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You are here: Home / Food & Recipes / Cooking / On The Glory That Is Japanese Mayonnaise

On The Glory That Is Japanese Mayonnaise

by Alain Chamot (1971-2020)|  April 11, 201910:50 am| 105 Comments

This post is in: Cooking, Not Politics, Open Threads

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Folks,

Sorry I’ve not been around a lot recently. I’ve been sucked into some other things and that’s not changed much, but I did want to post and say hi and share something other than politics to think about. I hope to post more often, on a variety of non-political topics.

 

So, like a good son of a Swiss father with many Swiss and Belgian cousins, I love me some mayonnaise. I mean, I love love love it – I was that college sophomore who lived off campus and occasionally made my own in my blender because the store shelves back then disappointed. I eat it on fries, burger buns, sandwiches, fried fish, subs, and many, many things. Not a fan of mayo-based “salads”, to be honest, but besides that, mayonnaise is regal. Well, except tuna salad. Truly a wonder food.

In all my years of cooking with Asian ingredients, and having first been to Japan 21 years ago, I’ve often seen and encountered Japanese mayonnaise, often the Kewpie brand. I’ve had Japanese mayonnaise in Japan and the US and liked it, but once I found it was the magic ingredient in some yummy noodles I love, I knew I had to try it at home.

That was a couple of years ago – until then I’d never bought it. OMG what a mistake! I cannot believe I’ve missed this divine stuff for so long, wasted years not enjoying it often. If you like mayo, try it. It is, of course, a great mayo for most mayo uses, but I prefer it as a sauce for any number of things. It’s so, so good. It’s a yolkier, creamier, and sweeter mayonnaise than what we’re used to, plus it has a tiny bit of MSG/seaweed extract in it to pump up the umami.

So it’s like a better mayo plus a bit of extra umami kick. I’ve eaten it, plain, as a dipping sauce for often-cold leftovers of many forms of beef, pork, chicken, shrimp, and veggies. It’s also great to make any of your favorite dipping sauces beyond the basic, so adding horseradish, garlic, capers, shallot, onion, any type of hot sauce, vinegar, herbs, spices, mustard, ketchup, bbq sauce, maple syrup (try, don’t judge), lemon or lime juice; I’ve made quite an assortment of dipping sauces for all kinds of meals. I’ve not yet tried this, but allegedly, some chefs use it instead of butter for pan frying some dishes.

Give it a try – it doesn’t have to be Kewpie, but that’s a great brand. It’s shelf-stable until opened. I expect you can buy it at some better “normal” markets, but I’d recommend finding a good Asian market so you can have a little adventure as well. There are so many treasures you can find there, so even if you’re not a mayonnaise fan, go shop there and buy interesting things.  You can ask questions, or pull out the phone and research. It’s amazing what you can discover and experiment with, cheaply.

I’ve often found an enjoyable hour or two wandering around the produce aisle, looking up descriptions, translations, and recipes for what I find. Even if I don’t buy something on that trip, some of those new things percolate in the back of my brain and two months later, “out of the blue”, I’ll be inspired to look up a recipe or two and try them out.

Consider this an open thread for non-political stuff, ideally cooking- or food-related.

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Reader Interactions

105Comments

  1. 1.

    J R in WV

    April 11, 2019 at 11:01 am

    We prefer Hellman’s / Best mayo, as it’s less sweet than more southern brands. My cousin in AZ doesn’t buy it because she would “eat it with a spoon…” so she uses Veganaise instead, which is also good.

    I love Japanese and other Asian cuisines, and will try some of this mayo, but I doubt it will hit my sweet spot for being to sweet, heh. I do add fish sauce to many dishes for extra flavor richness without extra sweet.

    My dog is exuding fumes, [ not good fumes! ] right below me. The things we put up with for our fur babies….

  2. 2.

    ThresherK

    April 11, 2019 at 11:11 am

    Okay, I’ve heard about this mayo from a few places and now it’s reached a tipping point. I’ve got to try it.

    Here is a good thread about condiments in a comic.

  3. 3.

    mad citizen

    April 11, 2019 at 11:18 am

    We bought some Kewpie mayo last year after I read about it somewhere. It is here great, but we’re not huge mayo users. And we do like tuna salad, sorry.

    Thanks for highlighting it, though, will have to pick up a new container.

  4. 4.

    Doug R

    April 11, 2019 at 11:24 am

    Mayonnaise and maple syrup? I suspect a secret Canadian.

  5. 5.

    Gin & Tonic

    April 11, 2019 at 11:25 am

    Wasn’t there a TaMara post here for a couple of minutes?

  6. 6.

    kindness

    April 11, 2019 at 11:27 am

    I do add mayo to certain foods but you know how much snark could be generated by a post extolling the virtues of mayonaise? You may soon find out.

