I was recently asked to contribute to a magazine for a senior research project and give a story around a Nostalgic Food Memory. This recipe for a béarnaise sauce is quite nostalgic for me. Béarnaise sauce is my mother’s favourite and it reminds me of her father. Here is my contribution:
Today’s inspirational recipe from Lavender and Lime ♥ Béarnaise Sauce ♥ #LavenderAndLime Share on X
When it comes to food, my father’s mother and my mother’s father have been the most influential in my life. My grandmother taught me all about food and life, and my grandfather taught me all about life and food. My memory of my grandmother always revolves around Friday night suppers and roast chicken. I can remember the sideboard in her dining room being laden with roast potatoes, peas, gem squash and the lovely roast chicken we were going to eat for supper. My grandmother passed away when I was 12 and roast chicken dinners became a nostalgic reminder of my gran. My dad would let me carve the chicken and I remember as if it were yesterday, my sister and I alternating between who got the parsons nose, and who got the wishbone. To this day, a roast chicken dish reminds me of my dad and my grandmother. My clearest food memory of my grandfather is a dinner he held for his 80th birthday. He had some smart French chef cater the event and I was told in no uncertain terms that I had to try the béarnaise sauce with my meal. I didn’t know it at the time, but béarnaise sauce is my mom’s favourite. When I think of my mother and grandfather, I think of beautiful fillet steak with an unctuous béarnaise sauce to go with it.
So, for this project I chose to make roast chicken quarters with a béarnaise sauce so that I could be transported right back to moments of bliss and happiness with my family who now live so far away from me.
What is your nostalgic food memory?
Béarnaise Sauce
Ingredients
- 15 mls finely chopped onions
- 45 mls roughly chopped tarragon
- 1 sprig fresh thyme
- 1 smal bay leaf
- 37.5 mls champagne vinegar
- salt and freshly ground black pepper to season
- 2 egg yolks
- 15 mls water
- 125 g butter, cubed
- 1 dash cayenne pepper
- 1 squirt lemon juice
Method
- Place the onions, 30mls of the tarragon, the thyme, bay lead and vinegar into a saucepan
- Season to taste and over a medium heat, reduce the liquid by two thirds
- Remove from the heat and leave to cool
- Return to a low heat and whisk in the egg yolks and the water
- Whisk until thickened and then add the butter a cube at a time, whisking continuously
- Adjust the seasoning, add the cayenne and the lemon juice and stir in the remaining tarragon
- Serve immediately or leave over a bain-marie to keep warm
Notes
Click on the links for conversions and notes.
What I blogged:
- two years ago – Regional and Seasonal Challenge
- three years ago – Vegetable Stock
I am in Italy until the 30th of October and will reply to blog comments then. If you want to follow along on our holiday please read our daily blog here.
What a lovely memory Tandy. I am trying to get over my fear of making sauces that split and your recipe seems simple enough. Where can I find champagne vinegar? 🙂 xx
I hope you try this – don’t worry about which vinegar you use!
Precious memories of family times are to be kept safe in a treasure chest
so true Usha 🙂
Such lovely and delicious memories you have. 🙂 Roast chicken always makes me think of my Mother and our Sunday roast chicken dinners. 🙂
Roast chicken is my all time family memory dish 🙂
Bearnaise is such a classic for a reason! So rich and delicious.
Very rich and worth making 🙂
Lovely memories and Bernaise recipe Tandy.
🙂 Mandy xo
thank you Mandy 🙂
I love Bearnaise sauce, but have never made it. Thanks for the recipe, Tandy. 🙂
it is so worth making at home AD 🙂
Love this Béarnaise recipe Tandy! Now I want to make something for dinner that requires Béarnaise sauce. 🙂
I am thinking of the same lines again Karista 🙂
What lovely memories you shared with us – and a lovely bearnaise sauce too 🙂
Thank you Chica 🙂
Your sauce recipe sounds great!
thank you!
I love Béarnaise sauce. Thanks for sharing your recipe Tandy!
My pleasure Anne 🙂
Wow, your bernaise sauce looks so smooth Tandy!….
preety damn good!
i used to served it with roasted veggies like cauliflower or broccoli
That is a great idea, and I shall have to try that 🙂
I haven’t made that for ages! It is now back in the rotation 🙂 Thanks for the reminder and your recipe.
my pleasure! I tend to not make things for ages, and then make them three or four times in a row 🙂
What a precious family memory! Food is really more then just nourishment for the body, it keep us connected to our past and help us create new memories for our children…
CHeers,
J
what a lovely way to put it Judit 🙂
Tandy, thank you for sharing your lovely story and recipe with us! What happy memories for you! xx
thank you for taking the time to read my story Celia 🙂
I love the connections of food and memories. So special and lovely that you can think of them them again and again. Happy days.
I also love that food and memories go hand in hand 🙂
This sauce looks great, would love to try it for a upcoming dinner.
let me know how it works for you!
Grandmothers are the best! A beautiful story and wonderful memories and your grandma béarnaise sauce looks and sound very delicious. Have a super day! BAM
Thank you BAM!
Rich and luscious creamy sauce. Love tarragon 🙂
Me too, and it grows so well!
I absolutely love this post Tandy. Food and food stories are part of our culture and what makes us human. I love that these foods take you to relationships that were not just special but foundational to you becoming who you are.
Thank you so much for the comment Tammy – memories of family are so important!