Hollandaise

Definition

One of the five mother sauces, an emulsion of egg yolks, melted butter, and lemon juice that is dangerously easy to break. It's the sauce that separates dedicated cooks from quitters.

Example Usage

The hollandaise split because the butter was too hot—start over with fresh yolks.

Origin

From 'Holland' or 'Dutch' sauce, popularized in France in the 18th century

Fun Fact

Béarnaise sauce is a derivative of hollandaise with shallots, vinegar, and tarragon; hollandaise with tomato becomes Maltaise

Source: Classical French sauce terminology

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