| Most of us dont make sauces at home because | | | | pan sauces. |
| werewell, were intimidated. It seems so complicated | | | | Sauces from roux - Roux is a mixture of flour and |
| and time consuming to mix all that stuff and season | | | | fat that is combined over low heat. Gravy is made |
| it and boil it and get it just right. And we dont know | | | | from roux. |
| how. We go to a fancy restaurant, and the sauces | | | | Sauces from emulsions - Emulsions are mixtures of |
| are so delicate and beautiful, and they are in French, | | | | liquids that dont mix. Mayonnaise is an example of an |
| and we know we could never make something like | | | | emulsion. |
| that. Oh, yes, its fear and our lack of knowledge that | | | | Combinations - Combination sauces are often made |
| keeps us from enjoying sauces on our home-cooked | | | | from roux and stock, as well as other ingredients. |
| food. | | | | Mother Sauces |
| It really isnt as difficult as you think to make sauces, | | | | In the 19th century, Chef Marie-Antoine Careme |
| though. Once you know about the different kinds of | | | | developed a system for cooking that relied on |
| sauces and master a few basic techniques, you can | | | | mother sauces or grand sauces. Careme is considered |
| easily make sauces at home. You can even begin to | | | | the father of classic French cooking. His system was |
| invent your own sauces, based on your personal | | | | also used by Auguste Escoffier, another famous |
| preferences and the things your family likes best. | | | | French chef. The five mother sauces provide the |
| Sauces make your food look, taste and smell better. | | | | basis for other sauces that are used in classic French |
| They make food more appetizing. The difference | | | | cooking. |
| between a Ham & Egg McMuffin and Eggs Benedict | | | | Espagole is a reduced brown sauce made from |
| is the hollandaise sauce. And it is a big difference, isnt | | | | cooking meat. |
| it? In the same way, sauces can turn your plain and | | | | Veloute is white stock thickened with roux. |
| simple cooking into something special. | | | | Bechamel is milk thickened with roux. |
| Sauces add flavor to bland foods, like rice and pasta. | | | | Hollaindaise or Mayonnaise is an emulsion made with |
| Think Alfredo Sauce, Marinara Sauce, Soy Sauce. | | | | butter or oil, egg yolks and lemon juice. |
| Sauces also make dry foods moister and easier to | | | | Tomato Sauce is tomato sauce. |
| eat. | | | | This all sounds very complex, but it is not. Once you |
| Before refrigeration, sauces were used to mask the | | | | know how to make a nice roux, and how to make |
| flavor of tainted food. Although its not recommended | | | | stock, you can make hundreds of different sauces. |
| that you serve tainted food, a good sauce can still | | | | Once you can make the five mother sauces, your |
| mask the flavor of undesirable food. Kids are more | | | | sauce repertoire is practically unlimited. |
| likely to eat broccoli with cheese sauce than without, | | | | Here are some examples: |
| right? For those of us who are somewhatindifferent | | | | Cheese sauce is bchamel sauce with grated cheese |
| cooks, a good sauce can sometimes mask a cooking | | | | added. |
| mistake, too. Like, perhaps, rice that is just a tiny bit | | | | Gravy is a roux made from pan drippings and |
| scorched. Served by candlelight and with a nice | | | | espagole or milk. |
| hollandaise sauce, no one will ever know. | | | | Cream sauce for vegetables is veloute with a few |
| Categories of Sauces | | | | herbs tossed in. |
| There are all kinds of sauces. Ketchup is a sauce. | | | | But you dont have to tell your family and guests that |
| Salsa is a sauce. Vinaigrette dressing is a sauce. For | | | | its cheese sauce or whatever. Instead, you can |
| our cooking purposes, though, there are four main | | | | serve them steamed broccoli with a light cheese |
| categories of sauces. | | | | bchamel or steamed vegetables in veloute sauce. |
| Sauces made from stock - Stock is the liquid that | | | | And the list can go on and on. Using sauces to make |
| remains after you cook things in water. The water | | | | your home cooked meals look better and taste |
| retains the flavor of whatever was cooked in it, and | | | | better does not have to be intimidating. You just |
| is used to flavor other dishes. Stock can be | | | | need to know a few basic techniques, and you will |
| thickened or reduced, or various ingredients can be | | | | soon be a master sauce-maker. |
| added to it to make brown sauces, white sauces and | | | | |