The Mayo Brand That Was A Staple In Julia Child's Pantry

Mayonnaise can be the topic of some serious conversations, and when you are a celebrity chef, your go-to brand can fall under a rather bright spotlight. Most people assume chefs prefer to make their own spread, especially when you consider it takes some eggs, olive oil, lemon juice, and salt and pepper to whip up this emulsion, but that's not always the case. Sometimes store-bought is just fine and Julia Child definitely embraced this philosophy when it came to the brand she reached for when she made her favorite tuna fish salad, which she would pile on an English muffin or regular sandwich bread. As Dorie Greenspan, author of "Baking with Julia," shared in the New York Times, the famous TV personality and cookbook author who specialized in French cuisine was a fan of Hellmann's mayonnaise.     

What was it about Hellmann's that made it her favorite? While Child had her own homemade mayonnaise recipe she could easily have made from scratch, she likely appreciated the convenience of this shelf-stable condiment as well as Hellmann's light, smooth, and ultra-creamy consistency. She famously said, "You don't have to cook fancy or complicated masterpieces — just good food from fresh ingredients." Hellmann's satisfied this need for her, and its superiority is clear based on its taste and where it ranks against other mayonnaise brands. 

Per the Tampa Bay Times, back in 2013, more people were buying Hellmann's than any other mayo, and according to the brand's owner, Unilever, it still holds the title as America's No. 1 mayonnaise brand. It is often described as having a very mild tang with an umami flavor that won't overshadow other ingredients you might pair it with. It is also a versatile mayo that is going to do its job and taste just as delicious on a Bodega-style chopped cheese sandwich as it does in a Texas chocolate mayo cake. Hellmann's is also made with quality ingredients including 100% certified cage-free eggs.

Julia Child changed the way we cook and has inspired a new generation of cooks and chefs, but she isn't the only chef who appreciates Hellmann's. Ina Garten, who has talked about how Julia Child influenced her cooking style, also favors this brand, as she shared on her website, and "Top Chef" alum Tiffany Derry, who uses it for the deviled eggs and crab ravigote sauce that tops her fried green tomatoes, does as well. Use your Hellmann's mayonnaise when you are making the crunchy BLT of your dreams or a simple potato salad.