Flambé (/flɒmˈbeɪ/, French: [flɑ̃be]; also spelled flambe), is a cooking procedure in which alcohol is added to a hot pan to create a burst of flames. The word means 'flamed' in French.
Flambéing is often associated with tableside presentation of certain liqueur-drenched dishes, such as Bananas Foster or Cherries Jubilee, when the alcohol is ignited and results in a flare of blue-tinged flame. However, flambéing is also a step in making coq au vin, and other dishes and sauces, using spirits, before they are brought to the table. By partially burning off the volatile alcohol, flambéing reduces the alcoholic content of the dish while keeping the flavors of the liquor.
This is info from wikipedia
The secret of such a flame is that the alcohol-containing fuel, in this case cognac is poured onto a hot pan. Alcohols immediately evaporate and it is only necessary to click the lighter - it flares up very strongly. But almost immediately burned and the reaction stops.
I remember I had an incident in a restaurant. I got a flambe dish. there was a summer strong heat. Everywhere it was hot - air conditioners did not save. Well, accordingly, the evaporation process was more active than usual. And when our flambe was lit, I thought I would stay without eyebrows. So it flared that the lampshade of the lamp over the table almost caught fire. So - if you decide to set it on fire - be careful :)
