Another Mayonnaise Crisis

[AyG]

Once again Kraft mayonnaise appears to have disappeared from the shelves of the local supermarkets. Nothing in Lotus, Tops (2 branches), Villa (2 branches) or Big C (though I don't think they ever carried it). Why does Kraft hate us so much? Why do they force us to buy the sickly-sweet confection that passes for mayonnaise in these benighted parts? A plague on both its houses.

[thecatman]

I always buy the Tesco own brand mayo....excellent, and certainly not sickly sweet (I've tried others and know exactly what you mean)...try it.

[BillR]

very easy to make your own. Takes 10 minutes and tastes way better.

[ProThaiExpat]

GOOD NEWS!!! But first listen to my hard luck story. Recent thread post authoritatively advised available at Tops Huay Kaew. Rushed down within hours of posting but nothing, nor did management say they had had any for weeks.

Now the good news. Whether it is called Hellmans, Kraft or Best Foods, it tastes the same to me and I am a Mayonnaise addict. I do think they are the same product merely branded differently.

Anyway, I found a very small jar of "Best Foods Mayo" at Rim Ping and tried it along side Thai mayo to see if it was different. Why, because it is labled in Thai except for the Best Foods Logo and the stylized word "Mayo". The other jars were much to sweet, but the minute my tongue tasted the Best Foods Mayo I actually exulted out loud. In the prior thread on this subject a post reported the small jars were available at 7 Eleven near Maejo University.

RimPing had these small jars all the time but I missed them as I was used to the tub style plastic jars with the big word Kraft on them and not labels all in Thai except for the Best Foods Blue logo.

Now to get specific. Best Foods Mayo comes in two sizes 220 and 460 and the only words in English, other than small ingredients list are The Blue Best Foods logo center top of front of label and the stylized word Mayo in shaded brown to the left corner of the Best Foods Logo angled downward. The appearance of the contents is slightly less white than the Kraft previously available, but to me the taste is the same.

Would enjoy hearing from the deprived if they found what I have described and whether they agree the taste is the same as Kraft, Hellmans.

Thai readers might be able to post the country of origin, I didn't find it on the label but there is a telephone number next to a telephone set suggesting a place to call for information or complaints. Will take a looking glass to read it.

The most prominent symbol on the overall yellow label is two deep fried chicken drumsticks, one on a plate with other fried parts and a solo friend drumstick to the right dipping into what may be intended as a bowl of mayonnaise.

I saw both size jars of glass at Carrefour in their special section for foreign "gourmet" foods, one aisle over from frozen foods and at the front of the store. There are two aisles facing each other and one back to back. The signs are faux brown signs over the display shelves.

[WarpSpeed]

Disagree they do not taste the same some are much sweeter and others too much vinegar taste so consequently I have absconded with all the stock and hoarding it at my house.. It's an annual tradition for stock to run low this time of year as some may have noticed, so I bought out all the local ones I could find but still have a local Tops market that carries MY private stock!!! Hellmans is a close, acceptable, temporary substitute..

Edited February 26, 2011 by WarpSpeed

[ProThaiExpat]

Disagree they do not taste the same some are much sweeter and others too much vinegar taste so consequently I have absconded with all the stock and hoarding it at my house.. It's an annual tradition for stock to run low this time of year as some may have noticed, so I bought out all the local ones I could find but still have a local Tops market that carries MY private stock!!! Hellmans is a close, acceptable, temporary substitute..

From the internet:

Mayonnaise/Miracle Whip

James Bond eats his lobster "with a good mayonnaise." (The book version of James Bond, that is.) If you've got a blender or a wire whisk w/strong arm, it's not hard to make your own. A good, homemade mayonnaise is truly worthy to dress lobster, or any other prime seafood or meat.

I'll give a recipe later on, but meanwhile let's talk about the eternal clash between mayonnaise and Miracle Whip.

Many people mistakenly believe they are the same thing. They are not. Bargain brands of either are also quite different than the original. The closest to homemade mayonnaise is Best Foods/Hellman's, and the next best is Kraft. Other brands differ widely in taste and texture. The cheaper you go, the farther you get from the taste of actual mayonnaise, which should be fluffy, eggy, and without noticeable vinegar. That's because you really do need to break some eggs to make real mayo, and the lesser varities tend to have less egg, and cheaper oils.

