A Small Satisfaction

One of the pleasant little surprises of spending time in North Carolina was getting to try Duke's mayonnaise. Somewhere among my blogging friends, I had read about Duke's but never tried it as it is hard to find on the Left Coast. So I was tickled to open my sister's pantry and find a jar of it there - my chance to try it!

You might say "mayo is mayo, who cares?" but to me mayonnaise is an important ingredient. I like Best Foods (called Hellman's in the east) for it's little fillip of lemon flavor. And don't get me started on Miracle Whip or similar "spreads" - sickly sweet and cloying, they don't deserve the label of "mayonnaise." They are something else entirely, and they are evil.

The Duke's was surprisingly different than Best Foods - not better, or worse, just different. To me, it tastes more like homemade mayo, the kind you make with olive oil. The label didn't boast any olive oil; it was made with soybean oil. 

If pressed, I'd have to admit that I'm a creature of habit and Best Foods/Hellman's would still be my choice, but I'm pleased to have had the chance to taste and compare. There's an old saying, "Curiosity killed the cat," and a corollary, "but satisfaction brought him back." Like the cat, I'm glad to have had my curiosity satisfied.