Aioli

Origin: Provence, France, and Catalonia, Spain. Traditionally a pounded emulsion of garlic and olive oil alone (no egg), though modern “aioli” often refers to garlic-flavored mayonnaise, a distinction purists maintain strongly.

Flavor Profile: Intensely garlicky and rich, with olive oil’s fruitiness prominent in traditional versions.

Culinary Uses: Condiment for bacalao (salt cod) and vegetables (part of the Provençal grand aïoli feast); modern use as a general garlic-mayonnaise condiment for fries and sandwiches.

Regional Variations: Traditional egg-free aioli is notoriously difficult to emulsify and is increasingly rare even in its home regions; nearly all commercial “aioli” today is technically garlic mayonnaise.

Storage: Refrigerate; keeps about a week given the raw garlic and oil base.

Notes: Frequently and controversially conflated with garlic mayonnaise — worth noting the distinction explicitly given how far the popular usage has drifted from the traditional preparation.