Hollandaise sauce is the sort of Holy Grail of sauces. The reason for this is due to its exquisite flavor and difficulty of preparation. Often times it becomes one of the first marks of a great Chef, their ability to prepare a good tasting Hollandaise sauce that does not break.

Hollandaise sauce derives its name from the high quality of butter produced in Holland. Since the main ingredient is butter, the name fits well. The sauce belongs to a group of sauces known as an emulsion sauce. Which means one substance is suspended in another. In the case of Hollandaise, egg yolk and a reduction is suspended in butter.

Hollandaise is difficult to prepare because it takes a great deal of temperature regulation. If the sauce gets too cold or too hot it becomes ruined. Also, due to the ingredients that make up hollandaise and its holding temperature, Hollandaise can be a breading ground for bacteria. So take caution. Always serve fresh Hollandaise.

There are several methods of preparation for Hollandaise, and almost every Chef has their own method. I will cover a couple methods but first, let’s get into the basic ingredients.

Hollandaise Sauce

• Cider Vinegar - 2 ounces
• Egg Yolks - 6
• Fresh Cracked Pepper - 1/2 teaspoon
• Water - 4 ounces
• Clarified Butter, warm - 12 ounces
• Lemon Juice - 2 teaspoons
• Salt to Taste

Quick Ratio Recipe - To Taste

• 1 Egg Yolk
• 1 teaspoon Lemon Juice
• 4-6 tablespoons Clarified Butter
• S&P to taste

• Make a reduction of the Vinegar and Peppercorns, until almost dry, let cool
• Add hot water to the reduction, strain
• Put the egg yolks in a stainless steal bowl, add the reduction
• Hold the bowl over a pot of simmering water (to heat the bowl slightly) and whip until the egg yolks for ribbons
• Gradually add the clarified butter, whipping constantly
• Add the lemon juice and salt to taste

• Put stainless steel bowl over open stove top flame. However this is very easy to overheat the eggs
• Use a Robo-Coup (This method actually makes the emulsion very strong)
  • Put the reduction mixture into a Robo-Coup
  • Add the egg yolks and pulse a little
  • Slowly add the clarified butter into the Robo-Coup while pulsing
  • Season to Taste

• Use vegetable oil if on a budget
• Use a little whole grain mustard instead of vinegar
• Use any type of vinegar
• Use pasteurized egg yolks
  

• Béarnaise - Hollandaise with Tarragon added to the reduction
• Choron - Béarnaise with Tomato
• Bavaroise - Reduction of Pepper, Horseradish, Thyme, Bay Leaves, Parsley, Vinegar, Crayfish, garnish with Crayfish Tails
• Foyot - Béarnaise with meat glaze
• Maltaise - Hollandaise with Blood Orange Juice and blanched Lemon zest
• Mousseline - Whipped Cream
• Créme Fleurette - Créme Fraiche
• Noisette - Brown Butter
• Paloise - Mint
• Divine - Reduced Sherry and Whipped Cream
• Rubens - Reduction of White Wine, Mirepoix, and Fish Stock - Strain, add Crayfish butter and Anchovy Paste

Additional Resources:

Hollandaise Science

It was not long ago that no one in the U.S.A. had ever heard of the Caipirinha. Now, it is one of the top 50 drinks according to the IBA (International Bartenders Association). Made popular recently due to the influx and nationalization of Brazilian immigrants and the availability of high quality Brazilian made Cachaça.

The method of preparation for the Caipirinha is relatively standard. Differences vary by only slightly ranging amounts of one of the three ingredients. Drink 3 of these babies and you will definitely feel it!

Here is a standard recipe:

• 1 1/2 oz of Cachaça
• 1 Whole Lime, quarter peeled, cut into peices
• 1 tbsp of Sugar

Directions:

• Put the lime and sugar into a shaker
• Crush/Muddle with a muddler
• Add Cachaça
• Add Ice, preferably crushed ice
• Shake vigorously
• Pour into low-ball glass

Variations:

• Replace the Cachaça with Vodka - Called a Caipiroska
• Replace the Cachaça with Rum - Called a Caipirissima
• Or, Replace the lime with any fruit imaginable

Google Video - How to Make a Caipirinha

Great Muddler on Amazon

Crème Fraîche is that one ingredient that is not often used, more commonly misunderstood, and sometimes made into a synonym for sour cream. Today we are going to change all of this. So after hours of research, here is what I came up with.

Crème Fraîche is a French word that translates into “fresh cream”. In all reality it is a quite simple product to make. However, only until recently has it become widely available in the states.

How to make Crème Fraîche at home:

Combine 1 cup of heavy whipping cream and 2 tbsp of buttermilk. Put into a glass jar. Some people heat the mixture for a bit, but do not heat to more than 85 degrees F, this will destroy the bacteria cultures. Let sit at room temperature for 4-12 hours, then mix it all up. Voila!

How Crème Fraîche is produced on a farm:

After the cows are milked, they let the cream sit out and let the natural lactic bacteria work. The cream would thicken to produce a tart cream called Crème Fraîche.

Benefits of Crème Fraîche:

• Unlike sour cream, can be mixed with air and whipped
• Can be cooked without curdling
• Has a longer shelf life than sour cream
• Has a consistency like cream cheese

WikiPedia Link

More Information

Amazon Link

Ah..Grand Marnier! A wonderfully divine Orange Cognac. I love this stuff. You can put it on anything, (I have yet to try it on my Wheaties though), but I was thinking today that I know really nothing about it. So I set out on a mission and this is what I got.

Grand Marnier:

• Began production in 1880
• The distillery is located in Neauphle-le-Chateau, France
• Made with the Citrus Begardia type of Orange
• The Oranges are grown at the Marnier-Lapostolle Plantation in the Caribbean
• It is aged in French oak casks
• It is bottled in Gaillon-Aubevoye, France
• It is distributed to 150 countries
• 100,000 bottles are filled daily
  

Things that you can add Grand Marnier to:

• Margarita
• Cosmo (or as a replacement anywhere for triple-sec)
• Ice Cream
• Gelato
• Cakes
• Syrups
• Pastries
• Marinades
• Glazes

Enjoy cooking with Grand Marnier, or just drink it neat.

Additional Resources:

• More Grand Marnier Cooking Ideas
• More Information about Grand Marnier from WikiPedia