bĂȘche-de-mer
bĂȘche-de-mer, boiled, dried, and smoked flesh of sea cucumbers (phylum Echinodermata) used to make soups. Most bĂȘche-de-mer comes from the southwestern Pacific, where the animals (any of a dozen species of the genera Holothuria, Stichopus, and Thelonota) are obtained on coral reefs. BĂȘche-de-mer is consumed chiefly in China.
BĂȘche-de-mer, or beach-la-Mar, is a pidgin English term used in New Guinea and nearby islands, where the trepang trade has long been important. The term BĂȘche-de-Mer has also come to designate the pidgin English language spoken in these regions.
This article was most recently revised and updated by Jeff Wallenfeldt.
Citation Information
Article Title:
bĂȘche-de-mer
Website Name:
Encyclopaedia Britannica
Publisher:
Encyclopaedia Britannica, Inc.
Date Published:
25 April 2018
Access Date:
November 14, 2026