  7. 7.

    Uncle Cholmondeley

    April 11, 2019 at 11:28 am

    I largely gave up on mayo about 20 years ago after I decided I should make some from scratch. But I recently made one of those chocolate mayonnaise cakes to ship to Cousin Cholmondeley off in college, since it’s supposed to keep it moist and it was somewhat sturdy. Not sure Kewpie would work for that, but I’m going to have to try it for more savory foods.
    Thanks for the tip!

  8. 8.

    oatler.

    April 11, 2019 at 11:30 am

    @kindness: Drew Magary wrote an article in The Takeout related to this.

  9. 9.

    jeffreyw

    April 11, 2019 at 11:32 am

    I was in a Miracle Whip family growing up, and I have no qualms about using it but we buy Hellman’s or Duke’s mayo now. I am still a believer in Velveeta for some uses. Fire away!

  10. 10.

    satby

    April 11, 2019 at 11:32 am

    At least this isn’t a post extolling the virtues of (bleeech!) Miracle Whip.

  11. 11.

    Miss Bianca

    April 11, 2019 at 11:32 am

    @Uncle Cholmondeley: My father always claimed that home-made mayo was *so much better* than store-bought that I would not be able to believe it – but then in the next breath would warn me that it was such a big messy PITA to make from scratch, that I have never tried it. But I would like to!

  12. 12.

    Cheap Jim

    April 11, 2019 at 11:33 am

    Sometimes I cook and want to add a little yogurt to something. Why is it that I can’t find plain yogurt in small amounts? I mean, half a cup or so. I can find plenty of yogurt with stuff in it.

  13. 13.

    satby

    April 11, 2019 at 11:33 am

    @Gin & Tonic: I was commenting on it as she pulled it. Assume it will reappear later.

  14. 14.

    Miss Bianca

    April 11, 2019 at 11:34 am

    @Gin & Tonic: There was. Thank you for the confirmation – thought I might be dreaming.

  15. 15.

    Le Comte de Monte Cristo, fka Edmund Dantes

    April 11, 2019 at 11:41 am

    Mustard and mayo on a burger are magical…

  16. 16.

    hells littlest angel

    April 11, 2019 at 11:42 am

    @kindness: You may soon find out.

    You mean like, mayonnaise is for people for whom grease isn’t greasy enough? Because it is.

  17. 17.

    jeffreyw

    April 11, 2019 at 11:42 am

    @Cheap Jim: Mrs J likes to buy the larger size plain yogurt and mix in her own stuff, usually granola and blueberries. Sometimes I get to open a new tub of it before she does her thing. I agree with you, though, I can never find plain in the small cups. Closest to it is vanilla.

  18. 18.

    Ohio Mom

    April 11, 2019 at 11:45 am

    @Cheap Jim: I know what you mean. It’s been a long time since I’ve seen single-serving size plain Dannon yogurt.

    Sometimes I buy a single-serving size Fage and ignore the fruit gunk in the little compartment on the side. Though that is the thicker Greek stuff.

  19. 19.

    Cheap Jim

    April 11, 2019 at 11:45 am

    @Miss Bianca: Mayonnaise is easy if you’re equipped. It’s one heck of a lot of whisking, so a hand mixer, or even better a stand mixer is a blessing. If you have that, just remember to let your egg come to room temperature, add a teaspoonful off water to the egg, and add the oil in little dribbles, a bit at a time, until you get to at least half of it, and slowly after that, just not quite as slowly. Add the lemon and anything else last, after the oil is mixed in.

  20. 20.

    Miss Bianca

    April 11, 2019 at 11:49 am

    @Cheap Jim: Nice! Adding to my suspicion, from many years of witnessing my father’s *ahem* somewhat rudimentary culinary skills, that he may have been making a bigger deal out of it than was strictly necessary.

  21. 21.

    debit

    April 11, 2019 at 11:52 am

    @Cheap Jim: I use an immersion blender and just dump the oil in. Works like a charm.

  22. 22.

    StringOnAStick

    April 11, 2019 at 11:53 am

    I guess this qualifies as food related: one of our 1.5 year old cats has a significant chewing habit. No string anything can be left laying around, she ate the shoe laces off my work shoes, snags white cotton handkerchiefs out of the laundry basket and then slowly consumes them systematically like eating an ear of corn. One of my husband’s socks got it yesterday, and we had to hang the kitchen towels much higher because she was mowing on the edges of those. We thankfully thought and covered all our electrical cords but she managed to pull one short piece out fo the way and chewed that, the small zap she got gave her a sudden squirt of diarrhea but no tooth or jaw damage thankfully. These two were orphaned at 2 weeks and raised by a experienced kitten rescuer and in every other way they are fine, fun, and friendly. Any ideas on why or what to do? I’m thinking to getting small rawhide sticks and firmly securing them to the scratching posts.

