There is a well-known secret that no gourmet would dare admit to: even lovers of French haute cuisine enjoy “sinning” occasionally, and when no one is looking, eating junk food. As many know, the ultimate French street food, after thecrepe, are the chips (which the Anglo-Saxons also call French fries) and their eternal companion – mayonnaise.
As for French fries, there is still controversy as to which country they originated in. The Belgians claim that they began frying potatoes as early as the 17th century, but this thesis is problematic, since the potato did not arrive there until the 18th century. The French claim that French fries were invented by a street vendor who worked on the Pont Neuf bridge in the XNUMXth century. French Revolution' And a reference to fried potato sticks can be found in a recipe that the third President of the United States, Thomas Jefferson, received from his French chef, Honore Julien.
In any case, regardless of historical truth, in my opinion Belgian fries are the better of the two, and their divine taste alone is worth a special trip to Brussels, Ghent, or Bruges. There you can find them alongside a steaming pot of mussels (which the Belgians also know how to make better than the French).
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How did the conquest of the capital of Minorca lead to the invention of mayonnaise?
While the origin of French fries is disputed, the story of mayonnaise's birth is well documented in history books. In 1756, French forces under the command of the Duke of Marseilles succeeded in capturing the city of Mahon, the capital of Minorca. The Duke, who was not only one of the greatest lovers of the 18th century (alongside Casanova), but also a great glutton, demanded that his chef prepare a victory feast featuring meats in a cream sauce, which he particularly loved.
The chef was surprised to find that there was no cream on hand, and in a moment of genius he decided to improvise with what was available and whipped eggs with olive oil and vinegar to create a white sauce similar in color to cream. Richelieu loved the new sauce and named it Mahon after the city of Mahon, which he had conquered. However, since the French found the name of the sauce a bit difficult to pronounce, it quickly became the mayonnaise we all know.
How many types of mayonnaise are there?
Mayonnaise is still one of the most beloved sauces of the French, and there are no fewer than 50 types of it: from green mayonnaise (with herbs), to aioli (mayonnaise with garlic, which is especially popular in Provençal cuisine), to remoulade sauce (anchovies, pickles, and capers).
Because it is so easy to create mayonnaise-based sauces, this sauce is considered one of the five basic sauces of French cuisine and can be found in quite a few dishes, with one of the most famous being the starter that appears in almost every bistro – egg with mayonnaise (Oeuf Mayonnaise).
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Want to make mayonnaise at home?
Homemade mayonnaise can be found in quite a few self-respecting restaurants, but for good mayonnaise you don't need to go all the way to France, it can be easily made at home.
Olivier de la Chanel's aioli recipe
I was hosted by Olivier de la Chanel for a wonderful dinner in 2021 (you can read about it in the article How can you dine with a French family during your vacation in Paris?).
Below you can find a video in which he provides a recipe for aioli (mayonnaise with garlic):
Liat Lustig's mayonnaise recipe
Liat Lustig, an outstanding Francophile, who previously worked as a chef at the legendary restaurant “The Pink Tart”, brought us the following simple recipe:
Materials:
- 2 egg yolks
- 1 cup of regular oil (preferably sunflower)
- A few drops of lemon
- A quarter teaspoon of salt
Preparation instructions:
- All ingredients should be at room temperature!
- Beat egg yolks with a little lemon juice.
- Gradually and slowly (patience) add the oil.
- While whisking, add the salt and a few drops of lemon.
- The mayonnaise came out velvety and smooth.
Goni Burstein's mayonnaise recipe
You Goni Burstein I met her when she was studying at the Cordon Bleu in Paris. Goni is a wonderful woman and a great chef who owned a restaurant. Goni in Ramat Hasharon It served, among other things, French showcase desserts.
- I put 2 egg yolks, a teaspoon of mustard, and a pinch of salt, whisking in canola oil until the desired texture is reached.
- You can add a synthetic vinegar plug to blend the mayonnaise and extend its shelf life slightly.
- I actually like to add some spice, like a teaspoon of turmeric or paprika.
Would you like to read something else?
- If you want to see the place where the Duke de Richelieu was born, you are welcome to try the הThis route in the Marais.
- Did this article make you hungry? If you happen to be in Paris, now is the time to book a seat at one. From the excellent restaurants These and solve this problem.
I enjoyed reading the posts, articles and every article written by you, I love the site, congratulations. Lovely
Thank you very much, Sherry.
I have an ultimate mayonnaise recipe:
1 whole egg
Less than 1/2 teaspoon of salt
Less than 1/2 teaspoon white or brown/red mustard seeds
lemon
Olive oil
Preparation: Everything in a blender jar. The egg, salt, lemon, mustard and olive oil up to the 200 ml mark in the jar. Insert the jar all the way down, touching the bottom, and operate it only at the bottom. Yellow bubbles begin to rise. Lower the jar and continue operating without stopping. When I see that there are larger bubbles, I start to raise the jar very slowly until it reaches the edge of the oil. You can already see that the mayonnaise is ready. Then lower and raise the jar, not too fast and not too slow, until all the oil is mixed in and the mayonnaise is smooth. And that's it! And voila!!
Thank you!