Mayonnaise is a thick, creamy sauce made mainly from oil, egg yolks, and vinegar or lemon juice. It is used as a spread or dressing in sandwiches, salads, and many other dishes.
Probably from French “mayonnaise”, with debated origins: some link it to the town of Mahón in Spain (“mahonnaise”), others to Old French “moyeu” meaning 'egg yolk'. It became popular in French cuisine in the 18th century and spread worldwide. The exact naming story is still argued by food historians.
This everyday sandwich spread has one of the messiest name histories in food—no one can fully agree where 'mayonnaise' comes from. Chemically, it’s also a tiny science experiment: millions of oil droplets trapped in water by egg proteins, forming a stable emulsion.
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