Miracle Whip is a unique product. It does seem to start out much like mayonnaise, but has additional sugar and vinegar, which defines it as a salad dressing. (mayo has no sugar, or a tiny amount) I've tried and failed to duplicate it my own kitchen.

[WarpSpeed]

I know the difference, I never mentioned Miracle Whip it's completely different from Mayonnaise but not every blue cheese salad dressing or Italian for example is the same either and to imply that they are is silly as there are always slight differences in ingredients to make them stand apart from the crowd..

It may be that your taste is just not refined enough to tell the subtle differences... That's why some people are coffee or tea tasters and others are wine tasters...

[Godolphin]

I agree with the poster who said make your own.

Easy, plus you can experiment until you come up with the right combination of flavours for your taste.

Have you seen how much sugar goes into the expensive commercial products?

[gosompoi]

I was thinking of posting the same topic today, where is the Kraft Mayo! I like Kraft the best and it seems to keep better. My Thai wife agrees too. Best Foods is okay but I just like the taste of Kraft Mayo and their jars better. For the last two months the place on the shelves where Kraft is located at a three of Tesco Lotus markets has been empty. I have been to these three locations many times and all three have a void where the kraft mayo should be located. Right next to the Kraft Miracle Whip and Best Foods Mayo. So where has it gone? When will it be back, I only have a half jar left!

[NewGuy]

Used my last yesterday, now working on a Carrefour mustard mayo squeeze bottle. Friendship got in a load of Hellman's, large size. Think I'll give it a try.

[SpoliaOpima]

If you don't like sweet mayo, give Japanese brand Kewpie. Less sweet than American mayo (which contains sugar), and very tasty.

[ProThaiExpat]

If you don't like sweet mayo, give Japanese brand Kewpie. Less sweet than American mayo (which contains sugar), and very tasty.

[ProThaiExpat]

I did a taste test as I had a small amount of Kraft and my new purchase the Best Foods/Hellmans to compare.

Those who posted that they taste differently are absolutely correct.

Since Hellman's was always my choice for most of my life, I was not surprised that I preferred Best Foods/Hellmans over Kraft in the taste test, although for almost a year, here in CM, I have enjoyed Kraft until discovering Best Foods. I do like Kraft's plastic bottle better and the very white color. To each his own, hopefully while Kraft is not available, Kraft devotees will be able to subsist on Best Foods until Kraft re-appears.

[powderpuff]

No Hellmans or Kraft on the East Side of BKK rigtht now.

I'm using the little best foods "Mayo" which is just OK.

[powderpuff]

I eat a homemade tuna salad sandwich just about everyday for lunch.

Tuna, Mayo, Diced onion, diced carrot, 1 large diced dill pickle & tosated sunflower seeds (Villa 30 baht per 100 grams). On whole wheat toast. Yum.

Big slice ot tomato & some iceberg lettuce.

[tutsiwarrior]

an associate managed to find GoodBurry mayonnaise in a supermarket in Hanoi, produit en Belgium and very nice, even beats Best Foods which is usually my favorite...if they got it Hanoi it should be available in BKK; check it out...just finished a tuna sandwich and it is amazing how the mayo can affect the entire tuna sandwich experience...

if you guys think locally made thai mayo is bad you should try some of the local vietnamese stuff...even the color (a sort of light brown) is off putting...woulda thought that in VN with their more cosmopolitan culinary tradition would get it right...

[tutsiwarrior]

I know the difference, I never mentioned Miracle Whip it's completely different from Mayonnaise but not every blue cheese salad dressing or Italian for example is the same either and to imply that they are is silly as there are always slight differences in ingredients to make them stand apart from the crowd..

It may be that your taste is just not refined enough to tell the subtle differences... That's why some people are coffee or tea tasters and others are wine tasters...

