Have you ever wondered where mayonnaise comes from? That may not be the first question that comes to mind, especially if you’ve just checked in for a peaceful holiday in one of the luxury hotels Menorca has to offer, but let me explain the connection between Mayo and Menorca.
On the Balearic Achipelago, which includes Ibiza, Formentera, and Mallorca, and Menorca, many cultures have left their mark on, dating as far back as 3000 B.C., time enough to develop cuisine that has influences from Phoenicians, Greeks, Romans, Arabs, English and French. Essentially, Menorca contains two sides: a darker, north side, witha rich slate earth and rough seas. The southern side is tranquil and green, with secluded beaches of white sand. You’ll find meadows of grazing cows and a large dairy industry. The capital city, Mahon, is built in a natural port, once vital to the British Navy during the 18th Century. While the French occupied Menorca briefly, the island was largely under British rule until about 1782. The Spain regained full control of the island in 1802. While the British were there, though, they began two of Menorca’s most famous products: They made the amazing Queso de Mahon, a pure milk cheese made of cow’s milk, and the equally praised Xoriguer Gin. But, in addition to these two products, the Menorcan people lay claim to a third creation: Salsa Mahonesa. Apparently, mayonnaise was created by the Menorcans, named after its capital, Mahon, and then the French sent the spread to Paris when they briefly held Menorca in the 1750s.
Other histories of mayonnaise suggest that it was invented in France in 1756, by the Duke de Richelieu’s chef. Another account also credits the chef of Duke de Richelieu, but suggests that after a French Victory at Port Mahon, the chef had no cream and so replaced it with olive oil — creating mayonnaise, which is a combination of oil and egg yolks, and either lemon juice or vinegar.  Years later, in 1905, a New York deli owned by Richard Hellman sold the mayonnaise, which was later mass marketed in 1912 as “Hellman’s Blue Ribbon Mayonnaise.”