# French fries and mayonnaise: yum! **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [September 9, 2009, 1:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/french-fries-and-mayonnaise-yum/509418 "2009-09-09T13:11:40Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 14\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2009, 2:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/french-fries-and-mayonnaise-yum/509418/61 "2009-09-12T14:23:36Z")
> [@pulykamell](#): > > It’s fat plus more fat. Olive oil upon fat. Well, soybean oil upon fat. ---
**Author:** ![Huerta88](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/82dd89/32.png) [@Huerta88](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Huerta88)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2009, 2:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/french-fries-and-mayonnaise-yum/509418/62 "2009-09-12T14:38:26Z")
I’m thinking, though this is just MHO/WAG, that **some** of the historic Anglophone revulsion to mayo on anything other than meat sandwiches comes from the fact that Brits and Americans, at least in modern times, never fully embraced mayo as a proper sauce, and instead were exposed to dumbed-down versions that are, indeed, a little revolting to contemplate other than when they are drowned out by meat, bread, and garnish on a sandwich. Fries with Miracle Whip or God help me Heinz “salad cream” (I can’t even write it without scare quotes)? Now **that** is enough to make me shiver. The other part of it may be that the Continentals never got as freaked out as the Anglosphere about the evils of fat and cholesterol. There was a considerable period when Americans and Brits were conditioned to shun any overt application of fat, which would of course be a non-starter in Europe. On my first point, while I do indulge in Heinz ketchup on fast food fries, I recognize that it’s fairly gross, but again – that’s a dumbed-down, fructose-infused version of a venerable food that, if you hunt around, you will find many good cooks and suppliers making much more serious, and tasty, versions of these days. ETA another guilty admission: I like dipping stuff in Ranch. Wonder if there is a “proper” recipe to make non-mass-produced Ranch . . . . ---
**Author:** ![Huerta88](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/82dd89/32.png) [@Huerta88](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Huerta88)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2009, 3:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/french-fries-and-mayonnaise-yum/509418/63 "2009-09-12T15:08:50Z")
> [@Huerta88](#): > > instead were exposed to dumbed-down versions Aw crap. And then he has to admit to enjoying dipping fries even in Japanese Kewpie mayo . . . . [http://www.amazon.com/Japanese-Kewpie-Mayonnaise-17-64-oz/dp/B0000WKU8K](http://www.amazon.com/Japanese-Kewpie-Mayonnaise-17-64-oz/dp/B0000WKU8K) ---
**Author:** ![boyhowdy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/43a26b/32.png) [@boyhowdy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/boyhowdy)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2009, 3:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/french-fries-and-mayonnaise-yum/509418/64 "2009-09-12T15:15:11Z")
> [@Runs\_With\_Scissors](#): > > I love mayo, and fries it’s really good, but I prefer ketchup. > > My brother dips roast beef in mayo. My mom used to faint dead away at the table. > > It’s not that much different from putting mayo on a roast beef sandwich. > > Anyone here like peanut butter and mayo sandwiches? _Do_ I? Try it w/ bananas sometime- Dad taught me that one. Yeah, sounded godawful to me too until I tried it. Just like mayo and fries. Second the motion that ranch dressing (shudder) is one of the evils of the world. ---
**Author:** ![boyhowdy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/43a26b/32.png) [@boyhowdy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/boyhowdy)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2009, 4:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/french-fries-and-mayonnaise-yum/509418/65 "2009-09-12T16:02:21Z")
Huerta88, well said. We Americans have no excuse for snobbishness w/ our nasty dietary proclivities. Re your ranch question, I was in Germany a few years ago and had a Frankfurt specialty called Grunesosse, a mayo/sour cream or yogurt sauce w/ fresh herbs served over baked potato (yum) or hard-cooked egg (meh). If you added garlic… ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2009, 9:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/french-fries-and-mayonnaise-yum/509418/66 "2009-09-12T21:11:06Z")
