Eggs, oil, mustard, white wine or lemon juice, and seasoning… from such simple ingredients emerges one of the greatest sauces ever invented; yet what a disparity there is between the real thing and many of the jarred versions most of us have come to rely on.

Who made the first mayonnaise? There are various stories of its origin, but the most widely accepted is that it was first concocted by the Duc de Richelieu’s chef to commemorate taking Port Mahon in Minorca during the Seven Years War in 1756. As with so many food stories, the sauce appears to be the result of a happy accident. Apparently, the chef ran out of cream for the dressing he was making, so he beat in some eggs instead. His new invention was supposedly named “Mahonnaise” after the port, but over time the name metamorphosed into “mayonnaise”.

What about the commercial variety? That’s mainly down to the German-born owner of a New York delicatessen which opened in 1905, selling salads dressed with mayonnaise made by the owner’s wife. Eventually, the mayonnaise was so popular he started putting it into wooden tubs for his customers. His name was Richard Hellmann, and over the decades Hellmann’s has become to mayonnaise what Heinz is to tomato ketchup: the commercial taste by which we measure all others.

Which eggs are used in jarred mayonnaise? Eggs are pasteurised to avoid risk of salmonella, but the big issue is where the eggs come from. High-profile campaigns highlighting the plight of battery hens has resulted in a consumer switch to free-range and organic eggs, but we often overlook the eggs used in ready-made products. Since Hellmann’s commandeers a 74 per cent share of the UK mayonnaise market, it was a big result when it announced this year that it was switching to free-range eggs. You need to ask questions of many other brands, however.

What else goes into commercial mayonnaise? The quality of all ingredients, particularly the oil, is crucial. Many jarred versions are made with generic “vegetable oil”, with no further clues. At Essfoods in Suffolk, Stokes Real Mayonnaise is made using extra-virgin olive oil sourced from the Greek Mani peninsula in the Peloponnese, as well as rapeseed oil, free-range pasteurised whole egg, Dead Sea salt and unrefined raw cane sugar. “We are trying to produce a mayonnaise that is smooth and creamy, tastes home-made and is as ethically sourced and healthy as possible,” says Barbara Whatley of Essfoods.

Where to Buy? Stokes Real Mayonnaise with Olive Oil costs £2.89 for 345g (01394 462150; www.nothingbutthebest.co.uk).

Readers’ queries

I’ve read about tea-flavoured chocolate. Where can I buy it?
Selfridges sells Chocolatea, made by Chloe Chocolat. Chocolatea boxes, £15.99, contain two bars: one plain, the other infused with tea, plus loose leaves (www.selfridges.com).

If you have a food query, e-mail food.detective@thetimes.co.uk

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