Bain-marie - Origin

Origin

Bains-marie were originally developed for use in the practice of alchemy, when alchemists needed a way to heat materials slowly and gently. In that early form of chemical science, it was believed by many that the best way to heat certain materials was to mimic the supposed natural processes, occurring in the Earth's core, by which precious metals were believed to be germinated.

The name comes from the medieval-Latin term balneum (or balineum) Mariae—literally, Mary's bath—from which the French bain de Marie, or bain-marie, is derived. There are many theories as to how the name Marie came to be associated with this equipment:

• According to culinary writer Giuliano Bugialli, the term comes from the Italian bagno maria, named after Maria de' Cleofa, who developed the technique in Florence in the sixteenth century.

• Alternatively, the device's invention has been popularly attributed to Mary the Jewess, an ancient alchemist traditionally; according to The Jewish Alchemists, Maria the Jewess was an ancient alchemist who lived in Alexandria. Mythical traditions have suggested that she was Miriam, the sister of Moses, but this is obviously incorrect.

• Finally, some consider the name a reference to the Virgin Mary, whose proverbial gentleness can be likened to the gentleness of this cooking technique.