Mayonnaise with gherkins

Mayonnaise with Gherkins from Orléans

Martin-Pouret's mayonnaise with gherkins is a creamy French mayonnaise with finely chopped cornichons and their house-made mustard. It is not a smooth, standard mayo, but rather a tangy sauce that comes close to a fine remoulade.

Mayonnaise with gherkins is a French specialty from Martin-Pouret in Orléans, churned from free-range egg yolks and sunflower oil. Blended in are their signature Moutarde d'Orléans and finely chopped cornichons – making it tangy, tartly fresh, and pleasantly textured.

On a spoon, it is creamy and pale yellow; on the palate, you first experience the full, velvety richness of the mayo, followed by the acidity of the gherkins and the zest of the mustard. A sauce with character that does more than just be rich and mild. One spoonful is enough to turn a simple buttered sandwich with egg into a little delicacy.

Creamy, tangy, with pieces of gherkin

The mayonnaise tastes full-bodied and significantly zestier than a smooth standard version. It contains around 10 percent pickled cornichons, along with their own mustard – together, they create a sauce that comes very close to a homemade remoulade or sauce tartare. Once you have tried it, you will find it hard to go back to smooth store-bought mayo.

These are no ordinary gherkins: they are their own cornichons from Orléans, pickled in their house-made white wine vinegar and seasoned with onions, tarragon, and coriander. This gives the sauce its subtle acidity and herbal tone that you won't find on supermarket shelves. It’s easy to scoop a spoonful out of the 170-gram jar.

For fish, eggs, and fries

It pairs well with hearty companions: roasted or cold meat, smoked fish, boiled eggs, or a portion of fries. As a spread, it makes every sandwich, hot dog, and burger juicier, providing a tangy base in an instant. Even cold boiled potatoes or a simple asparagus dish get a fresh, zesty kick that a dollop of store-bought mayo could never achieve.

It tastes particularly fresh with fish and seafood, where the acidity of the gherkins fits perfectly, or as a quick remoulade with fried potatoes. When served with fries, it likes to sit next to the Ketchup Francais from the same house – red and creamy side by side. And if you like even more crunch, just add a few extra cornichons.

From a vinegar and mustard house in Orléans

It is no coincidence that a vinegar house makes such a good mayonnaise: their own mustard and vinegar are exactly the two ingredients that bring a good sauce together. Martin-Pouret has been the last vinegar house in Orléans since 1797, and you can taste that expertise.

Around 1810, the city on the Loire boasted about 400 vinegar makers, and as early as 1580, a royal decree elevated their vinegars and mustards. In 2019, David Matheron and Paul-Olivier Claudepierre took over the company and continue this legacy – alongside wine vinegars, cornichons, and mustard from Martin-Pouret, they also produce this creamy sauce. Hats off to what a fine establishment can do with egg and oil.

One spoonful, and the remoulade is ready

This mayonnaise with gherkins works as a quick remoulade – a spoonful added to fish sticks, meatballs, or baked fish, and your sauce is ready. For a fresh egg salad, simply stir it into chopped eggs and add a few chive rings. Keep refrigerated after opening and consume promptly, as fresh eggs don't like to sit around for too long.