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Menorca’s Mayonnaise

The best Menorca hotels have a splendid mixture of the old and the new.  This is why our hotels are a fantastic blend, offering the best in contemporary  and time-tested amenities, so that the traveler will be constantly refreshed.  Menorca is one of the best places on earth to refresh the body, mind, and spirit.  A true Spanish hideaway, this small island is close enough to the rest of Spain to be connected to the heart of European culture, but still far enough away to maintain its identity.  There is a tremendous spirit of hospitality here, that’s as old as the tradition of chivalry, which is also firmly in place on the island.  There is also an amazingly complex history here, with evidence of human habitation that goes back to prehistoric times.

There is also a sumptuous array of activities here, so that while one might visit the museums to get a sense of the human story as it has acted itself out in Menorca, there are also lovely restaurants, and an excellent night life, not to mention the beaches, which are simply outstanding.  If this isn’t enough, one might also pass part of the day arguing about the origins of mayonnaise with the locals here.  There are plenty of accounts that seem to suggest that mayonnaise was invented in Menorca.  Salsa de Mahonesa, or Maonesa, has a place in the written history of Menorca that dates back to the 18th century.

The usual story goes that Louis XIV sent his Duc de Richelieu to Menorca to take care of the English who were stationing there.  During the long stay, the Duc’s chef was running out of things to prepare to keep his palate curious and happy.  The chef watched the locals prepare egg mixed with olive oil, and decided to give that a try, and viola! Mayonnaise on Menorca!  There are some, perhaps many, who would argue that the French stole it from the Menorcans, and claimed it as their own.  There are others still who claim that it was invented before this story, and is simply very French.  Whatever the origin, it is also very, very good, and visitors to Menorca are in for a very special treat.

Related posts:

1. Menorca Summer Festivals

Tags: best hotels, Mayonnaise, Menorca

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