This glaze is used less often than the preceding ones. As
it is only used to intensify the savour of sauces, it is sufficient
for this purpose to prepare a white fish stock (Formula 11),
which may be diluted with the stock already prepared, and
which may be reduced according to the requirements. The
name of fish fumet or fish essence is given to this preparation;
its flavour is more delicate than that of fish glaze, which it
replaces with advantage.
CHAPTER Ii
THE LEADING WARM SAUCES
Warm sauces are of two kinds: the leading sauces, also
called ‘‘ mother sauces,’’ and the small sauces, which are usually
derived from the first-named, and are generally only modified
forms thereof. Cooking stock only includes the leading sauces,
but I shall refer to the small hot sauces and the cold sauces at
the end of the auxiliary stock.
Experience, which plays such an important part in culinary
work, is nowhere so necessary as in the preparation of sauces,
for not only must the latter flatter the palate, but they must also
vary in savour, consistence and viscosity, in accordance with
the dishes they accompany. By this means, in a well-ordered
dinner, each dish differs from the preceding ones and from those
that follow.
Furthermore, sauces must, through the perfection of their
preparation, obey the general laws of a rational hygiene, where-
fore they should be served and combined in such wise as to
allow of easy digestion by the frequently disordered stomachs
of their consumers.
Caréme was quite justified in pluming himself upon the fact
that during his stay at the English Court his master—the Prince
Regent—had assured him that he (Caréme) was the only one
among those who had served his Highness whose cooking had
been at all easy of digestion. Caréme had grasped the essential
truth that the richer the cooking is, the more speedily do the
stomach and palate tire of it. And, indeed, it is a great mistake
to suppose that, in order to do good cooking, it is necessary
to be prodigal in one’s use of all things. In reality, practice
dictates fixed and regular quantities, and from these one cannot
diverge without upsetting the hygienic and sapid equilibrium
on which the value of a sauce depends. The requisite quan-
tities of each ingredient must, of course, be used, but neither
more nor less, as there are objections to either extreme.
Any sauce whatsoever should be smooth, light (without
16 GUIDE TO MODERN COOKERY
being liquid), glossy to the eye, and decided in taste. When
these conditions are fulfilled it is always easy to digest even
for tired stomachs.
An essential point in the making of sauces is the seasoning,
and it would be impossible for me to lay sufficient stress on the
importance of not indulging in any excess in this respect. It
too often happens that the insipidness of a badly-made sauce is
corrected by excessive seasoning; this is an absolutely deplor-
able practice.
Seasoning should be so calculated as to be merely a com-
plementary factor, which, though it must throw the savour of
dishes into relief, may not form a recognisable part of them.
If it be excessive, it modifies and even destroys the taste peculiar
to every dish—to the great detriment of the latter and of the
consumer’s health.
It is therefore desirable that each sauce should possess its
own special flavour, well defined, the result of the combined
flavours of all its ingredients.
If, in the making of sauces, one allowed oneself to be guided
by those principles which are the very foundation of good
cookery, the general denunciation of sauces by the medical
faculty would be averted; and this denunciation no sauce de-
serves if it be carefully prepared, conformably with the laws pre-
scribed by practice and its resulting experience.
THE Roux
Page 15
Presented as published in 1909. Historical recipes may not meet modern food-safety standards. Cook from the modern interpretation, not the original instructions.
AI-modernized reading of the original text
This glaze is used less often than the preceding ones. As it is only used to intensify the savour of sauces, it is sufficient for this purpose to prepare a white fish stock (Formula 11), which may be diluted with the stock already prepared, and which may be reduced according to the requirements. The name of fish fumet or fish essence is given to this preparation; its flavour is more delicate than that of fish glaze, which it replaces with advantage.
CHAPTER Ii THE LEADING WARM SAUCES
Warm sauces are of two kinds: the leading sauces, also called ‘‘ mother sauces,’’ and the small sauces, which are usually derived from the first-named, and are generally only modified forms thereof. Cooking stock only includes the leading sauces, but I shall refer to the small hot sauces and the cold sauces at the end of the auxiliary stock.
Experience, which plays such an important part in culinary work, is nowhere so necessary as in the preparation of sauces, for not only must the latter flatter the palate, but they must also vary in savour, consistence and viscosity, in accordance with the dishes they accompany. By this means, in a well-ordered dinner, each dish differs from the preceding ones and from those that follow.
Furthermore, sauces must, through the perfection of their preparation, obey the general laws of a rational hygiene, wherefore they should be served and combined in such wise as to allow of easy digestion by the frequently disordered stomachs of their consumers.
Caréme was quite justified in pluming himself upon the fact that during his stay at the English Court his master—the Prince Regent—had assured him that he (Caréme) was the only one among those who had served his Highness whose cooking had been at all easy of digestion. Caréme had grasped the essential truth that the richer the cooking is, the more speedily do the stomach and palate tire of it. And, indeed, it is a great mistake to suppose that, in order to do good cooking, it is necessary to be prodigal in one’s use of all things. In reality, practice dictates fixed and regular quantities, and from these one cannot diverge without upsetting the hygienic and sapid equilibrium on which the value of a sauce depends. The requisite quantities of each ingredient must, of course, be used, but neither more nor less, as there are objections to either extreme.
Any sauce whatsoever should be smooth, light (without
being liquid), glossy to the eye, and decided in taste. When these conditions are fulfilled it is always easy to digest even for tired stomachs.
An essential point in the making of sauces is the seasoning, and it would be impossible for me to lay sufficient stress on the importance of not indulging in any excess in this respect. It too often happens that the insipidness of a badly-made sauce is corrected by excessive seasoning; this is an absolutely deplorable practice.
Seasoning should be so calculated as to be merely a complementary factor, which, though it must throw the savour of dishes into relief, may not form a recognisable part of them. If it be excessive, it modifies and even destroys the taste peculiar to every dish—to the great detriment of the latter and of the consumer’s health.
It is therefore desirable that each sauce should possess its own special flavour, well defined, the result of the combined flavours of all its ingredients.
If, in the making of sauces, one allowed oneself to be guided by those principles which are the very foundation of good cookery, the general denunciation of sauces by the medical faculty would be averted; and this denunciation no sauce deserves if it be carefully prepared, conformably with the laws prescribed by practice and its resulting experience.
THE Roux