The Great Mayonnaise Taste Test
AJC Staff
May I explain why I managed to invite six food experts to my office one cold and rainy afternoon to lick mayonnaise off pieces of white bread? It’s a bit of a story:
Several months ago when the Cherokee Purple tomato vine in my backyard was heavy with fat, firm, “eat-me-now” specimens, I decided to have my first Southern tomato sandwich. I made it with one thick and drippy slice of the maroon fruit, two pieces of white bread and whatever mayonnaise I had in the fridge, which was Hellmann’s. Delicious. I posted a note on my Facebook page and then published a column on the experience.
I subsequently got hundreds of comments and e-mails from readers and got stopped repeatedly in the hall at work to discuss this sandwich.
Some told me it was about time I had discovered a quintessential Southern summer experience. But many more were aghast at the jar pictured in the accompanying photo.
Hellmann’s???
In the South you put Duke’s mayonnaise on your tomato sandwiches and everything else, I was told in no uncertain terms. Created by Mrs. Eugenia Duke of Greenville, S.C., in 1917, who sold mayo-laden sandwiches to soldiers stationed at nearby Fort Sevier, Duke’s is the true emulsion of the South.
But, wait, no!
If you’re from the Gulf states, then chances are you may prefer Blue Plate, which has been made the same way in Louisiana since 1927, and has such a following that Web-based retailers ship it hither and yon.
Unless, of course, you don’t like either. There’s no shame.
You might have been raised to slather your sandwiches with one of the two nationally popular Kraft contenders — either Real Mayonnaise or its tawdry cousin, Miracle Whip, which isn’t a mayonnaise at all but a “salad dressing.” I don’t believe anyone in gastronomic history has actually dressed a salad with this stuff.
All that being good and true, plenty of Southerners don’t buy into the Duke’s orthodoxy and argue for the superiority of — ta da! — Hellmann’s, just as Northeasterners have since 1905, when German immigrant Richard Hellmann began selling his wife’s blue-ribbon-wrapped jars out of his New York deli.
Our compatriots out West have never heard of Hellmann’s, though they eat it all the time. Once you approach the Continental Divide, the brand’s name changes to Best Foods.
But let’s get back to the comments that people posted on Facebook and ajc.com, which piqued an anthropologic interest in me at first. It seemed silly to get so het up about prepared mayonnaise. I assumed preferences said more about upbringing than taste. But then I had an image of myself buying that same jar of Hellmann’s that I used on my tomato sandwich. Did I just pull it off a shelf, oblivious of its label? No, I searched high and low for that blue ribbon on the label. I always buy Hellmann’s.
So, for my own piece of mind, I had to put these jars of emulsified soybean oil through their paces. I chose the five popular brands mentioned above and one ringer. I cut little rounds of Pepperidge Farm Very Thin white bread (Sunbeam lovers, hold your tongues), slathered them with six mystery mayos, and invited the following folks to come and taste them from numbered plates:
Susan Puckett, Gena Berry (tasting something yucky) and chef Chris Lee
Susan Puckett, a Decatur-based author and former AJC food editor. Brought up on Blue Plate in Mississippi, Puckett has switched allegiances to Duke’s in adult life.
Deborah Duchon, food anthropologist and founder of the Culinary Historians of Atlanta. Brought up on Miracle Whip, Duchon is no mayonnaise obsessive. “Whatever is on sale, ” is her brand.
Krista Reese, restaurant reviewer for Georgia Trend magazine. Reese’s parents are Southerners, but she was raised in Indiana, which perhaps explains her family’s shameful preference. “This is a sad confession, but my brothers forced our family to buy Miracle Whip.” She’s a proud Hellmann’s gal today.
Gena Berry, food consultant, film and television culinary producer. Growing up on St. Simons Island, Berry’s family defaulted to Kraft. While she still likes Kraft, she has started inching toward the Duke’s camp.
A pensive Deborah Duchon
Chris Lee, chef at Waterhaven restaurant. A Memphis native, Lee is a Hellmann’s aficionado now and forever. Hellmann’s as a child, Hellmann’s as an adult.
