Mayonnaise

Mayonnaise is a thick sauce made from egg yolk, oil and spices. The word is often shortened to mayo. A mayonnaise with herbs is also called remoulade. It is not known where the name "mayonnaise" comes from, perhaps from the French word "mailler", which means "to beat" in German.

Another story that explains the origin of the name is that Frenchmen conquered the town of Mahón on the island of Menorca in the 18th century. In France, they celebrated a feast because of the conquest, for which a cook invented his own sauce: "mahonnaise". The French made it "mayonnaise" because it was easier for them to pronounce.

Whisking goes well with vigorous stirring when making mayonnaise. To make mayonnaise, you stir together egg yolks, pepper and salt, with a little liquid such as water, vinegar or lemon juice. At the end, you also add oil.

You make potato salad with mayonnaise or eat it with French fries. A German family eats about two kilograms of mayonnaise in a year. Some people eat special types of mayonnaise if they cannot eat eggs or are vegan.