Mayo: An Oral History
Now, time is categorized to BGM (Before Graza Mayo) and AGM (After Graza Mayo).
The History of Mayo
Now, time is categorized to BGM (Before Graza Mayo) and AGM (After Graza Mayo).
If you’ve ever wondered where the heck mayonnaise came from, and how it became the world’s most polarizing condiment, you’re in the right place. Grab a sando, or maybe just a spoon and let’s DIVE IN.
What even is mayonnaise…
Iconic yet certainly polarizing, mayonnaise is one of those foods — you either love it, or you hate it. It’s a rich, creamy emulsion of oil, egg yolks, an acid (like lemon juice or vinegar) and usually some seasonings. It’s a popular binder in potato and tuna salad, a sandwich lovers must-have, and the #1 part of any aioli (in case you didn’t already know that).
Where did mayonnaise come from?
It’s a little foggy on where mayonnaise actually comes from, and food historians don’t fully agree on one exact moment of invention. A lot of people trace mayonnaise back to the mid 1700s in Mahón, a Spanish island in Menorca. Long story short, after a successful war siege, the chef of a French duke was said to have whipped up a sauce using olive oil, egg, and seasonings, simply because there was no cream in the kitchen. It was then served at a victory banquet, and called something along the lines of “mahonnaise”... and you can see the similarities!!
There’s a bit of evidence of ancient Mediterranean emulsions that are made with olive oil and garlic that are similar to modern aiolis (hello Graza “Garlic” Aioli). No matter where mayo came from, one thing is clear: olive oil + eggs = REALLY GOOD STUFF.
How mayo spread (see what we did there??)
No, not like on bread. More like, how the heck did mayo spread around the globe?? By the 1800s, mayonnaise started showing up in French cookbooks as an “essential sauce”. It became popular throughout Europe and eventually the United States, where brands like Hellmann’s, Duke’s, and Kraft helped bring it into millions of homes and establish it as a *true* kitchen staple.
Why mayonnaise is better when there’s olive oil involved
Mayonnaise is an emulsion of oil in water (rather, water-based ingredients like egg yolks). Oil is a *huge* part of mayonnaise — roughly 65% of mayo is oil! Common commercial brands use neutral seed oils like soybean or sunflower, or sometimes canola (is that a seed?) that don't do much for the flavor.
Olive oil on the other hand — particularly good, single origin, single varietal olive oil like ours, adds a complex, rich flavor and a thick and creamy texture that’s unlike any mayo you’ve ever tried. Mayo made The Graza Way No seed oils, no nonsense. Just oil made from 100% olives. Because mayo should taste like something. And that something should be delicious!
