Mayonnaise

Mayonnaise is a thick sauce traditionally composed of egg yolk beaten with oil, vinegar, and seasonings. How mayonnaise acquired its name has been debated for years, and the only general agreement is that the word “mayonnaise” was popularized by the French. Historically, mayonnaise was based on aioli, a Catalan and Provençal sauce that combined olive oil, eggs, and garlic. In the late eighteenth century, the French whipped the egg and slowly added oil. The lecithin in the egg yolks acted as an emulsifier and broke the oil into droplets. Mayonnaise became one of the five foundation sauces of classical French cookery. It is an adaptable ingredient, used in many dishes and other sauces.