> [@Runs\_With\_Scissors](#): > > Anyone here like peanut butter and mayo sandwiches? I’ve been eating these since I was about 12 years old, which means 50 years of PB&M goodness. Creamy Skippy with Best Foods on cheap white bread. Doesn’t get any better, my man. ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2009, 1:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/french-fries-and-mayonnaise-yum/509418/67 "2009-09-13T01:54:20Z")
Hasn’t anyone ever had them Wendy’s style? (Dipped in your Frosty?) ---
**Author:** ![Red\_Skeezix](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/aca169/32.png) [@Red\_Skeezix](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Red_Skeezix)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2009, 5:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/french-fries-and-mayonnaise-yum/509418/68 "2009-09-13T05:47:27Z")
> [@Guinastasia](#): > > Hasn’t anyone ever had them Wendy’s style? (Dipped in your Frosty?) This 10x over. The sweet + salt + hot + cold is so good it’s worth the weird looks I get when I do this. [QUOTE=gigi] What about the simple perfection of yellow mustard on a hot dog? [/QUOTE] It’s a classic, but it’s out classed by almost any variety of brown mustard on a dog. ---
**Author:** ![installLSC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/54ee81/32.png) [@installLSC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/installLSC)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2009, 6:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/french-fries-and-mayonnaise-yum/509418/69 "2009-09-13T18:38:36Z")
Another vote for vinegar on fries, but good luck finding vinegar at fast food places or even many sit down restaurants. And for those saying mayo is the best condiment for fries, you’ve never tried [fry sauce](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fry_sauce). ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2009, 7:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/french-fries-and-mayonnaise-yum/509418/70 "2009-09-13T19:24:49Z")
> [@installLSC](#): > > And for those saying mayo is the best condiment for fries, you’ve never tried [fry sauce](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fry_sauce). This is British, right? ---
**Author:** ![Lust4Life](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/ecc23a/32.png) [@Lust4Life](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lust4Life)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2009, 2:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/french-fries-and-mayonnaise-yum/509418/71 "2009-09-14T14:26:25Z")
In Holland and Germany its a virtually obligotary combination(Pomme Frits mit mayonaisse bitte,spellings probably wrong) Enjoy it myself. ---
**Author:** ![Unauthorized\_Cinnamon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/bc8723/32.png) [@Unauthorized\_Cinnamon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Unauthorized_Cinnamon)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2009, 3:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/french-fries-and-mayonnaise-yum/509418/72 "2009-09-14T15:02:43Z")
The cafe in Nordstroms here serves hand-cut fries, cooked perfectly (i.e., not greasy), with homemade kalamata olive mayo. When I first saw the little tub of vaguely purple dip, I was not very tempted, but when I tried it? Hoooo-weee! In fact, now I’ll have to go there this week. It is fat (with fat mixed in) on fat. But it is sooooo good. On the other hand, if you dip an Ore-Ida in some Hellman’s, you’re not going to feel the love. ---
**Author:** ![gigi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a587f6/32.png) [@gigi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gigi)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2009, 8:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/french-fries-and-mayonnaise-yum/509418/73 "2009-09-14T20:09:11Z")
> [@Guinastasia](#): > > Hasn’t anyone ever had them Wendy’s style? (Dipped in your Frosty?) Yep–enough people must do it that they now acknowledge it in their latest ad. > [@boyhowdy](#): > > Second the motion that ranch dressing (shudder) is one of the evils of the world. Yet mozzarella sticks dipped in ranch are amazing. ---
**Author:** ![gigi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a587f6/32.png) [@gigi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gigi)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2009, 8:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/french-fries-and-mayonnaise-yum/509418/74 "2009-09-14T20:11:17Z")
> [@Unauthorized\_Cinnamon](#): > > On the other hand, if you dip an Ore-Ida in some Hellman’s, you’re not going to feel the love. Speak for yourself 😛 [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/french-fries-and-mayonnaise-yum/509418.md?page=3)