Mayonnaise—that thick, white, egg-based condiment that many of us enjoy in sandwiches, on French fries, and with salads—is well known for its ability to spark debate. Some people __1__ mayonnaise, while others turn away in disgust at the mere mention of the stuff.
Mayonnaise’s origin story is equally __2__. Specifically, there is much debate among researchers as to whether Mayonnaise was first produced in France or Spain. One popular origin story is that the earliest form of mayonnaise was __3__ up one evening in 1756 by the chef of Duke de Richelieu. Richelieu’s French military forces had just won a __4__ in Port Mahon on the Spanish island of Menorca. Unable to find the cream to make a sauce, the chef invented an egg and oil dressing which was dubbed mahonnaise. Some historians, however, __5__ this account. They assert a different story in which the condiment was invented in the French town of Bayonne, and it was originally called bayonnaise.
Nevertheless, regardless of which story is __6__, what cannot be questioned is the role of the French in the popularization of mayonnaise. In the 1800s, the condiment spread to the US. In the 1900s, advances in industrial production saw large companies begin to dominate the condiment industry, making mayonnaise a __7__ for millions of households throughout the US.
In more recent times, mayonnaise silenced many of its critics by __8__ itself to be useful in a surprising manner. In February 2021, an oil spill 31 miles off the coast of Israel __9__ the area’s sea turtles. Fortunately, rescuers discovered that they could nurse these turtles back to health by __10__ them mayonnaise. To explain, mayonnaise is an emulsion, which is a mixture of oil and water. Therefore, it was able to break down the tar ingested by the turtles, enabling them to excrete it. So, it seems that whether you love or hate mayonnaise, it can serve as a vital elixir of life for endangered marine species.