Suzanne Van Atten, an AJC editor who used to sit near my desk and joined in a heated mayonnaise discussion, so I made her an honorary food expert. Born and raised in the heart of Duke’s country — Charlotte, N.C. — Van Atten, has lately pitched her tent in the Hellmann’s camp. “Duke’s is better, ” she insists, “but doesn’t blend into dressings like Hellmann’s.”
And so they nibbled on their odd canapes and after a while started licking the mayo off the tops of their bread rounds.
“Can I try number two again?” Puckett asked, and I passed a container of creamy goodness marked with only a Post-it Note. Soon all the containers were making the rounds as my industrious panel tasted and retasted.
Mayo clinic: Diagnosis
Strange canapés
Here is what the experts found, with their ratings on a 1 to 5 scale (5 is the highest):
- Hellmann’s: (Rating 4.7) The clear winner, the panel found it “smooth, creamy, rich” (Puckett), with a “touch of spice” (Berry) and a “wasabi” note (Duchon). “Best all-around flavor, ” wrote Lee, summing up the panel’s conclusion.
- Blue Plate: (Rating 3.7) Some found it tart and pleasant; others deemed it bland. “Not a lot of depth, ” sniffed Reese.
- Duke’s: (Rating 3.7) Puckett noted the heavy, “almost sticky” texture. Reese thought the saltier flavor would stand up best to a tomato sandwich. Lee found it balanced but didn’t like the aftertaste. Just about everyone noted a vinegary kick lacking in the other brands.
- Kraft: (Rating 3) Opinions were all over the board. Duchon found it “savory, ” and Lee and Puckett complimented the smooth texture. But others were put off by what they perceived as a light, sweet flavor. “Yuck. Discount brand?” asked Van Atten.
- Kewpie brand from Japan: (Rating 2.5) This yellowish mayo in its distinctive doll bottle can be found in any Japanese kitchen. Though the color suggests fresh eggs, the real secret ingredient of note is MSG, which gives Kewpie a savory, lingering flavor. Opinions were all over the board. Duchon loved the “complex flavors, ” but Reese said it “had no snap.” Others guessed it was a poorly prepared homemade mayonnaise (harrumph!) that needed more acid and salt to come into balance.
- Miracle Whip: (Rating 1.5) Two commenters (Puckett and Lee) said it tasted like pickle relish. Everyone found it too sweet, and just about everyone recognized the flavor instantly.
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© 2009 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
144 comments Add your comment
Melanie McCraney
November 8th, 2009
10:55 am
Kudos for a fabulous story…as a southerner ( I live in Birmingham, Alabama ) I recognized long ago that mayonnaise is beyond a pantry staple…it’s practically a food group all its own!
Rachel Forrest
November 8th, 2009
12:15 pm
I was raised on Hellman’s.
Jan H.
November 8th, 2009
12:16 pm
Enjoyed your article on the great mayo debate, but I do have an issue with something you said. Miracle Whip is a salad dressing (but is very good on sandwiches, too), but “I don’t believe anyone in gastronomic history has actually dressed a salad with this stuff”. The only salad I knew during my growing up years in the 50’s, was iceberg (or as it is called here “western”) lettuce, tomatoes, and green onions tossed together with Miracle Whip. Fortuantely my tastes have become more sophisticated with age. Just recently I used Miracle Whip on a sandwich, tho, and had a flashback to my childhood, when I thought Mayo was what rich people used.
jimmy
November 8th, 2009
12:21 pm
great article the best pure mayo is DUKE’S
Charles
November 8th, 2009
12:49 pm
I’ve done the taste test before with Hellman’s, Duke’s and Miracle Whip. Hellman’s was the unanimous choice for best and Miracle Whip was unanimously the worst. Welcome aboard John – I’m sure you’ll be less snobby and not politically Left-slanted in your column than the last reporter.
big dave
November 8th, 2009
12:52 pm
for years it was whatever was on sale, but now i’m definately a Dukes man.
Sublime Doughnuts « Review Atlanta « Naruto
November 8th, 2009
1:15 pm
[...] The Great Mayonnaise Taste Test | Food and More with John Kessler [...]
