There's something magical about mayonnaise. Egg yolk, mustard, vinegar, salt, pepper, and oil: with the right touch and a bit of luck, these simple ingredients are transformed into a sublimely silky sauce to accompany eggs, fish, vegetables, or cold meat. If the force is not with you, however, or if you're simply not in the mood to make your own, you won't be disappointed by this mayonnaise from Amora, which gets its kick from Dijon mustard. It's the classic choice for a pique-nique. Ingredients: sunflower oil, egg yolk, white wine vinegar, Dijon mustard, salt, sugar, modified starch, dextrine, paprika extract, lutein, and flavoring.

So common is the experience of a failed mayonnaise that the French have an expression, "La mayonnaise n'a pas pris" (the mayonnaise didn't take) to describe business relationships or partnerships that didn't work out.