  23. 23.

    LeeM

    April 11, 2019 at 11:53 am

    The restaurant shortcut with mayo is in making grilled cheese sandwiches. A very light coat on the bread gives it a crisper crust (from the oil) and it browns faster (from the egg) than using butter or margarine.

  24. 24.

    Cheap Jim

    April 11, 2019 at 11:53 am

    @Ohio Mom: I suppose you could get the unmixed yogurt and then have the fruit on toast or something at some point. That’s a pretty good idea.

  25. 25.

    bemused

    April 11, 2019 at 11:54 am

    Where do you find kewpie other than online? Unless I get to the far away big cities, I haven’t seen it in our basic local supermarkets.

    Is there a brand of aioli in a jar worth buying?

  26. 26.

    Steeplejack

    April 11, 2019 at 11:56 am

    @kindness:

    I think I saw Omnes going up the clock tower with a rifle.

  27. 27.

    bemused

    April 11, 2019 at 11:57 am

    @StringOnAStick:

    Our two sister cats love plastic. They lick the strapping tape on packing boxes, photos and so on. First kitties in a long run of them that have ever craved plastic. I do have to throw something over my sewing machine or one kitty will be at the thread spools as soon as I turn my back.

  28. 28.

    randy khan

    April 11, 2019 at 12:05 pm

    @Cheap Jim:

    From what I’ve seen, it’s also pretty easy to make in a food processor, which also means less likelihood of stuff spewing all over your counter and your clothes. I need to try it sometime.

  29. 29.

    Miss Bianca

    April 11, 2019 at 12:05 pm

    So, I’ve never had Kewpie mayo – which sounds delicious, I may have to add it to the Amazon “exotic viands/condiments” shopping list, but I *have* had miso mayo, which my friend D just loves. I’m somewhat “meh” about it myself, but I do think it makes an awesome tuna salad.

  30. 30.

    TomatoQueen

    April 11, 2019 at 12:06 pm

    @bemused: Aioli goes rancid quickly esp in summer so better to make your own, and that way you can ensure you’ve received your recommended daily garlic allowance (dga). I have never seen kewpie mayo in a store but then the great big humongous Asian grocery store down the road is the most likely place to have it anyway. I love the change of seasons: homemade to Hellman’s by Memorial Day.

  31. 31.

    Miss Bianca

    April 11, 2019 at 12:07 pm

    @bemused:

    Is there a brand of aioli in a jar worth buying?

    I seem to recall I found some at Trader Joe’s which was quite decent.

  32. 32.

    Salty Sam

    April 11, 2019 at 12:08 pm

    @Cheap Jim: if you whisk in the lemon juice to the warm yolks first, it will help the emulsion process- less chance of “breaking” the emulsion and makin an oily mess.

  33. 33.

    MagdaInBlack

    April 11, 2019 at 12:09 pm

    Right there with you on the joys of grocery store explorations, Alain, its one of my favorite pass-times, something my mother and I used to do together. Good memories.

  34. 34.

    randy khan

    April 11, 2019 at 12:09 pm

    Apropos of this, I want to second the praise of non-American food markets. There’s one of those not too far from us, near a place we often go to dinner with friends, the size of a regular supermarket, and filled with all sorts of wonders. We usually buy produce there, but the last time we were in the place we happened to wander down one of the freezer aisles and came across what seemed like dozens of different kinds of dumplings from every Asian country. It was wondrous.

  35. 35.

    bemused

    April 11, 2019 at 12:11 pm

    @Miss Bianca:

    Big city is almost a 4 hr drive so will have to check out Trader Joe’s and asian markets next time I’m there.

  36. 36.

    karen marie

    April 11, 2019 at 12:13 pm

    @Uncle Cholmondeley: If you have a stick blender, you should try making your own again. I exclusively use DIY mayo because it is so fantastic. I use the whole egg method.

    In addition to a stick blender you need a jar that holds 2 cups and is only somewhat wider thsn the stick blender. Pour in 1 cup of your preferred oil, drop in one whole egg, one clove finely chopped garlic, a teaspoon of Dijon mustard, a tablespoon of lemon juice or vinegar of your choice, and 1/4 teaspoon of salt.

    Put the stick blender to the bottom of the jar, turn on and slowwwwwwwwly pull it up to incorporate all the ingredients. Voila!

    It’s interesting that reducing the oil results in a thinner mayo. I was being “smart” and put the egg in first, pouring in enough oil to reach the one cup mark on my jar, and the mayo was very runny. I did some reading which informed me that the reduction was the cause. I made tuna salad for a tuna melt last night, using mayo I made several days ago, and I was astonished that it is almost as thick as store bought.