Suzi
November 8th, 2009
1:15 pm
I eat mayonaise on everything – jello, French fries, pear and cheese salad, bar bq chicken mixed with a little Sweet Baby Ray’s BBQ Sauce, and the list only grows. Hellman’s is always my second choice – but the number one always is Blue Plate!! And – I know for the sake of my health, I should switch to reduced fat mayo, but frankly, I’d rather lick cardboard!! Hooray for mayo!
hellman's girl
November 8th, 2009
1:36 pm
I like Hellman’s. My husband loves Miracle Whip! Now I know why. He’s after that sweetness. He’s a diabetic. Please tell him to switch to Hellman’s. It’s the best. Used to make Mayo sandwiches. Nothing better than that. But I knew it was not good for me. It’s one of those trigger foods I cannot keep in the house. Would eat it like ice cream–another no-no!!
The Great Mayonnaise Taste Test | Food and More with John Kessler | Georgia Today
November 8th, 2009
1:46 pm
[...] Original post: The Great Mayonnaise Taste Test | Food and More with John Kessler [...]
BlondeHoney
November 8th, 2009
1:47 pm
Hellmans ALL THE WAY
Patrick
November 8th, 2009
1:50 pm
My entire family with the exception of me are Hellmans loyalists. I don’t beleive that there is such of a thing as “good mayonaise” the whole concoction no matter what brand is disgusting!!
plafollette
November 8th, 2009
2:33 pm
I was raised on Miracle Whip and loved it at the time. My favorite sandwich was (sounds gross) was peanut butter, lettuce and Miracle Whip. Every once in a while I will buy a small jar or MW just to have that sandwich. I switched to Maynnoise when I started french cooking. Hellman’s tastes the closet to my homemade mayo. Mayonnaise is a great base for other flavors as it lends a rich, creamy element.
My Two Cents
November 8th, 2009
2:59 pm
Hellmans is the absolutely the best!
A
November 8th, 2009
3:01 pm
Yes, I too grew up on Miracle Whip. I never had mayonnaise until I bought my own food. I remember buying my first jar of Hellman’s – it felt exotic and rebellious.
Ms. Bulldawg
November 8th, 2009
3:36 pm
Interesting article. For me it depends on what I am applying the mayo to as to which I prefer. For a tomato sandwich, without question….Hellmans. For making homemade chicken salad, it is Kraft. And for homemade pimento cheese, Duke’s. (A true southern woman, I will not let store bought pimento cheese pass thru the doors of my house.)
gristmill
November 8th, 2009
3:41 pm
JFG mayo is the best but I haven’t been able to find it lately in my Kroger so I buy Duke’s – the next best thing – but JFG rocks!
Jan H.
November 8th, 2009
4:01 pm
My father had to have a MW and peanut butter sandwich every day. No lettuce, tho. I’m sure that would have been too healthy!
Eric
November 8th, 2009
4:18 pm
I’ve tried them all. Mayo is mayo. They’re all the same. The only difference is the label.
Katie
November 8th, 2009
4:43 pm
Now you make me wonder what brand was used in Martin Mull’s mockumentary “The History of White People in America” in which one of the running jokes was that the family kept picking up a couple of jars of mayonnaise every time they went out to the store because they used it in everything. Typically, I pick up whatever is on sale because nothing tastes as good as the homemade mayo we made when I was a kid in the 1960s with a raw egg, oil, paprika and I don’t remember what else (maybe lemon juice?) from the recipe that came with our Oster blender.
Mary
November 8th, 2009
4:47 pm
Raised on Miracle Whip until I tried my hand at home-made mayo à la Julia, a gift from a good friend. Since then, it’s been the real thing ever since. When I was younger, there was a woman in my home town who ate Miracle Whip by the spoonful out of a jar; she was a German “war bride,” and I think MW must have been an amazing symbol to her of everything that America could offer. Hope she discovered the real thing, too.
jay
November 8th, 2009
5:23 pm
I’m a Hellmans man. And Eric is a moron.
Deb
November 8th, 2009
5:56 pm
I was raised on Miracle Whip (is that a post-WWII thing?) but switched to mayo as an adult. I’ve tried them all, and it has to be Hellmann’s EXCEPT with peanut butter (lettuce or no – either way). Gotta have MW with peanut butter!