Miracle Whip (a Kraft Foods product) is labled as a salad dressing and sort of compares to what the brits got as a 'salad cream'...when I was a kid my mom who was from South America always purchased Miracle Whip as she didn't know the difference and I didn't start using mayo until I was an adult...an associate of many years who grew up in the same area scorns mayo and always uses Miracle Whip for his tuna sandwiches...

[WarpSpeed]

I know the difference, I never mentioned Miracle Whip it's completely different from Mayonnaise but not every blue cheese salad dressing or Italian for example is the same either and to imply that they are is silly as there are always slight differences in ingredients to make them stand apart from the crowd..

It may be that your taste is just not refined enough to tell the subtle differences... That's why some people are coffee or tea tasters and others are wine tasters...

Miracle Whip (a Kraft Foods product) is labled as a salad dressing and sort of compares to what the brits got as a 'salad cream'...when I was a kid my mom who was from South America always purchased Miracle Whip as she didn't know the difference and I didn't start using mayo until I was an adult...an associate of many years who grew up in the same area scorns mayo and always uses Miracle Whip for his tuna sandwiches...

My step mother used to too, the fat cow and now I know why with the amount of sugar that must be in it. She used to eat it out of the jar like it was pudding or something ...

[raro]

get a blender.

Toss an egg in and stir at maximum speed.

add slowly normal cooking oil

season to taste.

done and problem solved. You have an excellent home made mayonnaise without any stabilizers, anti-oxidants (unless you added lime juice...) and other stuff that does not belong into a mayonnaise.

For aioli, use olive oil.

[smokie36]

get a blender.

Toss an egg in and stir at maximum speed.

add slowly normal cooking oil

season to taste.

done and problem solved. You have an excellent home made mayonnaise without any stabilizers, anti-oxidants (unless you added lime juice...) and other stuff that does not belong into a mayonnaise.

For aioli, use olive oil.

You couldn't hope for a better answer. Another poster talked of a recipe...? Bloody 'ell ahh maybe a dollop of mustard....mmmm!

[inmysights]

I did a taste test as I had a small amount of Kraft and my new purchase the Best Foods/Hellmans to compare.

Those who posted that they taste differently are absolutely correct.

Since Hellman's was always my choice for most of my life, I was not surprised that I preferred Best Foods/Hellmans over Kraft in the taste test, although for almost a year, here in CM, I have enjoyed Kraft until discovering Best Foods. I do like Kraft's plastic bottle better and the very white color. To each his own, hopefully while Kraft is not available, Kraft devotees will be able to subsist on Best Foods until Kraft re-appears.

You don't have any taste. Do you drink Mateus Rose with dinner, or Pepsi?

[inmysights]

I eat a homemade tuna salad sandwich just about everyday for lunch.

Tuna, Mayo, Diced onion, diced carrot, 1 large diced dill pickle & tosated sunflower seeds (Villa 30 baht per 100 grams). On whole wheat toast. Yum.

Big slice ot tomato & some iceberg lettuce.

Yuk.

Best tuna sandwich, EVER (from farang restaurant in Ankorwat:

One baguette

Can tuna in oil

Capers

Garlic

Freshly cracked black pepper

Thinly sliced onion

Balsamic vinegar

Olive oil

Bag 'real' salad leaves

Coat the outside of the baguette with smidgen of olive oil and cracked black pepper.

Place tuna/capers/garlic/onion inside foil wrapping

Bake in slow preheated oven for around 10 to 15 minutes

Unwrap and add capers,salad leaves and Balsamic vinegar/ extra black pepper

For the more Thai amongst you, add sliced chillies and kai khem.

[tutsiwarrior]

I eat a homemade tuna salad sandwich just about everyday for lunch.

Tuna, Mayo, Diced onion, diced carrot, 1 large diced dill pickle & tosated sunflower seeds (Villa 30 baht per 100 grams). On whole wheat toast. Yum.

Big slice ot tomato & some iceberg lettuce.

Yuk.

Best tuna sandwich, EVER (from farang restaurant in Ankorwat:

One baguette

Can tuna in oil

Capers

Garlic

Freshly cracked black pepper

Thinly sliced onion

Balsamic vinegar

Olive oil

Bag 'real' salad leaves

Coat the outside of the baguette with smidgen of olive oil and cracked black pepper.

