was of the highest quality. At the same time, the recipe had minimal differences compared to the original. The mayonnaise recipe of the 50s of the 20th century implied the replacement of olive oil with refined oil and the presence of five percent vinegar. All other ingredients and proportions corresponded to the classic recipe. At the same time, the percentage of oil was deliberately reduced to increase shelf life. As a result, the mayonnaise was white and had an acrid taste due to the vinegar.
Over the past three decades, advances in chemistry have become an integral part of all products. The taste of the products has noticeably improved, becoming brighter and more varied, but the composition has become a complete mystery to consumers. Almost everything on sale contains monosodium glutamate, which is used to enhance taste. In combination with it, powerful flavors are introduced that can change and enhance the taste.
Manufacturers' search for ways to reduce costs has led to a reduction in the cost of mayonnaise to an acceptable level, as a result of which its taste has been completely destroyed. In addition, the health safety of such a sauce is highly questionable. Oil is mostly replaced with water, egg yolks with egg powder, and the remaining components are artificially synthesized.
Water and oil are substances that do not mix with each other, so emulsifiers are added to industrial mayonnaise. They also use powerful equipment to achieve results, which are secured using stabilizers. To ensure that this mixture can be stored for a long time, preservatives are added. As a result, a white mass of the required taste and smell is obtained.
About the benefits of the sauce
When considering the question, it is assumed that we are talking about a product prepared at home. As already noted, there is no need to talk about the presence of positive qualities of store-bought mayonnaise.
Natural products in mayonnaise contain a whole vitamin complex, which has a beneficial effect on human health and increases his immunity. The abundance of vitamins required for the human body improves metabolic processes and normalizes skeletal growth in children.
Eating homemade mayonnaise prevents the formation of plaques on the walls of blood vessels. This product is able to fight free radicals, thereby reducing the risk of cancer and slowing down the aging process.
Olive oil, which is in the sauce, has a positive effect on the functioning of all internal human organs. Egg yolk and mustard speed up metabolism and promote weight loss in case of excess weight, and stabilize it in case of normal weight. Mayonnaise improves the absorption of fatty and protein-rich foods. The properties of lemon juice allow you to remove toxins and waste from the body and saturate it with vitamin C.
All of the above speaks only in favor of homemade mayonnaise.
About the dangers of mayonnaise
To get a complete picture of the properties of mayonnaise, it should be noted that it also has negative qualities. Like any other product, this sauce should be consumed in moderation.
It should be understood that mayonnaise is a source of fat. Sauce made from natural products contains saturated fats, while store-bought sauces contain trans fats and palm oil. All of them can lead to an increase in cholesterol levels in the blood, which contributes to the development of atherosclerosis and heart disease (read about the diet for vascular atherosclerosis in a separate section).
Mayonnaise is a high-calorie product, which should be taken into account if you are overweight or have a tendency to gain weight.
If we return to the composition of store-bought mayonnaise, there is not a single argument that would speak of its benefits. The explosive mixture of ingredients in this sauce is the source of many diseases, including cancer.
