Mayonnaise Madness, Vegan-Friendly Milk, Tablets Replacing Restaurant Menus

Duke's mayonnaise has an especially fervent following in the South.

Welcome to the afternoon roundup! If it happened in food today, it's news to us. Here are a few stories that have caught our attention.

Condiments: Love it or hate it, mayonnaise is undoubtedly a polarizing condiment in the U.S. The New York Times takes a close look at just how the creamy spread has developed such a cult following, including how some of the major producing companies have risen and which countries use the most mayo per year. Also, a man from North Carolina recently ordered a customized Duke's mayonnaise jar in which to store his remains.

Restaurant Chains: Italian national restaurant chain Olive Garden announced that it is installing Ziosk computer tablets at all of its U.S. locations so customers can order and pay by touch screen. The chain started using tablets in some of its restaurants last year and said it experienced faster dining times and increased tip percentages for waitstaff. It will start rolling them out at additional restaurants next month and expects them to be in all of its restaurants before year's end.

Science: Vegans have long been on the hunt for a substitute for cheese. Could it be here in the form of snippets of DNA? A group of scientists is attempting to make cow's milk (and cheese) using mail-order DNA to fool yeast cells into making milk proteins. Several questions remain, but definitely one to keep an eye on.

Fast Food: You can now pay for your McDonald's breakfast with...a receipt? Some of the chain's locations in northeast Pennsylvania are allowing customers to exchange Taco Bell breakfast receipts for a free Egg McMuffin. The promotion is certainly a sign that the breakfast wars are heating up.

NYC Restaurants: Tertulia has firmly established itself as a tapas and small-plates hotspot in the West Village. Through the end of the month, chef Seamus Mullen is offering a special chef's tasting menu combining traditional Spanish cuisine and seasonal dishes for $50 per person. The offer includes a complimentary round of house wine, cava, beer or sangria.