    As for canned tuna? If you’re not eating Genova packed in olive oil, you’re doing it wrong. I thought I didn’t like tuna, though I loved it as a child. Turns out I just hate the taste of tuna packed in water! I’ve done a small survey of tuna packed in oil – two kinds from Trader Joe’s and the Genova, and Genova was the clear winner.

    I want to know more about these noodles with mayo Alain mentioned.

  37. 37.

    TaMara (HFG)

    April 11, 2019 at 12:14 pm

    @Gin & Tonic: Yes, I’ll put it up later. I diidn’t realize Alain had this scheduled. My bad.

  38. 38.

    TKinNC

    April 11, 2019 at 12:14 pm

    @Cheap Jim: UNFI distributes several plain yogurts in single serving sizes (4.4-6 oz). It’s likely other distributors do too. You may be able to special order thru your grocer but might have to buy a case of 12. The yogurt keeps well past its best-by date.

  39. 39.

    Dorothy A. Winsor

    April 11, 2019 at 12:14 pm

    Sort of food related. For story purposes, I need to have an herb sneakily inserted into a barrel of ale after the ale has been put in. So theoretically the barrel is sealed. Any BJ home brewers? Can it be done? My google fu is failing me.

  40. 40.

    karen marie

    April 11, 2019 at 12:15 pm

    @Cheap Jim: That has driven me wild for decades.

  41. 41.

    TaMara (HFG)

    April 11, 2019 at 12:16 pm

    I made some awesome and super easy English Muffin Bread (link here) and if I can get myself together today, I’ll make another loaf. No kneading, quick mix and pop in the loaf pan. Yum.

  42. 42.

    karen marie

    April 11, 2019 at 12:17 pm

    @Cheap Jim: I got a much better way in a comment just a couple minutes ago.

  43. 43.

    catclub

    April 11, 2019 at 12:17 pm

    @kindness:

    but you know how much snark could be generated by a post extolling the virtues of mayonaise?

    vodka, ketchup, mayonaise is the new whisky tango foxtrot

  44. 44.

    brantl

    April 11, 2019 at 12:18 pm

    You either love mayonnaise, or you loathe it. I personally loathe it. Plain mayo is butter, without the flavor, for me. I much prefer Miracle Whip.

  45. 45.

    TaMara (HFG)

    April 11, 2019 at 12:19 pm

    @Cheap Jim: Look for the store brand – they usually have the 8 oz containers of plain. If you are using it for cooking (I’m assuming) you can actually freeze it in the amounts you need. It works well. So then you can buy the 32 oz containers it most usually comes in.

  46. 46.

    EllenR

    April 11, 2019 at 12:24 pm

    @StringOnAStick: Cardboard boxes. We’ve had two cats that get into a box and systematically bite little pieces around the edge. They don’t eat them, just spit the pieces out. Both are/were part Maine Coon or related: big, long-hair, very smart cats. Keeps them busy in the winter or when house bound.

  47. 47.

    KithKanan

    April 11, 2019 at 12:25 pm

    @Miss Bianca @Cheap Jim @debit: It’s dead easy in a food processor – there’s a tiny hole in the bottom of the pusher (in Cusinart models, anyway) so you can pour the oil into the pusher and it will dribble down at the appropriate rate. Of course, then you have to clean the pusher…

  48. 48.

    Miss Bianca

    April 11, 2019 at 12:26 pm

    @Dorothy A. Winsor: If it’s a traditional barrel, with a bung, sure. If it’s stored “bung up”, that is.

    Are your “herb sneakers” trying to sabotage the brewer, or get someone with the brew? Inquiring minds want to know!

    ETA: Here’s a picture of what I’m talking about: https://www.homebrewing.org/Oak-Barrels_c_316.html

  49. 49.

    Gin & Tonic

    April 11, 2019 at 12:28 pm

    @brantl: Now you’ve done it.

  50. 50.

    Mart

    April 11, 2019 at 12:30 pm

    @satby: Miracle Whip is a great balm for relieving the itching of poison oak. Would not recommend eating it.

  51. 51.

    Dorothy A. Winsor

    April 11, 2019 at 12:31 pm

    @Miss Bianca: Excellent! Thank you. They’re getting a bunch of someones with the brew. Sneaky devils.

  52. 52.

    Cheap Jim

    April 11, 2019 at 12:35 pm

    Well, it looks like I’m the old-fashioned hidebound guy, not thinking beyond whisking and things that whisk. Next mayonnaise, I’ll try my stick blender and lemon in first (although I’ve only ever had one mayonnaise not set up).

