River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1879-05-29
THE HOUSEHOLD.
Sauces and Things.

get, in the preparation of the dish, thai
when IA sauce is to be served, that Tho
thing cooked, to be relieved by sauce
must be subseryient to the sauce. As
well thoroughly season the dish itself al
once--it will give far less trouble lFar
to go through a double course of season
ing. Sauces are really intended either tC
relieve food which is in a certain degree
savorless, or to give a relish or hdm Q0ut
to such dishes, which, though deli
cate want their taste somewhat height
ened. a simple French B0uetLi is in a
certain degree fade, but becomes highly
palatable when served with sauce. The
distinction between gravy and a sauce
is quite wide one. BY gravy is meant
the natural juices which are the products
of roasting Invariably, these gravies are
best their in natural condition, without adj
dition or admiXture. When meat or
poulty is too fat the oily character Of the
gravy is neither palatable or wholesome.
1t is very easy to get rid of the melted tat
either by skimming or by taking the
juices of the meat as they fall in the pan
putting it aside to cool for a little while,
removing the fat which congeals, and re-
W
made gravy, as it is concocted in the
United States, is, ninety-nine times in
hundred, a. very unartistic preparation.
Almost always, an ignorant cook will IN
crease the quantity of gravy by pouring
in warm water and dredging -four into
the gravy. Even this might be passable
if the cook would heat up the sauce. In
serving the gravy to roasted poultry, if the
livers have not been overlooked they may
be mashed very smooth, and mixed with
the natural juices of the birds. But in
all cases, the more wholesome and best
gravy is that which comes naturally from
the roasted meat, deprived Of its grease
as before described. Melted butter is in
constant use in American and English
cuisines, and is mostly very badly prepar-
cd Melted butter alone, like ghee, may
be good for Hindoos, but might
not save ON vegetables, land then in
small quantityD be appreciated by a
more civilized taste. On boiled fish
burned butter is, however, quite admis-
sable, and is in common use in France and
Holland Simple though it seems it re-
quires skill to know exactly when TO ter
inmate the process. The butter should be
perfectly fresh, and placed in a skillet.
and cooked until it begins to smoke and
brown slightly. Then it should be taken
off, some chopped parsley thrown into it.
and little salt, and a half teaspoontul of
vinegar or the juice of half a lemon, add
ed to it, The temperature of the melted
butter is so high that if the flayoring be
put in it while it is smoking the ingredi-
ents have given to them bitter taste.
Burned butter (beurre noire) should be
used in small quantity Possibly, it is
the best sauce for a broiled mackerel or
even for broiled salmon. For plain white
drawn butter to be served with fish or
with mutton, the following receipt is
right: Take two tablespoonfuls of sifted
flour and stir it in q pint of cold water,
being very sure to have it perfectly smooth
then bring it slowly to the boil, stirriAg
all the time; add to this thee eighths of
IA pound of the best butter, cut INTO small
pieces, stirring all the time; add half
teaspoonful of salt at the end of the pro-
cess; chopped parsley may be added for
fish, or capers for mutton. The plain
sauce wants Watching and constant stir
ring otherwise il becomes a gumOus
mess Additional richness may be given
to this sauce 10y adding the yolks of an
egg to it, when the egg must be put in at
the beginning of the process. This
same sauce, used as a foundation. will do
for buildings. when swcatcncd, with the
addition of little wine at the end of the
cooking. For regular sauces, such as
Becsanc4 or Nattro d Hote', stock and
foundation is necessary. In most cases
Iicbig's extract of meat answers all pur-
poses. If this is not obtainabie, small
piece of lean veal and of ham, as indicat-
ed in a prior receipt in the making OF
sole n Ia F9rndnde will do. Here is the
ordinary receipt for Bechamel sauce
Half pound of veal, slice Of lean ham
cut into small pieces, and stewed with an
onion. a carrot. and a bouquet of herbs IN
butter; add a very little flour, pint OF
milk, and boil gently for an hour; strain
then as clear as possible, and reduce in
quantity by boiling; it should always
simmer and hardly BOIL this Is the stock
add few mushrooms, cut m small pieces
In all sauces-there is no exception to the
rule-overcooking should ne evaded
sauces are decidedly better when made IL
water bath, for this reason, because the
temperature cannot be raised over 212 :
The quality of bechamel may be increased
| by using cream instead of milk. A sauce
| Robert NAV be made from the stock, less
| mushrooms, by adding teaspoonful o
mustard. a tablespoonful of vinegar, II
| which little tarragon has been added
and the Juice of half a lemon; with thu
same stock an addition of celery can b'
made, which is excellent for boiled fowls
A sauce piquante is readily made with TIN
same stock, adding a half teaspoOnful q
white pepper, and a wineglassful of vine
gar and little thyme An infinite varriet.
| of sauce NAV be made providing the stool
is on hand. 1t must however; be remem
bered that good sauce is the reward o
constant vigilance, ana that there Is
happv moment which must be seized, t
end the process, which exacntude is onl
to he acquired by practice. There IS n
.1pent up Utica Of sauces. any body wit
the least gastronomic taste can improvis
them. All that is required is that
sauce should be even, homogeneous, ano
except in sauces picquante, that the flavor
should never be violent, but be happ1l
blended A sauce tartar Is really notinn
else than a mayonnaise, and made wit
Ilemon-iuice, mustard, cayenne, and som
onion. Here is a good receipt for il
Chop UP half an onion as fine as possible
and add to it tablespoonful Of choppe'
parsley. Take the yolks of two eggs an
a teaspoonful of Durham mustard. tea
spoonful of salt, and half saltspoon
| full of cayenne pepper. Rub these al
perfectly smooth. Then add two table
spoonfuls Of oil and the juice of thre
lemons. Tartar sauce being very hot,
good only for verv rich food, such as frie
eels and pork chops. Mint sauce is
relic of the .rliest English cookery, an
about this time of the year, when mint
fresh, Is excellent. Dissolve in not TO
sharp vinegar two tablespoonfuls of whit
sugar. Chop enough mint too fill a tab
spoon, and mix if. Ii may be used eithe
hot or cold, but it is much better hot.
| Tho tonpup will sometimes make til