Until now, all Kewpie mayo purchased Stateside was imported from Japan. In the coming months, Kewpie will begin producing an American version, with plans for a national rollout sometime in early 2017. Sadly for purists—and in deference to American attitudes—this version will not use MSG, though the recipe will otherwise stay the same. Its iconic squeeze bottle will also be different, since a label will be necessary to include FDA-required nutritional info.

Advertisement

I got a chance to sample the American Kewpie, and I have to say, it’s about 90 percent as good the Japanese version. It’s less rich on the palate, noticeably sweeter, and with the vinegars more pronounced. All in all, it’s like a freshly whipped homemade batch of Miracle Whip. The differences between the two versions is roughly that between U.S. and Mexican Coke: Only obsessives like myself would spot out the subtle contrasts, but for most others, even 90 percent of a superb Japanese mayo is still 100 percent better than anything else Stateside.

Even when whipping up homemade mayonnaise using lavish French methods, I still prefer bottled Japanese mayo. If you’ve had a spicy tuna roll, chances are you’ve consumed Kewpie mixed with sriracha, but it can similarly substitute wherever you’d use regular mayo. To me, there’s almost a Hollandaise quality to its appeal. I use it in deviled eggs, turkey sandwiches, and potato salads, just to name a few.

Advertisement

But in all honesty, my usage of Kewpie borders on chemical dependency. In conjuring up excuses to use Japanese mayo, I’ve found it to be surprisingly versatile. In place of butter, I’ll slather it on the outside of a cheese sandwich before toasting on a skillet. And my mind was in a desperate place one late night when I combined instant noodles, ramen packet seasoning, a dash of Worcestershire sauce, and a one-Mississippi-two-Mississippi squeeze from the Kewpie bottle. It may sound crazy to the non-converted, but it worked. Oh man, it worked.