  53. 53.

    jl

    April 11, 2019 at 12:36 pm

    Thanks for info on the mayo. I have a love hate relationship with it. I go through ‘mayo is great on certain things’ and ‘I don’t want to see that crap’ phases.
    My main quibble is that, having spent considerable time in Switzerland, and having touristed in Belgium, I observed odd over use of mayonaise in the latter, but never the former.
    A similar situation in Estonia and Russia. Estonia, light on the mayo (except on Estonian TV cooking shows where they made sauces that consisted mostly of dumping a jar of mayo into miscellaneous funny stuff, but no one seemed to follow that advice). Russia, suddenly deep fried breaded mystery stuff would appear with a cup of mayo that didn’t look like it was safe to eat.

    Any commenters have a link to study of international patterns of mayo usage as a cultural indicator?

  54. 54.

    Miss Bianca

    April 11, 2019 at 12:36 pm

    @Dorothy A. Winsor: Ah! Then make sure it’s apparent that the barrel is going straight to the Red Wedding – er, event – rather than being bottled first. Because any brewer is going to re-sample the brew before bottling, and *then* when your brewer keels over you have a rather obvious problem. : )

  55. 55.

    mad citizen

    April 11, 2019 at 12:38 pm

    @StringOnAStick: pica is the word you want to google. Good luck, maybe they’ll grow out of it. We had a (runt) cat that ate plastic. She lived a full life to 17 years, leaving us a couple years ago.

  56. 56.

    jl

    April 11, 2019 at 12:40 pm

    Right now I am in a ‘I don’t want to see that crap’ phase with mayo. Probably because I just got badly burned on a bum tub of cheap babba ganoush. The first spoonful tasted hideous. Read the label and after eggplant, the second ingredient was mayonnaise. WT ever lasting F? That should be against the law. It seemed like a bargain, and now I know why it *seemed* like a bargain.

    Now I always read the label of tubs babba ganoush very carefully.

  57. 57.

    Death Panel Truck

    April 11, 2019 at 12:42 pm

    @jeffreyw: Duke’s is the best. It’s a product of the south and not available in stores in the Pacific Northwest, so I buy it from Amazon. I first heard about it on a episode of the PBS show A Chef’s Life.

  58. 58.

    J R in WV

    April 11, 2019 at 12:42 pm

    @Dorothy A. Winsor:

    It’s also possible to open a metal keg used by home brewers. They have to be able to clean an emptied keg, and to add a new batch of beer into the keg. My friends who brew use soda fountain kegs, which are easy to clean and hook up to a CO2 bottle for adding fizz and vending out the beer.

    Easy opening kegs, so easy to adulterate a batch.

    Evil mind, you have!!! I admire that in a writer!

  59. 59.

    Immanentize

    April 11, 2019 at 12:43 pm

    I bought some kewpie a few weeks ago to make spicy tuna sushi. It is such a different kind of mayo. Really good, especially for its thickness. Yum!

    I think I will be making a NY style cheesecake tomorrow — wish me luck! (my first water bath effort)

  60. 60.

    debit

    April 11, 2019 at 12:43 pm

    @Cheap Jim: I mean, I make it with a mortar and pestle if I’m using the recipe from my classic french cookbook for garlic mayonnaise, but only because that’s the only way I can make it work. And it’s more of a sauce than what I consider to me mayo, but {shrug}. Delicious for dipping veggies.

  61. 61.

    MomSense

    April 11, 2019 at 12:43 pm

    Nope. Nonononono to mayo.

  62. 62.

    Dorothy A. Winsor

    April 11, 2019 at 12:43 pm

    @Miss Bianca: I’m on it!

  63. 63.

    J R in WV

    April 11, 2019 at 12:48 pm

    @Death Panel Truck:

    Duke’s is the best. It’s a product of the south

    No, no, no, no!!!!!!! Too sweet.

    We used to keep laying hens, and I made mayo often with the most golden yolks you can imagine. Olive oil, golden egg yolks, a little mustard to ensure good lasting emulsification, lemon juice. NO sweetener at all. Great for anything, lasts OK.

    Can use a food processor, but a cold bowl and a whisk is OK too, less to clean up. Immersion blenders had not been invented back then, so haven’t used mine for mayo making so far. Imagine that, hadn’t been invented yet… I’m getting OLD, folks. It’s not too bad, so far.

  64. 64.

    Barbara

    April 11, 2019 at 12:48 pm

    @MomSense: I don’t like mayo for the same reason I don’t like avocado, and that is, the oily texture. If I make my own mayo-like sauces or dressings I can just tolerate it, and I can tolerate it when it is used in tuna fish salad. I don’t gag anymore when I eat it, but I try really hard to avoid it. My mother used to put butter on my sandwiches.