Bobbye
November 8th, 2009
6:01 pm
Have you never heard of Bama Mayonnaise? Was made in Birmingham. Grew up using it. I think Kraft bought them up. However, now, give me Hellman’s, the first ripe tomato of summer, white bread and that equals “heaven”.
Hank
November 8th, 2009
6:02 pm
My wife, born and raised in Atlanta many more years ago that I am allowed to mention, was convinced that about a year ago that Hellman’s flavor changed. She thought they may have changed the ingredients and that Hellman’s Light is closer to the “original” taste than regular Hellman’s. To her, even the Light is not as tasty as “before.” Any possibility that this is the case?
james
November 8th, 2009
6:29 pm
bama mayo sure is good
Maretta
November 8th, 2009
6:31 pm
I found Dukes at half price and then I had a 50 cent coupon, making my final cost less than a dollar; so, I tried it. It’s very disappointing — it looks pretty and creamy, but it has no taste. I put some in a plastic container and mixed in two of my favorite spices — a little minced white onions and sea salt. Otherwise, I would be wasting my time to use it; I’ll never buy Dukes again.
Anne
November 8th, 2009
6:50 pm
I like Hellman’s as well, but when I was diagnosed with Diabetes Type II, my educator told me that if I had to have mayo, that Dukes was the best because it has no sugar in it.
John Kessler
November 8th, 2009
7:50 pm
Sounds like I need to try my first Miracle Whip and peanut butter sandwich. Lettuce or no lettuce? Also, I’ve never seen Bama or JFG mayo, but will be on the lookout.
John Kessler
November 8th, 2009
7:51 pm
Enter your comments here
Art
November 8th, 2009
8:03 pm
John, great blog! I have to agree with Ms. Bulldawg, you have to keep a few of these around for various purposes… I like to think of mayo as a lot like salt or perhaps salad dressing… Sometimes you’re in the mood for table salt (never for me) and sometimes you’re in the mood for Kosher or Fleur de Sel… sometimes you’re in the mood for Ranch and sometimes you’re in the mood for Thousand Island or Green Goddess… Just for good measure, I keep Hellman’s, Duke’s and Blue Plate in the fridge… They’re all great and ever ready to coat some sort of goodness…
P.S. Eric, you need to get your taste buds checked… You don’t know what you’re missing.
JML
November 8th, 2009
8:22 pm
JFG is my favorite when I can find it. Hellman’s and Duke’s are fine, but don’t compare to JFG.
Mom of 3 Boys
November 8th, 2009
8:38 pm
Blue Plate! My secret for great tator salad!
Rich
November 8th, 2009
8:50 pm
Regular Miracle Whip has less calories and fat grams than “lite” versions of helmans and dukes, with more more gram of sugar. That is the dietary tradeoff.
John
November 8th, 2009
9:01 pm
From a Chicago native, now southern convert….Hellman’s on a deli sandwich, Miracle Whip on a BLT, and only Duke’s in my pimento cheese!
Mike
November 8th, 2009
9:42 pm
Last time I was at Blue Ribbon Grill near Northlake, half of the mayonnaise bottles on the tables were Hellman’s, the others were Best Foods.
Yes, folks, they taste the same.
I’ve got to wonder how they got a delivery of Best Foods mayonnaise, though – was it the teetotaler’s version of “Smokey and the Bandit?”
Jeff in Roswell
November 8th, 2009
9:48 pm
Ahhh, brings back memories. Yes, since I’ve grown up, it’s only Mayo. When I was a kid though, in northern Pennsylvania, it was Miracle Whip all the way. Mayo wasn’t even in the house. Peanut Butter and Miracle Whip sandwiches were a daily item. We never used it on salads – just sandwiches. Mmmmm, I can taste it now – Sweet Lebanon with Provolone with a huge slather of Miracle Whip. Since I’ve moved to the south, it’s been Mayo. I do agree that Hellman’s is the best, although I usually buy store brand.
katz
November 8th, 2009
10:25 pm
East or West, for our family, it’s Hellman’s or Best.
