Duke's Mayonnaise

I love trying new ingredients. I'm always looking for new and odd things to try. Sometimes that means seeking out a new fruit or spice, and sometimes it means hunting down a new brand.


After seeing several cookbooks in a row that were emphatic about the need to use Duke's Mayonnaise, it seemed like a sign. I had to try it. But of course it's not sold where I live. That would be too easy.

I checked online and I was about to pull the trigger on buying a bunch or jars - it's the only way to buy it to make the shipping costs reasonable - and then I had an idea. Maybe they'd be interested in a review.

A mayonnaise review.

Not too long after that, I had my very own jar of Duke's, waiting for me to do something interesting with it. But first ... a taste test.

I sampled it plain and I sampled it along with some tomato - because what's better in summer than a tomato and mayo sandwich? And I compared it to the mayonnaise I usually buy.

So here's a midwesterner's view of a Southern staple: I like it.

That's the short version. It's got a nice smooth, creamy, and not-weird texture, which is a plus when trying to mix it with anything. And it's got a little more tang than my standard mayonnaise. That tang is much more noticeable when I was using it plain, like on a tomato-and-mayonnaise sandwich.

On the other hand, when I used Duke's in a recipe, like mayonnaise or deviled eggs, the difference was, well ... maybe not noticeable. That's because I cook everything to taste, and I tend to add my own tangy flavors to salads. So maybe I'd learn to do less adjusting with Duke's.

Maybe with some recipes, I could even get away with just Duke's if I wasn't getting fancy with lots of other flavors.

But I think where Duke's really shines is when it's used as a condiment on a sandwich where it's the only condiment. Like on that tomato and mayonnaise sandwich, or a ham sandwich or a turkey sandwich.

And, dang, now I want a sandwich.

Who's it for: Mayonnaise users.

Pros: A little more tang, good texture.

Cons: If it's not sold in your area, shipping is expensive; it can't be shipping in freezing weather.

Wishes: I wish this was sold at my grocery store. Really. That shipping is a big deterrent.

Source: I received this from the manufacturer for the purpose of a review.