  65. 65.

    MomSense

    April 11, 2019 at 12:56 pm

    @Barbara:

    I grew up with butter on my sandwiches, too. We even put butter on peanut butter sandwiches and graham crackers.

  66. 66.

    Beth

    April 11, 2019 at 12:57 pm

    While you are at the Asian market, I recommend buying a bag of dried shiitake mushrooms–whichever brand is on special. They are great tossed into any soups and braises for extra flavor. And if you take the time to reconstitute them (soak in warm water with some soy sauce and roasted sesame oil for a few hours) you have delightful mushrooms for your Asian recipes! Yum.
    Also recommend gochujang hot pepper paste for those who like a bit of spice. The regular is warm, but also has very full, fermented flavor. I use it in everything!
    And if you love miso soup like I do, you can buy excellent soup base paste in the refrigerator section (note: it’s NOT just miso, it has bonito and such in it as well). My fav is by Marukome, called Ryotei no Aji, or sometimes they use English: Taste of Ryotei. You’ll find it often written over the ingredients list on the back. I use miso for everything! Soup, homemade ramen, as a flavoring for stir fries and fish dishes, making Japanese pickles, etc. It’s insanely good, especially in the cold weather.
    One other thing I recommend is white or baek kimchee–the not-hot kimchee, if you can find it. I’m an asian pickles fan, and love them all.
    Also don’t leave the store without sesame oil, as well! Kadoya is an excellent brand, imho.
    These are all my personal opinions, and I’m fortunate to live where I have easy access. Enjoy, folks!

  67. 67.

    Roger Moore

    April 11, 2019 at 12:58 pm

    @Cheap Jim:

    Why is it that I can’t find plain yogurt in small amounts?

    You can sometimes find small cups of unflavored Greek-style yogurt. I eat enough, though, that I just make my own. It’s pretty easy, and I like it better than the store stuff. At least my yogurt is nothing but milk and cultures; I can be sure there’s no pectin, gelatin, or other stabilizers.

  68. 68.

    Beth

    April 11, 2019 at 1:00 pm

    @Beth: Also, I haven’t ever tried the Japanese mayo, so it’s now on my list. I’m not the hugest fan of the stuff, but I’d like to try it. We’ve used just regular mayo for topping our homemade okonomiyake.

  69. 69.

    Christopher Brown

    April 11, 2019 at 1:00 pm

    My wife mixes it with her home made miso for dipping veggies, especially those little sweet peppers. Any good miso will do. It is a-mazing and a must try.

  70. 70.

    Steeplejack

    April 11, 2019 at 1:01 pm

    @Death Panel Truck:

    I laugh when I recall that Vivian Howard of A Chef’s Life called mayonnaise “the mother sauce of Southern cuisine.”

    ETA: I did a taste test after her mayonnaise episode, and I have to say I prefer Hellmann’s to Duke’s.

    ETFA: Hellmann’s is “Best Foods” out west.

  71. 71.

    Miki

    April 11, 2019 at 1:02 pm

    @LeeM: The only way I make grilled cheese now. https://www.flickr.com/photos/luvlymikimoto/31095895337/in/dateposted-public/

  72. 72.

    Betty Cracker

    April 11, 2019 at 1:04 pm

    Will have to give Kewpie a try — I see it’s available online. We generally use Hellmann’s or homemade mayo (which is dead simple to make with a stick blender). My sister is devoted to Duke’s, but I find it too sweet.

    @karen marie: Second the Genova recommendation! It’s the only tuna we eat and is thankfully available at the local Publix grocery. I had a similar experience thinking I didn’t like canned tuna; like you, it turns out I just didn’t like water-packed tuna!

  73. 73.

    Beth

    April 11, 2019 at 1:05 pm

    @randy khan: Asian dumplings can be SO good! You usually have to pay for the best ones, but so worth it. On the other end of the spectrum, I’m a huge fan of Trader Joe’s Thai shrimp gyoza, which are widely available and cheap. I throw them in soup (usually miso) with veggies and etc. for a quick and filling dinner. Or throw them in the steamer on top of the rice cooker to add to mealtime fun. Yay dumplings!

  74. 74.

    goblue72

    April 11, 2019 at 1:13 pm

    Bonus for tracking down Kewpie at an Asian grocery store, is you might get lucky and they will also have Kewpie’s wasabi mayo as well! Awesome on frites.

    Grill master’s mayo trick: brush a little mayo on your salmon or other fish steaks / fillets. Does awesome job keeping the fish from sticking to the grill (unlike oil, it “sticks” to the fish and doesn’t drip off). It will burn off as the fish cooks and also helps with browning.

  75. 75.

