and the most harmless, for it is produced by roasted flour, sugar or
vegetables, which add to the flavor as well as appearance, if not
carried to the point of burning. Onion skins contain much col-
oring of a harmless kind. Home-made brown roux is to be preferred
to that which is bought, and is much cheaper. Milk, cream, or
white stock are used in white sauces. Lobster spawn gives a bril-
liant scarlet. Spinach green is always harmless, and is the only
green suitable for kitchen use, as many greens contain arsenic.
Other harmless colors are given in our article on frosting for cakes.
Good fresh butter only should be used for flrst rate sauces. In-
ferior or rancid butter should never be used; it is not as good as
fresh beef dripping or fat. Where economy is studied, it is better
to use less butter and have that good, than to buy a large quantity
of cheap cooking butter.
Meat should always be sufficiently fat to " cook itself," that is
it should furnish enough oil for the gravy — if it does not, it is poor
meat. Good salad oil is much used in salads, and dishes made of
dry cooked meats, as the gravy is mostly served with the hot meat
at dinner.
Serve hot. — Gravies and sauces should be sent to the table very
hot. Being made in small quantities, they are more liable to cool
quickly than if they were in a larger body. If made before the mo-
ment of serving, they should be kept in a sauce-pan of boiling water ;
a fish kettle makes a good improvised hain marie.
Roux (pronounced Roo). — Brown Roux, for thickening gravies
and sauces, is made by melting butter in a stew-pan and adding an
equal quantity of flour. Stir constantly while it is browning, so that
it will not burn; when of a nice yellowish brown, put it in jars, cover
tightly, and keep it in a dry dark place. It is then ready to use at
any time by taking 1 or 2 heaping spoonfuls, according to the quan-
tity of soup, and stirring it in while the soup is boiling, and it will
instantly thicken. This is the Brown Roux used by foreign cooks.
The White Roux is made in the same manner, but only cooked
together for a few minutes without browning. Many prefer the bits
of butter rolled in flour, and used as occasion requires ; then there is
no danger of rancidity or waste, as there might be if a quantity of
roux was prepared and it was not needed for use, as expected.
Condiments. — These are used to give a relish to food and gratify the taste.
The principal condiments are salt, vinegar, oil, butter, herbs, spices, ginger, pep-
per and mustard. Some of these, like mustard, are food and condiment combined.
When taken in moderation they are conducive to health, but used to excess, they
are highly injurious.
It is diflBcult to draw a very distinct line between spices and condiments, but
7
98
SAUCES FOK FISH, SHELL FISH AND MEATS
spices are generally added to articles of food containing sugar, while condimenta
are eaten with meat, and generally with any foods which contain common salt.
Cloves and allspice are, however, eaten with meat, and cinnamon, nutmeg and
mace with sweet foods. Spices can be used in moderation, but if used in eicess,
they irritate the mucous membrane and are harmful, often causing dyspepsia.
SAUCES
Page 70
Presented as published in 1902. 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
and the most harmless, for it is produced by roasted flour, sugar or vegetables, which add to the flavor as well as appearance, if not carried to the point of burning. Onion skins contain much coloring of a harmless kind. Home-made brown roux is to be preferred to that which is bought, and is much cheaper. Milk, cream, or white stock are used in white sauces. Lobster spawn gives a brilliant scarlet. Spinach green is always harmless, and is the only green suitable for kitchen use, as many greens contain arsenic. Other harmless colors are given in our article on frosting for cakes.
Good fresh butter only should be used for first rate sauces. Inferior or rancid butter should never be used; it is not as good as fresh beef dripping or fat. Where economy is studied, it is better to use less butter and have that good, than to buy a large quantity of cheap cooking butter.
Meat should always be sufficiently fat to " cook itself," that is it should furnish enough oil for the gravy — if it does not, it is poor meat. Good salad oil is much used in salads, and dishes made of dry cooked meats, as the gravy is mostly served with the hot meat at dinner.
Serve hot. — Gravies and sauces should be sent to the table very hot. Being made in small quantities, they are more liable to cool quickly than if they were in a larger body. If made before the moment of serving, they should be kept in a sauce-pan of boiling water ; a fish kettle makes a good improvised bain-marie.
Roux (pronounced Roo). — Brown Roux, for thickening gravies and sauces, is made by melting butter in a stew-pan and adding an equal quantity of flour. Stir constantly while it is browning, so that it will not burn; when of a nice yellowish brown, put it in jars, cover tightly, and keep it in a dry dark place. It is then ready to use at any time by taking 1 or 2 heaping spoonfuls, according to the quantity of soup, and stirring it in while the soup is boiling, and it will instantly thicken. This is the Brown Roux used by foreign cooks.
The White Roux is made in the same manner, but only cooked together for a few minutes without browning. Many prefer the bits of butter rolled in flour, and used as occasion requires ; then there is no danger of rancidity or waste, as there might be if a quantity of roux was prepared and it was not needed for use, as expected.
Condiments. — These are used to give a relish to food and gratify the taste. The principal condiments are salt, vinegar, oil, butter, herbs, spices, ginger, pepper and mustard. Some of these, like mustard, are food and condiment combined. When taken in moderation they are conducive to health, but used to excess, they are highly injurious.
It is difficult to draw a very distinct line between spices and condiments, but
spices are generally added to articles of food containing sugar, while condiments are eaten with meat, and generally with any foods which contain common salt. Cloves and allspice are, however, eaten with meat, and cinnamon, nutmeg and mace with sweet foods. Spices can be used in moderation, but if used in excess, they irritate the mucous membrane and are harmful, often causing dyspepsia.
SAUCES