There are 5 French mother sauces, and this classic French sauce is kind of one of them. Let me explain: the five mother sauces of French cuisine are Tomato, Hollandaise, Béchamel, Velouté, and Espagnole.  Bearnaise sauce is a variation of Hollandaise sauce, which is the sauce used for eggs benedict. The main difference is that Hollandaise uses cayenne and white pepper, while Bearnaise uses fresh tarragon, shallot, and black pepper.