Lobster Thermidor facts for kids
Lobster Thermidor (center of plate)
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| Place of origin | France |
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| Main ingredients | lobster meat, egg yolks, brandy, mustard |
Lobster Thermidor is a special French dish. It's made from lobster meat that is cooked in a rich, creamy sauce. This tasty mixture is then put back into the lobster shell. Finally, it's browned in an oven until it's golden.
The sauce often includes egg yolks and a type of brandy called Cognac. It's usually topped with a crispy, browned cheese crust, often made with Gruyère cheese. Originally, the sauce also had mustard in it. Because it uses expensive ingredients and takes a lot of time to prepare, Lobster Thermidor is usually served for very special occasions.
How Lobster Thermidor Got Its Name
The name "Lobster Thermidor" comes from a play! In January 1891, a play called Thermidor opened in Paris, France. It was written by Victorien Sardou.
The play's name came from "Thermidor," which was a summer month in the French Republican Calendar. This calendar was used in France for a short time after the French Revolution. During the month of Thermidor in 1794, a big historical event happened. It was called the Thermidorian Reaction. This event led to the end of a difficult time known as the Reign of Terror, and a leader named Robespierre was removed from power.
The recipe for Lobster Thermidor might have been created by Leopold Mourier at a restaurant called Café de Paris. Leopold Mourier used to work for a famous chef named Auguste Escoffier. Another idea is that the dish was created in 1894 at a place called Chez Marie. Some sources say it was created at Maison Maire, a restaurant whose owner, Mlle. Paillard, later sold it to Mourier. Maison Maire was a restaurant in Paris, close to a theater. Mlle. Paillard supposedly named the dish "Thermidor" because the play was very well-known at the time. The play was quite controversial and was even closed by the authorities for a while, before reopening in 1896.
The Lobster Thermidor served at Maison Maire was similar to another dish called homard Américain. That dish used tomatoes, cayenne pepper, and brandy. But the Thermidor version added English mustard. An early recipe from London for Homard à l'Américaine even mentioned "à la Thermidor" as a version that included English mustard. Later, an early American recipe for Lobster Thermidor left out the tomatoes, cayenne, and mustard. Instead, it added a creamy sauce thickened with Béarnaise sauce and a sprinkle of grated cheese. Sometimes, it can be served with Newburg sauce, but it's different from Lobster Newberg because it includes tomatoes.
See also
In Spanish: Langosta Thermidor para niños
