If you happen to’ve acquired a stockpile of eggs and also you’re sick of limitless omelets, why not make one thing that makes use of a number of eggs and lasts longer than one meal? I’m speaking, after all, about mayonnaise.

For a lot of my life, mayonnaise had a hard and fast position. It was a key ingredient in my dad’s iconic tuna, in my aunt’s (his twin sister’s) beautiful potato and macaroni salad, and it usually gilded the highest half of practically each sandwich I ate — from turkey and roast beef to a traditional Italian sub.

In faculty, I as soon as overheard a good friend order a sandwich within the eating corridor that will quickly change into my go-to for months: rooster cutlets, Muenster, pesto and mayonnaise on a tough roll. Toasted, open-faced. As soon as it was out of the oven, he’d add shredded lettuce and sliced tomatoes. I haven’t had that sandwich in additional than a decade, however simply writing about it now, I’m completely fantasizing. It was mind-boggling. I stay indebted to that good friend for the invention.

It was the primary time I noticed mayonnaise may mix with different elements to change into one thing better — one thing nuanced and deeply flavorful.

Nonetheless, I didn’t give it some thought a lot after that. I wasn’t into pimento cheese. I by no means baked mayonnaise into muffins or slathered it on rooster earlier than roasting. For some time, mayo was again to being background noise in my cooking.

Then got here culinary faculty.

In these early classes, I generally scoffed, considering I knew the fundamentals already. (“This herb is clearly rosemary!” I’d huff.) However on mayonnaise day, standing with a balloon whisk and silver bowl, I assumed I knew what was coming.

I used to be mistaken.

We made mayonnaise with nothing greater than egg yolk, oil, garlic, lemon and salt—and the outcome was astonishing. I’d grown up with Hellmann’s, however this was the primary time I tasted what mayonnaise might be: wealthy, fatty, thick and creamy. Nearly like a savory frosting. I needed to actively cease myself from consuming it straight from the bowl.

The egg and oil gave it construction, the garlic introduced warmth, the lemon lent brightness, and salt tied all of it collectively. It was legitimately excellent. That first style was a revelation. Instantly, mayonnaise had vary.

From then on, I began in search of out dishes that used mayonnaise. I purchased chilly cuts simply to have an excuse to make sandwiches with home made mayo. I experimented: sundried tomato, successful of Sriracha, chopped herbs—every variation fed the obsession.

Finally, culinary faculty acquired more difficult (and extra scrumptious), and my mayo fixation cooled. However years later, I used to be working with a cookbook creator who was growing a variety of aioli recipes. We used a strong base, then blended in herbs, spices, purees—you title it. We used an immersion blender, which was enjoyable, however I nonetheless liked the elemental simplicity of the bowl-and-whisk method. I’d carry these mayos house and do the identical factor I did again in class: construct meals round them.

Today, I usually preserve a jar of Duke’s Mayo within the fridge (it’s change into simpler to seek out close to me, and I’m a faithful fan). However home made mayonnaise hasn’t disappeared from my repertoire.

Fast be aware on the mayo-aioli debate: Historically, aioli was made with simply garlic and oil (suppose toum), whereas mayonnaise included egg. Today, the phrases are used interchangeably—or, let’s be actual, some folks simply name mayo aioli as a result of they like the way it sounds. Enjoyable reality: my favourite culinary faculty teacher pronounced it “eye-oh-LEE,” with emphasis on the final syllable. I at all times liked that.

Some people swear by store-bought for comfort — and truthful sufficient. I’ve no need to make Pop-Tarts or a 3 Musketeers bar from scratch, both. However in terms of mayo? I actually suppose you need to strive making it at the very least as soon as. It’d change how you consider condiments altogether. It did for me.

Mayonnaise is a reminder that one thing deeply flavorful, wealthy and ethereal can come from probably the most fundamental elements: egg, garlic, lemon, oil, salt. There’s a type of alchemy there. One it’s a must to style to consider.