A mayoler is a new term to describe a growing obsession with mayonnaise by some folks in Japan, particularly among the young. You might go along with a little bit of mayonnaise on toast, but are you ready for mayonnaise on your rice, your sushi or on pancakes? And for those mayolers who are really obsessed, a whole line of mayonnaise cocktails have been developed.
Japanese mayonnaise is actually not a new invention. Japanese companies like Kewpie® have been making their own brands of mayo since the 1920s. It does differ significantly from American mayo equivalents, containing only egg yolks, and varying the levels of tanginess with extra vinegar. Folks who have tried both American and Japanese versions usually state that the Japanese type tends to be creamier and has a sharper bite to it.
This popular condiment has led to the significant growth of mayolers, and the condiment of choice is now consumed to excess by the true mayoler. Given the higher fat content of mayonnaise, a few mayolers are actually trying to cut down on this obsession. The Japanese diet tends to be one of the more low fat diets on the planet, but it won’t remain so if mayolers keep slathering mayonnaise on everything they can think of. However some companies have found a way of extracting the cholesterol content from egg yolks to make a lower fat version of mayo.
In the past 20 years, Japanese mayonnaise use has increased dramatically, with highest mayo consumption peaking at about 4 pounds per person (1.81 kg) yearly in the early 2000s. In 2007, mayolers may have been distressed by the 10% increase in price, which the company Kewpie® attributed to the need to grow more soybean and corn crops for alternative fuel sources, thus lessening available land for oil for mayo.
A few favorites among mayolers include the mayogarita, a margarita based drink. Instead of dipping the glass in salt, the glass is dipped into mayonnaise. A few other mayo-based recipes that are becoming popular are ice cream topped with mayo, or chocolate bars dunked in it. For those of us who tend to consume mayonnaise on the occasional sandwich, this may seem a bit far-fetched. Mayolers, on the other hand, find it the perfect choice for many more foods than most Americans would think of as ideally paired with mayo.
One popular dining place for mayolers is the Mayonnaise Kitchen in Tokyo. There you’ll find many unusual recipes, including fish dishes cooked with mayonnaise. Just don’t forget to try the drinks or desert with the condiment if you want to be considered a true mayoler.
