A while back I was scrolling through Instagram looking at the many different pictures of cute cats and dogs that seem to litter my feed when something caught my eye…
A picture of a bright blue tube, not dissimilar to a tube of toothpaste, with the worlds “Gin Mayo” written in yellow…
Cue Peter K moment…
What? Gin Mayonnaise? Gin. Mayonnaise? GIN? MAYONNAISE? Am I hearin’ you right? Gin Mayonnaise? No, thank you.
I was shocked and slightly dubious… Was it the 1st April? I checked my calendar closely…it was in fact not the 1st April and this Gin Mayo might actually be “a thing”… I decided to do some more digging.
Not your regular Mayonnaise
After a brief google, I was assured that this really was “a thing” and comes from the guys at Mussel and Gin in Amsterdam. Their mixture of ‘Zaanse Mayonaise’ and Bobby’s Dry gin was created back in 2014, but after a guest requested if their popular gin mayo was for sale the idea arose to create it in tubes.
Josh Shelter, co-owner of restaurant Mussel & Gin: “We experimented with many different gins at Mussel & Gin and for this mass production we have chosen for Bobby’s Gin because it is a crazy good spicy gin, which gives the gin mayo a good kick.”
Fast forward a month and I’m sitting on the couch with a plate of curly fries and a large helping of GinMayo. I was nervous… sweat was dripping from my brow… “What would it be like?” I thought. Would I recoil in horror at the combination of creamy mayonnaise and juniper dryness?
Bobby’s gin gives the mayo a zing thanks to the coriander and lemongrass
Like the brave man I am, I decided to dive in and…
well…WOW!
It works! This is no creamy, juniper mess…not sir! It’s more a zingy mayonnaise reminiscent of Thousand Island dressing. The coriander and clove in Bobby’s gin are potentially the reason for that zing. You also get a little lemon thanks to the lemongrass in Bobby’s. Luckily there are no overpowering floral notes which are present when you try Bobby’s over ice as these are probably smothered by the taste of the mayonnaise. The coriander, clove and lemongrass hold their own and add to the flavour.
There is a lot of talk at the moment about how so many companies are messing with gin – gin and tonic crisps, gin yogurt and gin sausage to name but a few. While I’m not turned off by all these different combinations there are some that I believe to be too far. Luckily, Ginmayo is not one of them. I think the flavours really work and can see how it would be a perfect accompaniment with fish. Saying that I can see it going with chips, crisps, on a sandwich, in some tuna mayo…the list just goes on and on and on!
I’d like to say thank you to the guys at Gin Mayo for sending me some to try. It has gone down a storm in our household!
You can Follow Gin Mayo on Instagram and check out their website here
I should totally win – being a gin lush and major goodie I frequently try out recipes involving gin – from gin truffles, gin and tonic drizzle cake and various gin based macaron fillings. Basically I need this in my life! ? (Ps I adore Bobby’s gin too!)
Love to win this to share with my gin friend on her birthday at her mini gin festival