SC - Foodie Movies-OOP

[Philip & Susan Troy]

Elysant at aol.com wrote:
> 
> Well, the ingredient list posted by my Lord Husband came directly from the
> jar of Miracle Whip... and as can be seen, the myth is that Miracle Whip does
> not contain eggs at all.  True, it does not contain whole eggs as mayonnaise
> does, containing only egg yolks, but when you consider the World War II
> origin of the product, and the many other uses that they had for egg whites
> during that time, it makes sense that egg yolks alone would be used.

Ideally, mayo is made with yolks, rather than whole eggs, as well. The
fact that commercial mayo often contains whole eggs is more a function
of the machinery used to make it, AFAIK. If you look in cookbooks for a
sauce known as "blender mayonnaise", it is also generally made with
whole eggs. I don't really know for sure why, but it seems to be the case.

MW was created, with the basic formula intact, several years _before_
WWII, as a cost-cutting measure intended to produce a cheaper product
that more people would buy during the Depression. The original
ingredients list refers to "cereal" instead of the two starches, and to
"spice" instead of paprika. The solution employed by Kraft had nothing
to do with using yolks only, instead of whole eggs, as a conservation
measure, it had to do with using significantly less eggs overall, and
substituting for them a thickened mixture of starch and water.  
 
> It is also a myth that it contains emulsifiers (or preservatives, as does
> some mayonnaise).  I was told that emulsification was not done with products
> like this pre-World War II, although it may be able to be documented....

The thickened mixture of starch and water _is_ an emulsifier, as are egg
yolks, or rather, the lecithin they contain. Emulsions of fat and water
phases remain stable for longer when the water phase is thicker, which
is why a vinaigrette salad dressing will separate fairly easily, and
something mayo or MW, assuming it is made properly, will not. Yolks are
thicker than water, and so is modified food starch.
 
> Is there more than one recipe available?  I would not know without doing more
> research on the topic.  I do know that Coca Cola from Mexico has a different
> formulation, and a heck of lot more caffeine than US Coca Cola....

I asked about it because I was curious as to how such a myth might come
about. Myths are designed to explain existing phenomena, while stories
that have absolutely no foundation are generally called lies ; ), and
even they generally serve some purpose. Or are intended to. It is my
belief that the line, "MW contains a lot less egg yolks than mayo,
making it cheaper to produce," (complete and literal truth) has become
oversimplified to "MW contains no egg yolks," (technically inaccurate,
but with almost as much moral impact as truth in this case... I can hear
a certain Chief Executive of a World Power saying, "Well, it depends on
how  you _define_ "no egg yolks"). 
 
> One thing that puzzles me is how this thread on Mayonnaise relates to Period
> Cookery, although I have heard that Jeff Smith (the frugal gourmet) has
> claimed to have documented they use of Mayonnaise as we know it during the
> Greek period.

It has no relation to period cooking, per se, but then neither does a
thread about Twinkies, Smarties, Lamingtons, bangers, and a plethora of
others. In this case we were discussing sweet and sour foods in period,
and the fact that some moderns don't appreciate the combination. Cole
slaw was discussed as an example, and whether or not it is a sweet and
sour food.

Regarding thick oil-based, emulsified sauces, it's possible they were
known in the Hellenic world. It's also possible that some of the Apician
sauces, that call for various ingredients to be pounded together, with
oil added, are intended to be emulsified sauces. Examples of thickish
sauces and purees that have oil beaten in via a mortar and pestle
include pesto, brandade, skordalia, aioli, rouille, and many others, and
while not all of these are very old, some of them could be, in one form
or another. My guess is that Smith has found a reference to a sauce of
pounded ingredients which contains oil, and has interpreted it as an
emulsified sauce, rightly or wrongly. I remember seeing a reference to
what appears to be an emulsified garlic sauce in, IIRC, either Libro del
Coch, or the Libro Sent Sovi. This would appear to be something similar
to aioli and skordalia, whch in turn have some similarity to mayonnaise.
And, if they have almost no egg yolks, to MW as well. ;  )   
 
> Does anyone have access to a manuscript with this information perhaps?

Bearing in mind that Smith isn't likely to have any better access to, or
any better interest in, such manuscripts as we do, I'd bet he picked up
some oblique reference to a sauce in either Athenaeus' "Philosophers at
Dinner", or Archestratus' "The Life of Luxury". I have a copy of the
latter, which I haven't yet read completely through. I'll post if I find anything.

Adamantius
- -- 
Phil & Susan Troy

troy at asan.com