Hollandaise in 30 seconds on live TV, thanks to Chelsea and Wip

My WIVB Daytime Buffalo debut today, in expert hands, was made easy peasy lemon squeezy

The prospect of six minutes of unblinking television cameras relaying my every word and blink to the world was unnerving. 

But when I pulled into the Channel 4 parking lot, as it turned out, I had two angels on my shoulders.

Bill Wippert, who trained me to shoot cooking shows during three years’ work together for The Buffalo News, where he produced more than 50 episodes of me cooking various dishes, usually shot in his home, or backyard. They are lost to history, alas, because The Buffalo News thought it was a bad idea to put them on YouTube.

The lessons remained. Wip taught me how to talk to the camera, but more importantly, how to organize prep lists so you have everything needful on hand, plus backup. 

So I’d already blanched twice as much asparagus as the dish needed. I made a double recipe of hollandaise, and poured it into a thermos, ready to go. Then packed a spare bunch of raw asparagus, eight eggs, three lemons, two styles of immersion blenders, paired bowls for egg yolk separating, and two black plates. One for the final product, produced live, and one for the make-ahead plate. 

My second angel of mercy was Chelsea Lovell, host of Channel 4 WIVB’s Daytime Buffalo, who talked to me like an old friend, helping me breathe after walking in skittish as a Chihuahua with a thyroid problem. She could talk a cat out of a tree. Thanks to her mastery of the situation, making television turned out to be easy peasy lemon squeezy. 

Chelsea donned a snazzy apron sent by Jen Regan, my partner. (And fashion consultant: hence the carefully forearm-length sleeves.) 

Then she proved the point: a first-timer can make 30-second hollandaise in front of everyone. First time, no retakes. Then the flavor brought out the sunshine of her smile.

Before the cameras were paying attention, Sherry Burns, a producer, walked me through the set. On the gas cooktop, I started butter melting for Chelsea’s arrival. After making sure everything was right, Burns took stock of the set, and left with a reminder to turn off the burner when the butter was ready.

While the lights were on and cameras running, I noticed the smell of toasted butter had changed to burning hair. That’s my arm, I thought.

Fortunately, I’ve had years of experience burning myself in front of an audience after a decade cooking in the Canal Fest souvlaki tent, so I didn’t flinch much. Turning off the gas, I hoped no one noticed.

That was one of the most fun days I’ve had in my career. I may even be asked back. Thanks to the crew and Chelsea, my mom should be proud.

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Then there’s a recipe, of course. Thanks to J. Kenzi Lopez-Alt of Serious Eats, I was turned onto this method about five years ago, and it changed my hollandaise life. The blessed golden elixir transformed from a special occasion chore to something so easy the hardest parfait is waiting for butter to melt.

The immersion blender is essential, unfortunately. That said, across this nation there are immersion blenders forgotten in cupboard corners, waiting to make that hollandaise magic happen for anyone brave enough to find it, and wield it well.

30-second hollandaise sauce

2 egg yolks

1 stick (8 ounces) salted butter, melted

1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice

1 teaspoon water

Pinch of cayenne pepper (optional)

Melt butter in saucepan.

Put egg yolks, water, lemon juice, and cayenne (if using) in mason jar, pint glass, or other container that allows the immersion blender’s business end to rest on its bottom.

Turn on the blender, and pour the melted butter in a stream, not all at once, while you whir.

That’s it, you’re done.

Please note that while you can store it in a thermos or covered pot on lowest heat, you cannot successfully reheat hollandaise sauce.

#30#