The magic of mayonnaise: Why a homemade emulsion always woos guests in France

I know of a dinner guest who always provides a delicious homemade mayonnaise for the meal. His perfectly seasoned, impeccably textured accompaniment, made with only the most basic ingredients – egg yolk, a little salt, pepper, mustard and vinegar – consistently delights diners feasting on the various shellfish treats artfully displayed on the centrepiece plateau de fruits de mer (seafood platter).

The taste of the homard (lobster), crabe (crab), langoustines, bulots (sea snails) and couteaux de mer (razor clams) gets a yummy lift from the mayo’s oily richness.

The unspoken, underlying resentment that said guest never invites anyone to his house – or, more precisely, never forks out, at considerable expense, for a pricey platter chez lui – is soon forgotten once the clatter and crunch of the pince (crab cracker) is in full flow along with a glass or three of Champagne.

There is something about all things fait maison (homemade) that renders the French forgiving and swooning – perhaps because in these modern times of so much to do and so little time, the act of hand-whisking a big bowl of mayonnaise – even though it is not that complicated – is deemed generous enough in itself.

Of course, not everyone makes their own mayonnaise – for the rest of the year most people buy jars of the stuff.

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One needs to be discerning, however, as brands vary wildly in terms of taste and the quality of ingredients used.

Last year, the consumer magazine 60 Millions de consommateurs published a survey on the best mayonnaise on the market, testing 15 brands according to not only their taste but also their nutritional values, additives and the oil used. 

The results surprised purists, since the winner was not an expensive brand: Dijon Amora mayonnaise earned a score of 13.5 out of 20 (not exactly a glowing endorsement to be fair).

World Egg-Mayonnaise Championships

One place where a jar of mayonnaise is not welcome is the World Egg-Mayonnaise Championships held annually in November to find the best proponent of the classic bistro starter.

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For the first time since the competition began six years ago, the most recent winners came not from Paris, but from Orléans. Maëlle Jambou, Marie Gricourt and Maud Boksebeld - chefs at the Gric restaurant in the Loiret town - claimed top spot.