Mac salad or french fries in Hawaii gets the Best.
Fresh tomatoes and mashed sweet potato in Ga are nothing without Hellman’s
C
November 8th, 2009
10:32 pm
homemade is easy and tastes way better
Johnny Fontane
November 9th, 2009
8:45 am
My grandma taught me to always use Hellman’s as a child and I still use it today. It seems to blend better when using it in cassaroles. I have used Kraft in a pinch and I can taste the difference. Never change granny’s recipes.
Jamie Gumbrecht
November 9th, 2009
8:54 am
This is a small, ridiculous aside, but as a kid, I was obsessed with the book “Harriet the Spy” by Louise Fitzhugh. I did what Harriet did, I dressed as I thought Harriet would and naturally, I ate what Harriet ate: tomato sandwiches on white bread. But after trying it once with Kraft — the mayo my Michigan family defaulted to — I was horrified that people ingested any of this white glop. (I remained skeptical, too, of this “egg cream” that Harriet so loved, although I understand it contains neither egg nor cream.) Anyway, I still adore Harriet, and believe it’s no coincidence that I wound up working in newspapers. But really, this is the story of how I discovered wheat bread and mustard.
John Kessler
November 9th, 2009
9:24 am
Hilarious, Mike. “Hide the mayo! Here come the revenuers!”
Howard
November 9th, 2009
10:16 am
Using Miracle Whip as a salad dressing must be a Midwestern thing. I grew up in central Illinois and my mom always used Miracle Whip and milk to make the salad dressing.
CW
November 9th, 2009
10:21 am
Grew up on Blue Plate and Hellmans but since I first discovered Duke’s about 3 years ago I’ve never gone back. It’s Duke’s all the way. NOTHING taste better on a tomato sandwich in July
uberVU - social comments
November 9th, 2009
11:16 am
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Atlanta Guy
November 9th, 2009
12:46 pm
Any true Southerner worth a dime uses only Dukes. I don’t care what this panel says.
ziza
November 9th, 2009
1:57 pm
raised on hellman’s. have tried duke’s but found it a bit too rich tasting for me for sandwhiches, but do like it on potato salad where i would be able to use it interchangeably with hellman’s. incidently, kroger brand “hellman’s” is just fine!
Atlanta Guy
November 9th, 2009
2:26 pm
Ziza, you must not be from the South!
Victoria
November 9th, 2009
2:27 pm
I was raised on Duke’s, can’t stand MWhip or BPlate – yuk. I prefer the rich, salty taste of Duke’s over the sweet brands. All my aunt’s and relatives use Duke’s; they’re all from either SC or GA. If I’m at a “yankee” friend’s house and they don’t have Duke’s, I just leave the mayo off my sandwich!!
Nora
November 9th, 2009
2:33 pm
For me its Duke’s #1, Hellman’s #2 for real mayo. And yes, I do like Miracle Whip for certain things like coleslaw dressing (it is lighter, sweeter and tangier than mayo). So if coleslaw is a salad, then I do indeed dress a salad with Miracle Whip. One little bonus is that it has less fat and calories than mayo.
Doc Holliday
November 9th, 2009
3:43 pm
Nothing like Hellmans on a good ripe bananna sandwich.
gretchen
November 9th, 2009
3:46 pm
As a new englander, I was raised on Cain’s. I’m not even sure they are around anymore. Now we’re a Hellman’s family.
Oh please
November 9th, 2009
3:47 pm
Helman’s first, followed by Kraft, Blue Plate, and Duke’s. Miracle Whip sucks!
Oh please
November 9th, 2009
3:48 pm
and BTW… Miracle Whip is not mayonnaise, but a salad dressing. It says so on the label.
finally
November 9th, 2009
3:55 pm
I grew up right off Peachtree Rd. and it was always Hellman’s until my mom discovered the generic/grocery store brand with the big yellow label and the black writing like a caution sign, which was super gross. I did get one bottle of Miracle Whip and my mother yelled that it was vile and cheap, so that was the one time we had that, I did try it later in life but it is too sweet. My preference is Hellman’s or Blue Plate and I gave Duke’s a try but it just wasn’t as good to me.