    Roger Moore

    April 11, 2019 at 1:14 pm

    @randy khan:
    One of the Asian markets near me (Hawaii Supermarket on Valley and Del Mar, for those in Southern California) has the most amazing frozen meat department. If I ever decide I need to make something with an exotic meat, it would be the place to go. OTOH, I don’t have any recipes that call for muskrat, armadillo, alligator, or rattlesnake, so this isn’t a super high priority. It also appears to be the place to go for fresh durian, if that’s what floats your boat.

  76. 76.

    Mart

    April 11, 2019 at 1:18 pm

    @TaMara (HFG): EM bread looks good and easy. Will give it a try. I like this flour volume/weight converter as it does the maths (linky thing not working on tablet): https://www.traditionaloven.com/conversions_of_measures/flour_volume_weight.html

  77. 77.

    Cheryl from Maryland

    April 11, 2019 at 1:20 pm

    We were Duke Mayo fans but converted to Sir Kensington’s after I bought some on a whim due to a sale. It’s got a real lemon flavor — we like the savory rather than the sweet. A jar is mega expensive, but we found that because it is so tasty, we don’t use as much, so the cost is about the same. Also great for baked cod — the fish doesn’t dry out while cooking. CF:https://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/baked-scrod-with-piquant-onion-and-bacon-crust-11706

  78. 78.

    Avalune

    April 11, 2019 at 1:33 pm

    I’m very surprised Leto didn’t take this opportunity to come in here and crap talk Miracle Whip.

  79. 79.

    maurinsky

    April 11, 2019 at 1:54 pm

    Yolkier, creamer, yes. Sweeter, hell no.

    I don’t want sweet anywhere near mayonnaise.

  80. 80.

    rikyrah

    April 11, 2019 at 1:56 pm

    A thread about mayonnaise…

    LOL

    Love this place :)

  81. 81.

    maurinsky

    April 11, 2019 at 1:56 pm

    @LeeM:

    I have tried this 3 times and did not have either crispier bread or better browning. Maybe because I have a stupid electric stove.

  82. 82.

    KrakenJack

    April 11, 2019 at 1:57 pm

    If you can find a Japanese discount store like Ichiban Kan or Daiso Japan, their Kewpie is about half the price of the Asian markets that I’ve seen. Pick up some furikake while you are there. Usually a mix of seaweed, sesame seeds, dried tuna flakes. Lots of umami flavor. Great on rice, okonomiyaki, deviled eggs, Asian salads.

  83. 83.

    mrmoshpotato

    April 11, 2019 at 2:03 pm

    Never had Kewpie (Kraft in the fridge), but Sam The Cooking Guy on YouTube swears by the stuff.

  84. 84.

    Beth

    April 11, 2019 at 2:11 pm

    @karen marie:
    1. I clearly need a stick blender!
    2. Would a pint mason jar work well for that?
    3. Agree that Genova’s tuna is clearly superior.

  85. 85.

    Steeplejack

    April 11, 2019 at 2:13 pm

    @mrmoshpotato:

    Thanks for reminding me that he’s on YouTube. He’s on some third-tier channel on my cable system, but the schedule is very erratic.

    He’s kind of a slob cook, but in a good way. I feel like his lane is “Even idiots can cook something decent.” There’s a need for that.

  86. 86.

    Dr. Ronnie James, D.O.

    April 11, 2019 at 2:16 pm

    I’ve seen two cooks I trust *swear* that you can substitute mayo for butter in baking recipes, and the result is lighter and fluffier. I like mayo, but am super reluctant to try this – I can’t shake the feeling it would turn out gross. If anyone’s tried it, I’d love to hear about it.

  87. 87.

    Aleta

    April 11, 2019 at 2:29 pm

    @StringOnAStick: Here’s one thing that mentions kittens weaned too early and misplaced nursing behavior that some revert to when stressed, and “wool sucking,” and pica (when they actually start eating things that end up in their digestive system). It starts out with a more dire, rare case (when a medical problem like anemia causes it). But the info afterward may be useful.
    https://www.manhattancats.com/article-archive/behavior/pica-when-cats-eat-weird-things/

  88. 88.

    Miss Bianca

    April 11, 2019 at 2:32 pm

    @rikyrah: wait’ll we get to the thread about the mustard! ?

  89. 89.

    Alternative Fax, a hip hop artist from Idaho

    April 11, 2019 at 2:34 pm

    I don’t want sweet anywhere near mayonnaise.

    @maurinsky: Exactly – it’s unthinkable. If it’s sweet the only people who’d enjoy it are Miracle Whip fans putting on airs.
    @Avalune: I’ll try to take up the slack, but I need to get back to work.

