In the South, if you want to get folks talking about food, the go-to subject always seems to be BBQ. Each region has its own hallmark taste from mutton in Kentucky, to brisket in Texas and pork in the Carolinas. While these discussions are always lively, at the end of the day they are really about a dish we rarely eat on a daily basis. Now, I love BBQ but I don't eat it every day for lunch or dinner. BBQ is an iconic feature of our cuisine, however there is another food that elicits conversations with much of the same passion as BBQ and that is mayonnaise.
The place of mayonnaise in the southern diet can't be overlooked. From sandwiches to potato salad, cole slaw, deviled eggs, North Alabama BBQ sauce and countless other recipes, mayonnaise is both an ingredient and a condiment whose quality and taste can make or break a dish.
Now, first of all let's set the record straight. This is not about "salad dressing" or Miracle Whip. These products may look similar to mayonnaise but they are as close as Iced Tea is to gasoline. They may have the same general color but they smell different and they sure taste different. I personally have yet to meet someone who does not express a preference for mayonnaise or salad dressing. The tastes are just too different to be interchangeable.
In my opinion, the best mayonnaise is Duke's which is a product of C.F. Sauer (Richmond, Va.) and is still manufactured in Greenville, S.C.. There is a big difference in the taste of Duke's when compared to other mayonnaise. You have to try it to understand. There are hints of vinegar that provide a taste that you don't find in other recipes. Like most companies with a great product, Sauer's has expanded the product line to include cholesterol free, fat free and other versions but these don't share the same iconic status as the Original.
Thankfully, Duke's is relatively easy to find. However if you are out of town whipping up a batch of deviled eggs for a football tailgate and need a jar, the website has a store finder that can point you in the right direction.
http://www.dukesmayo.com
My all-time favorite Duke's recipe, is very simple....spread on two pieces of white bread and add several slices of warm, ripe tomato just out of the garden. You may want to eat this over the sink.
To add even more of a reason to try Duke's, they even a NASCAR sponsor for a short time:
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