Flambé

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Flambé (also spelled flambe and pronounced as /flɒm'beɪ/) is a cooking procedure in which alcohol (ethanol) is added to a hot pan to create a burst of flames. The word means flamed in French. It is typically done to create a stunning visual presentation at a dramatic point in the preparation of a meal. The flames result from the combustion of the flammable alcohol, which is quickly consumed, subsequently extinguishing the flames.

Although the practice of igniting food for show can be traced to the Moors in the 14th century, modern flambéing was discovered in Monte Carlo in 1895, when Henri Carpentier, a waiter, accidentally set fire to a pan of crêpes he was preparing for the future Edward VII of the United Kingdom. He discovered that burning the sauce affected its flavor in a way that he could not have anticipated.^[1]

Simply lighting food on fire is not flambéing in and of itself. Igniting a sauce with alcohol in the pan changes the chemistry of the food. Because alcohol boils at 175 °F (65 °C) and water boils at 212 °F (100 °C) and sugar caramelizes at 320 °F (160 °C), ignition of all these ingredients combined results in a complex chemical reaction, especially as the surface of the burning alcohol surpasses 500 °F (246 °C). However, because taste is a very subjective sense, not everyone can discern a change in flavor as a result of flambéing. Some claim that because the flame is above the food and since heat travels upwards, it cannot significantly affect the flavor, although in an informal taste test conducted by the Los Angeles Times of two batches of caramelized apples (one flambéed and one simmered), one tester declared the "flambéed dish was for adults, the other for kids."^[1]

Because of their high alcohol content, many low end restaurants use liquors such as Everclear or 151. However, these spirits are highly flammable and usually considered too dangerous by most restaurants. Wines and beers have too little alcohol and will not flambé. Rum, cognac, or other flavorful liqueurs that are about 80 proof are considered ideal. Cinnamon, which is ground from tree bark, is sometimes added not only for flavor, but for show as it ignites when added.

For safety reasons, it is recommended that alcohol never be added to a pan on a burner and that the cook use a long fireplace match.