The World According to Nick
My take on Software, Technology, Politics, and anything else I feel like talking about.
Thursday, December 08, 2005

Do You Use Mayo? 

Some comments over at bebere reminded me of a mildly funny exchange at a family reunionish gathering earlier in the summer with a bunch of cousins, aunts and uncles. The question came up as to whether people used Mayonnaise, or Miracle Whip which is actually salad dressing.

My immediate family has always used Miracle Whip... but we always referred to it as mayo. Not only do we use it in our tuna, chicken, and egg salad, we use it on our sandwiches. As people started talking about it, some of the men in the group, my uncle in particular, mentioned how they used real mayonnaise and liked it better, much to the amusement of their wives. This of course, led to rather funny exchange between my aunt and uncle:

Aunt: "No we don't. We use Miracle Whip".
Uncle: "But you call it mayo."
Aunt: "So? We use margarine too, but we call it butter."

As people in the family started talking about it, we soon all realized that everyone there used Miracle Whip, but called in mayo... some without even realizing there was a difference. Time for Hellman's to step up their advertising. The fact that my aunt and uncle use margarine has always seemed strange to me, because my uncle is very Wisconsin. He wears his Packer Green and Gold, his Badger Red and White, and hates Illinois with a vengeance. Margarine just seems so un-Wisconsin.

Comments:

Yuck. I hate mayonnaise and I never realized that Miracle Whip wasn't mayo. What the heck is it?

  Posted at December 08, 2005 4:47 PM by Anonymous Anonymous  
From Miichigan Farm Bureau: (Quick Facts)

What's the difference between mayonnaise and salad dressing? The products are similar in that they are made from vegetable oil, an acidifying ingredient such as vinegar or lemon juice, eggs or egg yolks, and flavorings such as spices or salt. Mayonnaise must contain at least 65 percent vegetable oil, by weight, but generally contains anywhere from 77 to 82 percent. Mayonnaise-type salad dressing can have as little as 30 percent vegetable oil, but it must contain at least 4 percent egg yolk. (Mayonnaise generally contains 5.3 percent to 5.8 percent egg yolk.) Salad dressing contains a starchy paste, which helps thicken the product, made from ingredients such as food starch or tapioca, wheat or rye flour. Mayonnaise contains no such starchy paste. Because of its higher oil content, mayonnaise has a higher calorie content - 99 calories per tablespoon compared to 57 for salad dressing.

It must be the extra oil that makes the mayo less tangy. Love either on a peanut butter sandwich. :)

  Posted at December 08, 2005 5:30 PM by Anonymous Anonymous  
What a hoot! My one grandma used only Hellman's. My other grandma used Miracle Whip. I can't stand Miracle Whip (too sweet), but don't mind Hellman's too much.

I don't use mayonnaise too much, but when I need it, I make it myself. (Joy of Cooking recipe).

  Posted at December 08, 2005 6:57 PM by Blogger Be  
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Name: Nick
Home: Wauwatosa, WI, United States

I'm a Software Consultant in the Milwaukee area. Among various geeky pursuits, I'm also an amateur triathlete, and enjoy rock climbing. I also like to think I'm a political pundit.


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