The Food Lab: Better Home Cooking Through Science

(garlic) and oli (oil). A true aioli is made by smashing
garlic cloves in a mortar with a pestle, then slowly
drizzling in olive oil a drop at a time until a smooth
emulsion is formed. It’s an intensely spicy, pungent
sauce often served with seafood and croutons or
boiled potatoes. The Spanish version, allioli, is
commonly served with olives, grilled meats, or
grilled vegetables.
These days, it’s perfectly acceptable to call a
garlic-flavored mayonnaise made with egg yolks and
mustard “aioli,” but it must contain some garlic. So
why do restaurant menus refer to a creamy,
emulsified, egg-based sauce as aioli when there’s not
a hint of garlic in it? It’s a matter of public
perception. Despite the fact that mayonnaise at one
point was considered a staple of haute cuisine, its use
on menus fell out of fashion because it became
associated too strongly with cheap everyday food.
I’m a fancy restaurant chef—I can’t very well serve
the same stuff people are slathering on their
sandwiches!
Luckily, this silliness seems to be disappearing,
with more and more chefs unafraid to love
mayonnaise for what it is: creamy, rich, and
delicious. I am certain that my midmeal lectures to
waitstaff—despite the dirty looks it earns me from
my lovely wife—have played no small role in
effecting this change, and I intend to soon move on
to ensuring that bruschetta is never again
pronounced with a soft “sh” sound.