Place tuna/capers/garlic/onion inside foil wrapping

Bake in slow preheated oven for around 10 to 15 minutes

Unwrap and add capers,salad leaves and Balsamic vinegar/ extra black pepper

For the more Thai amongst you, add sliced chillies and kai khem.

fer the falang among us, I thought this thread was about prepared mayonnaise and the availability thereof...

[tutsiwarrior]

get a blender.

Toss an egg in and stir at maximum speed.

add slowly normal cooking oil

season to taste.

done and problem solved. You have an excellent home made mayonnaise without any stabilizers, anti-oxidants (unless you added lime juice...) and other stuff that does not belong into a mayonnaise.

For aioli, use olive oil.

yew lie...good mayonnaise can't be that easy...

(yew mean that I've been suffering for years when all it takes is a couple of eggs and a blender?...)

lets face it; the brand name packaged mayonnaise: Kraft, Best Foods and MIRACLE WHIP remind us of the west....we're just a bunch of maudlin tuna sandwich unfortunates...

an' don't expect anyone to believe anyone who claims to purchase quality mayo to dip with their locally purchased artichokes...

Edited March 1, 2011 by tutsiwarrior

[butterisbetter]

First off, my favorite store-bought mayonnaise in thailand or anywhere, for that matter, is Kewpie brand in the blue bag. It's got 13 percent egg (i think kraft and hellmans have 8 or 9 percent) and absolutely no sugar. But it has to be the kind in the blue bag.

As for the question of which is superior: homemade mayonnaise or store-bought, i think the 2 products are so divergent that comparing them is pointless. If they didn't share the same name, it wouldn't even be an issue. homemade mayonnaise is more like a sauce and the commercial stuff is more like, well, mayonnaise.

[WarpSpeed]

For those who still have an unquenchable desire for Kraft mayo I have my stash now after buying 2 more jars and I ran across several at Villa on Chaeng Wattana, they didn't have them a couple of weeks ago and it seems likely they might have gotten in their order now or had a case hiding somewhere, so there you have it...

I hope with them having it now maybe that's the sign of things to come around the area..

I thought about turning it into a profit making venture and buying them all and offering them for resale so count yourself lucky ...

[Michaelaway]

Friendship Supermarket , Pattaya-

Hellman's large jar (800gm)- 352 baht

Buy 1, get one free... still pricey but deeeelicious!

[Godolphin]

First off, my favorite store-bought mayonnaise in thailand or anywhere, for that matter, is Kewpie brand in the blue bag. It's got 13 percent egg (i think kraft and hellmans have 8 or 9 percent) and absolutely no sugar. But it has to be the kind in the blue bag.

As for the question of which is superior: homemade mayonnaise or store-bought, i think the 2 products are so divergent that comparing them is pointless. If they didn't share the same name, it wouldn't even be an issue. homemade mayonnaise is more like a sauce and the commercial stuff is more like, well, mayonnaise.

Appreciate what you're saying, but you can make your own blend according to taste.

For example, you can make it more than 13 per cent egg, you can put in anything which enhances the flavour of the mayo.

You want salty, add more salt, you want spicy, throw in some chilli or cayenne or tabasco or whatever, you want tangy, a squeeze of fresh lemon or lime juice, etc.

You would be surprised how good a home-made mayo tastes as opposed to some of the preservative, sugar and cheap-oil laden expensive commercial alternatives.

[raro]

You don't have any taste. Do you drink Mateus Rose with dinner, or Pepsi?

fer the falang among us, I thought this thread was about prepared mayonnaise and the availability thereof...

...yeah...and we showed them the LIGHT

[sunholidaysun1]

If you are making your own mayonnaise , just use the yolks of the egg, not the white. Add small drops of oil to start otherwise it will split, add more oil until thick and creamy . Add salt and pepper, a dash of vinegar for the tartness, a bit of mustard if you want and Voila , real mayo , 10 times better than any mass produced stuff , even though I do like Hellmans and Craft.