Tony
November 9th, 2009
4:15 pm
A casualty of the demise of Winn-Dixie in Georgia was the loss of my beloved “Deep South” mayonaise, with the lemon on the label. That was my bread and butter. (Well, actually, it was my mayonaise, and breat was my bread and I never really used butter on a sandwich, but hell, it’s just an expression so get off my back, will ya’?)
William
November 9th, 2009
4:19 pm
Well I combine both Hellmann’s and Dukes for the best of both worlds. I use it on fries and hamburgers. To me its the best. If I had to pick one over the other, it would come down to cost, because they taste so closely as hardly not worth mentioning the difference.
Dawg Foot
November 9th, 2009
4:22 pm
Anyone know what they use at Chick-Fil-A? That’s pretty good.
daPro
November 9th, 2009
4:23 pm
“(Sunbeam lovers, hold your tongues)”, true southerners use only Colonial Bread…
LM
November 9th, 2009
4:35 pm
I grew up in Michigan, we used Mircle Whip. I really didn’t know there was a difference until I was an adult and married a true southern boy. He threw it out when he first tried it. LOL
We use Blue Plate, my husband swears by it, but I have a small jar of MW just for me, I love in on liverwurst sandwiches, spinach sandwiches, tomato sandwishes, cole slaw, but agree, it is sweet.
John Kessler
November 9th, 2009
5:02 pm
We have a Hellmann’s/Duke’s mixer in William. That’s a first!
Lady Strange
November 9th, 2009
5:11 pm
I only use Miracle Whip, always have. I like it.
Neal R
November 9th, 2009
5:29 pm
Georgia born but currently living in Italy. I happily pay $9 a jar for “imported” Hellman’s at the local international foods shop/shelf. Slathering a bit on the bread (top AND bottom halves) is the only way to fix up these skimpy eye-talian paninis. It’s worth every euro.
kilrbzzz
November 9th, 2009
5:44 pm
Hellmans!!!
Old Tech
November 9th, 2009
5:47 pm
Blue Plate is my favorite. Mayo & pineapple sandwich on Bunny bread like grandma used to make in Asheville, NC.
Bushwacker
November 9th, 2009
5:51 pm
Duke’s is good but its HELLMANS!!!!
janet
November 9th, 2009
5:59 pm
I grew up in San Francisco and it was always Best Foods which was the Hellmans brand west of the Mississippi.
It is my favorite but when I make Potato salad, I follow my mom’s idea and use Miracle Whip. It is delicious.
mowreck
November 9th, 2009
6:08 pm
I have tried them all and what I like about Hellmans is you can use the “light” Hellmans or the “no fat” Hellmans or even the Hellmans with “olive oil” and they are all GREAT! I know this being a diabetic and I currently use the Hellmans with olive oil.
mowreck
November 9th, 2009
6:11 pm
I also make a pretty good cole slaw with the olive oil Hellmans and lemon pepper with a tablespoon of vinegar … will make your mouth pucker up … lol
Jenny Carter
November 9th, 2009
6:36 pm
I was raised as an Indiana farm girl, and we only had Miracle Whip. TODAY as a Southern woman? It’s Duke’s for me. I do keep Miracle Whip in the fridge for my children, as they won’t touch REAL Mayo. My second choice is Hellman’s.
Dale
November 9th, 2009
6:42 pm
I grew up in South Carolina and had homemade mayonaise about half the time. A tendency of my Grandmother. None of these brands can touch it. I will say that Dukes has no corn syrup and I believe the others do. Today I use Dukes for potato salad and Helman’s for sandwiches.
Kevin
November 9th, 2009
6:44 pm
Got to be Hellmans…Makes the best lobster roll or deviled eggs or whatever!…
deidre_NC
November 9th, 2009
6:53 pm
john i hope you didnt make your awesome tomtato sndwich with that thin PF bread!!! that bread is good for some things but for a tomato sandwich it has to be the softest white bread that will stick to the roof of your mouth!!
dukes #1 hellmans #2…miracle whip shouldnt be in a mayo contest…thats not fair lol..MW is not mayo
Sarah
November 9th, 2009
6:56 pm
This is great! Thanks, John. Go, Hellmann’s!
