Sauce and emulsion
Emulsion
JA: 乳化(にゅうか)FR: Émulsion
A mixture in which fat is held in tiny droplets within a water-based liquid (or vice versa).
What it means in a kitchen
Mayonnaise, hollandaise, vinaigrette, beurre blanc — all of them are emulsions. They depend on something — an emulsifier (egg yolk), a structural agent (mustard), or pure mechanical agitation — to hold the fat droplets suspended. Heat, time, or shock can break them.
Common misunderstanding
Emulsions are often described as "oil mixing with water." They aren't actually mixed — the fat is held in suspension, and a microscope would show two phases.
Example
A vinaigrette that's been whisked is an emulsion; the same vinaigrette an hour later, with oil floating on top, has broken.
Related articles
Related tools
- · Balloon whisk (24cm / 11-inch) — OXO / 下村企販
- · Sauce strainer (chinois or perforated, 19–25cm) — Winco / 柳宗理