What is the difference between hollandaise and bernaise sauces?

While both hollandaise and béarnaise sauces are emulsified sauces based on egg yolks and butter, there are some key differences:

Hollandaise:

* Flavor: Classic hollandaise has a rich, buttery, and tangy flavor due to the use of lemon juice and sometimes white wine.

* Ingredients: Made with egg yolks, melted butter, lemon juice, and sometimes water or white wine.

* Applications: Most commonly served with eggs benedict, asparagus, fish, and vegetables.

Béarnaise:

* Flavor: Béarnaise has a more complex flavor with a slightly sharper, herby note, thanks to the addition of tarragon, chervil, and sometimes chives along with white wine vinegar, shallots, and peppercorns.

* Ingredients: Made with egg yolks, melted butter, white wine vinegar, shallots, tarragon, chervil, and peppercorns.

* Applications: Often served with grilled meats, especially steak and lamb, and vegetables like green beans and asparagus.

Here's a table summarizing the differences:

| Feature | Hollandaise | Béarnaise |

|---|---|---|

| Flavor | Rich, buttery, tangy | Rich, buttery, herby, sharper |

| Ingredients | Egg yolks, butter, lemon juice (optional: white wine) | Egg yolks, butter, white wine vinegar, shallots, tarragon, chervil, peppercorns |

| Typical Use | Eggs benedict, asparagus, fish, vegetables | Grilled meats (steak, lamb), vegetables (green beans, asparagus) |

In essence, béarnaise is essentially a more complex and herby version of hollandaise. Both are delicious, but choosing which to use depends on the dish you're making and the flavors you want to complement.