That’s right, you read it correctly. And I’m sure it’s not the first time you’ve read it, either. And the thought of it has probably made you go ‘”blech.” But this is me saying it, so let’s break it down logically, and you’ll see that the idea isn’t as far-fetched as you might think.
And while this post addresses the fact that there is no non-kitniyot margarine available here in Israel, it is applicable throughout the year.
The Science of Mayonnaise
Mayonnaise is fundamentally a cold, stable emulsion of oil and water, bound with lecithin found in the yolks. That’s it.
Margarine is fundamentally a cold, stable emulsion of oil and water, bound with lecithin as is found in egg yolks. That’s it.
So what’s the real difference? Margarine uses vegetable oils that have had hydrogen added to them (hydrogenated) to make them melt at higher temperatures, or in other words, to make them not melt (i.e. solid) at room temperature. This also turns some of the fats into trans fats, which as we know are bad for you.
You can make mayonnaise with 100% olive oil (not extra virgin, which would make it a weird green color and bitter), which is not as bad for you as other fats. And olive oil is kosher for Passover. And is not palm oil *shudder*.
So now that we know there’s really no difference between the two, let’s learn how to use one in place of the other.