The fascinating history behind Duke's mayo
It all began in Greenville, South Carolina...
It all began in Greenville, South Carolina...
It all began in Greenville, South Carolina...
When you think of iconic American foods, is probably one that comes to mind, especially if you live in the South. Exactly 100 years after it was created, the brand now has a cult-like following below the Mason-Dixon line. Here's how it all started.
Back in 1917, Eugenia Duke from Greenville, South Carolina wanted to make some extra money, so she began selling sandwiches lathered in her tangy homemade sauce to World War I soldiers at Camp Sevier. By 1919, Eugenia was selling more than 10,000 sandwiches a day for around 10 cents each, according to .
"She started making sandwiches for the soldiers that were coming through near Greenville during World War I and everyone loved them바카라 게임 웹사이트but it really ended up being the mayonnaise on them," Eugenia's great-great-granddaughter Kaitlyn McGuinness told . Soldiers began asking for jars of the spread, and a local grocery store began stocking it on shelves.
When the fort closed, she moved her sandwiches바카라 게임 웹사이트and the popular condiment바카라 게임 웹사이트into local drugstores. The in Greenville also transformed their first floor into Duke's Tea Room, where they sold petite versions of the sandwiches as well as sides made with Eugenia's special sauce, according to . Eventually, she made enough money to buy a car and began traveling throughout the South selling her mayonnaise.
Her small business began to boom at a time when women didn't even have the right to vote. Eugenia was an entrepreneur unique to her time. "She was a woman of great drive," her granddaughter Genie said.
Eventually the demand for her sandwiches outgrew her kitchen, and in 1929, Eugenia sold her business and recipes to C.F. Sauer. He then set up a factory, ensuring the condiment made its way into kitchens across the South.
Many Southerners are now partial to the brand because the Duke's recipe is unlike any other mayonnaise on the market. It's always been sugar-free, and features paprika, a dash of sharp vinegar, and extra egg yolks to make it creamy. "[It's the] only mayo allowed in my house," one fan wrote on . "Don't go in the door with nothing else but Duke's!"
Today the mayonnaise is sold across the U.S., and it's a popular ingredient in , , and even ! "Nothing else will do in my recipes," another fan wrote on . We couldn't agree more!