    @Beth: A pint mason jar is excellent for it! I use the wide mouth Ball jars as canisters in pint & quart sizes; replace the canning lids (which I give to people who can) with screw tops. We just finished a jar of mayo that I made in a blue jar. Stick blenders and Ball jars – a combination I never imagined I’d love.

    @rikyrah: Don’t tell Omnes about it!

  90. 90.

    Dorothy A. Winsor

    April 11, 2019 at 2:35 pm

    @J R in WV: My guys use a wooden keg but I can see what you’re saying about any keg has to open to be refilled.

    I’m generally not mean enough to my characters at first. I always have to go back and hurt them more when I revise.

  91. 91.

    Miss Bianca

    April 11, 2019 at 2:46 pm

    @Alternative Fax, a hip hop artist from Idaho: I dunno, I think sweet and savory could only *improve* mayonnaise. Maybe that’s just a sign that I don’t like mayo very much!

  92. 92.

    BroD

    April 11, 2019 at 3:09 pm

    I’ve lived mayo-free for 40 years or so. Given my many vices, this is obviously not clearly not a act of sacrifice–I just hate the stuff.

  93. 93.

    JustRuss

    April 11, 2019 at 3:09 pm

    Not a huge mayo fan, but yes to tuna salad. And macaroni salad done right and mixed with salty slow-cooked pork shoulder is divine.

  94. 94.

    catclub

    April 11, 2019 at 3:41 pm

    @Alternative Fax, a hip hop artist from Idaho:

    Stick blenders and Ball jars – a combination I never imagined I’d love.

    yes, that would work!

  95. 95.

    debbie

    April 11, 2019 at 3:48 pm

    I wonder if this would make for good peanut butter and mayonnaise sandwiches?

  96. 96.

    debbie

    April 11, 2019 at 3:53 pm

    @Cheap Jim:

    Plain yogurt comes in the small sizes just like the flavored ones. They usually are up on the top shelf, where the dairy real estate is cheaper.

  97. 97.

    UncleEbeneezer

    April 11, 2019 at 4:08 pm

    Another condiment bestowed upon us from the Japanese heavens…Red Shell Miso Dressing. We discovered it a couple years ago at our fave sushi place and now it is the ONLY dressing we will put on a salad.

  98. 98.

    Ruckus

    April 11, 2019 at 4:26 pm

    Learned to like Mayo on fries when first in Belgium, 47 yrs ago. Made katsoup taste like old motor oil.

  99. 99.

    LeeM

    April 11, 2019 at 5:21 pm

    @maurinsky: I’m cooking on a gas stove, so that helps. I also get the pan hot (450-500) before adding the bread, otherwise it gets too soft. I kill a non-stick pan a year.

  100. 100.

    prob50

    April 11, 2019 at 5:21 pm

    I’m thinking of forwarding this thread to the Mayo Clinic. They mayo or not be able to help some of you with your mayo-based disorders.

  101. 101.

    C Stars

    April 11, 2019 at 5:26 pm

    @goblue72: Nice! I came here just to make sure someone pointed out the wasabi flavor Kewpie mayo. DIVINE. Not too spicy but so tasty.

    There used to be a place in SF that only served frites (I am thinking it was actually called “Frites!”), and to go with them you could chose three or four of about 20 different dipping sauces. Loved that place, and was able to recreate some of my favorite sauces at home, including the orange/curry/ketchup and a bunch of mayo-based yummies. This was back before kids and I somehow had the time in my life to spend a Saturday making twice-fried frites and a smorgasbord of sauces… Mind-blowing, to think I once had that kind of leisure…

  102. 102.

    karensky

    April 11, 2019 at 6:07 pm

    @LeeM: I used to do this when I was a short order cook. It really works well.

  103. 103.

    Singing Truth to Power

    April 11, 2019 at 10:02 pm

    @StringOnAStick: @StringOnAStick: One of my two cats was a ferocious chewer until he exited from adolescence. He would chew cardboard boxes to the ground. The best diversions for him were lamb pizzle sticks and dried duck feet. The toenails worried me, so I gave a pedicure (pawdicure) to the duck feet, and removed the toenails.

  104. 104.

    seaboogie

    April 11, 2019 at 10:14 pm

    I remember making some mayo from scratch using excellent fresh olive oil to serve as a dip for crab (in season in SF). Because it was too much for me to consume quickly, I made up a plate for my landlady with fresh cleaned crab, homemade mayo, and an avocado and a grapefruit and knocked on her door – she nearly wept with joy because she is French and knew exactly what all that was about. *This is all seasonal winter food in Norcal, and pings every part of the palate.

  105. 105.

    Singing Truth to Power

    April 11, 2019 at 10:16 pm

    My daughter had to shame me into trying, but a bit of preserved lemon added to tuna salad is pure heaven.

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