Secret ingredient: an ode to Southern slather
Author celebrates Duke’s Mayonnaise’s flavor and versatility in classic Southern cooking
In the South, mayonnaise could be its own food group.
“We may argue over the correct way to pronounce ‘pecan’ and which barbecue sauce reigns supreme, but there’s no argument when it comes to mayonnaise,” contends cookbook author and chef Virginia Willis. “If it’s not homemade, it’s got to be Duke’s.”
Ashley Strickland Freeman would agree. That’s why Freeman included Willis’ quote in her new cookbook that celebrates the joys of Duke’s Mayonnaise. “The
Duke’s Mayonnaise Cookbook,” published this week, champions the brand of mayo, known for its voluptuous texture and distinct tang.
Though the brand has distribution in 41 states, Duke’s is better known in the South. The cult of Duke’s is strong.
“Duke’s contains a higher ratio of egg yolks than most other commercial mayos, which makes it rich, creamy, and less likely to separate when heated. There’s a wisp of tang from vinegar and a touch of paprika,” Southern Living wrote. “Its texture is thicker and
almost custard-like instead of simply slick or gelatinous. All this makes Duke’s look and taste more like homemade mayonnaise, a wonderful thing that is quite tedious to perfect.”
A recipe developer, food stylist and cookbook contributor, Freeman grew up in Savannah, Ga., and lives in Charleston, S.C. Duke’s was the only mayonnaise she knew because it was the only one her mother used. Her mother’s pantry is lined with old glass jars of Duke’s mayo with its familiar marigold lids.
In 2017, when Freeman was considering her own cookbook project, she knew she wanted the subject to be something dear to her heart. “One day I opened my refrigerator door, and there was a Duke’s Mayonnaise jar staring me in the face,” she said. “A light bulb went off.”
A quick internet search later, she discerned that no one had done a Duke’s cookbook before. Though the cookbook is not a Duke’s product, it has the blessing of the corporate parent. The C.F. Sauer Co., based in Richmond, Va., bought the Duke’s brand in 1929 from founder Eugenia Thomas Duke, who created the mayonnaise in Greenville, S.C., in 1917.