Lisa
November 9th, 2009
7:00 pm
yes!!!! Hellmans! Yahoo! That’s my favorite too. The regular stuff. We do use the light (blue label) sometimes. It’s got a more acid/lemon flavor to me. Plain old wonderful Hellmans can’t be beat. I am one of the D*#m Yankees too. But my sister, by the same mother and father, favors Miracle Whip. Blech…
ericMann
November 9th, 2009
7:13 pm
Any true southerner, knows that Blue Plate is the best, come on, folks! When I was in the army, my momma would send me jars of blue-plate, in the mail. Folks they don’t have blue-plate in alaska, cali, or mo. Blue Plate is yummmmmmmy, on tomatoe, pineapple, grilled cheese, damn i am hungry, gonna go make a sammich
Fred
November 9th, 2009
7:22 pm
The hell with the mayo debate, I’m still trying to figure out how you lived as long as you have and had NEVER had a tomato sammich………….
That just ain’t right……….
Fred
November 9th, 2009
7:25 pm
Follow up: I mean come one now, a TOMATO sammich? It ain’t like we’re talking head cheese or mountain oysters or anything weird or esoteric even………………
Ever try a peanut butter qand jelly sammich or is that really reaching into the culinary totebag to suggest that?
Vince
November 9th, 2009
7:27 pm
Dukes. Nuf said!
Lisa
November 9th, 2009
7:44 pm
Duke’s – hands down.
Davis X. Machina
November 9th, 2009
7:44 pm
Cain’s is going strong, and there’s a jar in the fridge up heah in Maine as I speak. I grew up a few miles from the restaurant where it originated. It burned down in the late ’60’s but the mayo — and even more importantly, the tartar sauce — soldiers on.
Geno
November 9th, 2009
7:45 pm
I’m a transplant from New Jersey and brought up on Ann Page mayo (A&P Brand). That’s all my Mom would buy. It was good. Came down here and met up with a true Southern girl who set me straight…Dukes is it from now on. And it is outstanding.
NavyMom
November 9th, 2009
7:47 pm
Interesting story – raised in MS my mom always bought Blue Plate. Had never heard of Duke until last year. OK people that’s because I HATE mayo. My brother swears by it as does the rest of my family but I can’t eat it.
ed
November 9th, 2009
7:54 pm
BLUE PLATE is #1 if you shop at the BJ’s in Conyers, it’s the Only one they list on the sign of the isle.
Shamus Thacker
November 9th, 2009
7:55 pm
Heinz mayo in fast-food packets is my fave. Better on meat than any other mayo, period. Another fast-food winner is McDonald’s ketchup. Finest ketchup on earth.
renee
November 9th, 2009
8:04 pm
i KNEW who should win when i read the headline. i KNEW who better win when i saw my winner was included in the list of entrants. i KNEW this cause although originally from the north i’ve lived in la, atlanta, new york, and europe and i always made sure i kept a few jars in my cupboard til the next supply came in. can’t cook without it cause the food doesn’t taste right. however with the judges being from atlanta i KNEW i couldn’t trust those winn dixie tomato sammich eating taste buds. SURPRISE. y’all got it right. i live, swear, and die by the HELLMMAN’s and have for over 30 years. well yahoo!!
dear goodness gerald
November 9th, 2009
8:09 pm
y is it that white people love mayo? dang, hide the mayo – the white people r around and they will steal it. LOL. NEWayz, not sure if the mir whip is supposed 2 b used as a salad dressing – but that it is MADE FROM salad dressing. gonna go watch undercover brother now.
Gayle Bauer
November 9th, 2009
8:26 pm
Has anybody tried Vegenaise? I was a Hellman’s (Best Foods) die hard fan until I tried blue label Vegenaise. You get it at health foods stores.
Impervious Pearl
November 9th, 2009
8:30 pm
Hellmans is the BEST!!! My husband likes Miracle Whip, so there are two brands in the house. Everything I make I use Hellmans, so he has to suck it up unless I make individual sandwiches.
