Beurre blanc facts for kids
Beurre blanc (pronounced "burr blonk") is a creamy, warm butter sauce from France. Its name means "white butter" in French. Chefs make it by whisking softened butter into a special mix of white wine or vinegar and shallots. This creates a smooth, rich sauce that's perfect with fish or vegetables. It comes from the Loire Valley region of France.
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Who Invented Beurre Blanc?
A French chef named Clémence Lefeuvre created beurre blanc by accident. This happened around the early 1900s. She served her new sauce at her restaurant, "La Buvette de la Marine," near the Loire River.
Legend says she was trying to make a different sauce, béarnaise sauce, for fish. But she forgot to add some ingredients like tarragon and egg yolks. Instead, she ended up with the delicious beurre blanc! Some stories say she invented it while working for a noble family at Château de Goulaine.
When she passed away in 1932, a famous French leader, Aristide Briand, said it was like a sad day for the whole country.
How to Make Beurre Blanc
A good beurre blanc tastes rich and buttery. It has a mild flavor that goes well with other seasonings like herbs and spices. The sauce should be light but still thick enough to coat food.
To make beurre blanc, chefs first cook down white wine, vinegar, shallots, and sometimes herbs. They cook this mix until it's almost dry. Sometimes, a little cream is added to help the sauce stay smooth. You can also use lemon juice instead of vinegar, or add some cooking stock.
Then, cold cubes of butter are slowly whisked into the warm liquid. As the butter melts, it mixes with the other ingredients to form a smooth, creamy sauce.
It's important to keep the sauce at the right temperature. If it gets too hot (above 58°C or 136°F), the butter can separate. If it gets too cold (below 27°C or 80°F), the butter will become solid.
What is Beurre Rouge?
Beurre rouge (pronounced "burr roozh") is a type of beurre blanc. Its name means "red butter" in English. To make beurre rouge, chefs use red wine instead of white wine. They also use red wine vinegar instead of white wine vinegar.
Images for kids
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A potato and vegetable dish prepared with beurre rouge (red butter)
See also
In Spanish: Beurre blanc para niños