Sander
November 9th, 2009
8:32 pm
HANK: I doubt the flavor/recipe has changed over the years. But from your hint that your wife is older (possibly senior citizen or near) it is possible the taste buds are not what they use to be. Generally as people age their taste bud sense depletes.
But as for my choice, I prefer Hellman’s mayo on most sandwiches/subs. I do like Miracle Whip though on the turkey sandwiches after thanksgiving. When it comes to macaroni and potato salads, I like a 50/50 mix of Hellmans and Miracle Whip. I’m from NY and most of my family prefers Miracle Whip. I never even heard of Duke’s or Blue Plate until I moved south. I guess Duke’s would be my runner up. The one I dislike the most is Krafts Mayo…yuck!
eddie s
November 9th, 2009
8:37 pm
Fun story, fun to read….Born and bred on Hellman’s in the North and can’t stand the rest! I did go into a panic when I lived in San Deigo when I could not find it on the shelves and thought I would have to lower myself to, to, that Kraft stuff, but a kindly old lady whom I asked if she knew where they kept the real Mayo laughed and pointed out to me the Best Foods, and I breathed a sigh of relief when I moved to the south..there it was at Piggly Wiggly…Whew.. I think I will add that to my next contract demands on the next job…Hellman’s better be on the shelf!
Paddy
November 9th, 2009
8:37 pm
I was told you can only buy Blue Plate at the 7-11 by the trailer park. It is Hellmann’s by a mile.
suzy
November 9th, 2009
8:42 pm
As a child I loved carrot & mayo sandwiches..go figure…but I still like carrot sticks on the side.
Dukes is really the best…even the light Dukes is really tasty. But that said, I will eat hellman’s if that’s the only mayo available..it’s OK.
Matt
November 9th, 2009
8:49 pm
I agree with the midwesterners. I grew up in Michigan and didn’t know there were any kinds of salad dressing but Miracle Whip until I left for college. My 84 year old father still uses it as his only salad dressing. To me, mayonaise is bland. I still love the tang of Miracle Whip! (although I’ve never had it with peanut butter).
FSUTiger
November 9th, 2009
8:53 pm
No wonder obesity is such a problem in America! How about trying out Smart Balance Mayo?! I used to be a Hellman’s fan, but when you read the nutrition facts, there’s no way to stomach it…Smart Balance Omega Plus tastes great, and has 0g saturated fat, 1.5 g polyunsaturated, and 2 g monounsaturated fats per serving. Can’t beat it.
Michael
November 9th, 2009
9:02 pm
I was raised on Duke’s. Can’t recall how but when I went out on my own I somehow stumbled across Miracle Whip and have stuck with it for fifty years. So sue me.
KA
November 9th, 2009
9:02 pm
I hated mayo as a small child, then as a teenager liked the Hellman’s my California born mom used, but converted to Duke’s when I moved to Georgia 30 years ago. When I was diagnosed with diabetes several years ago I made many diet changes, went low or nofat for all food, and now I use soy based low fat Nasoya Nayonnaise. For bread spread I use a healthy Yucatan avocado guacamole, which has no mayo or oil added. Sometimes I miss real mayo, but cutting out the fat in my diet has drastically improved my cholesterol levels and my blood sugar is normal now, without drugs.
Bill Clontz
November 9th, 2009
9:07 pm
When cooking potatoe salad I will only use Hellmans mayonaise, that’s also true with shrimp salads, etc. When it comes to a banana sadwich, or any other sandwich, Dukes hands down. I come from a family of mayonaise lovers. My oldest brother used to pick up several cases of Blue Plate mayonaise when he was down here for a visit from Illinois…I can show you more foods to eat with Dukes than most people who claim to be Mayo lovers……Try a big ole spoon of Dukes in a plate of Large Limas (Butter Beans)….wedge of onion, and a handful of country cornbread…….Paradise my friends…..
Bill Clontz
November 9th, 2009
9:09 pm
P.S. Bring a gun if you wanna try to make me eat Miracle Whip !
bo-nanner or homegrown mater saniches
November 9th, 2009
9:12 pm
are best made with DUKE’s.
ya’ll know what I’m talkin’ bout