Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1879-05-25
HOUSE, FARM AND GARDEN.
Sauces and Things.

orally cook books, even the best. are
sometimes vague in giving instruction in
this particular branch. Without pre-
senting any unnecessary difficulties to the
learner, the fact must be stated that
sauce is just one of those things which
admits of no middle course. There Is no
nearly right about tit must be perfect
~ right. The sauce, as it has been very
justly said, draws the line between good
and bad cooking. It is the sauce which
can make even insipid food apalatable.
Cooks, even the best of them, often for
get, in the preparation Of the dish, that
when sauce is to be served, that the
thing cooked, to be relieved by sauce,
must be subservient to the sauce. As
we'll thoroughly season the dish itself at
once-it will give far less trouble than
to 60 through double course Of season
ing. Sauces are really intended either to
relieve food which is in certain degree
savorless, or to give relish or haut qout
to such dishes, which, though deli
cate want their taste somewhat height
ened. A simple French Bouezli is in a
certain degree fade, but becomes highly
palatable when served with sauce. The
distinction between a gravy and 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 fat
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 congeais, and re-
| warming the true extract of the meat A
made gravy, as it is concocted in the
United States, is, ninety mine times in a
hundred, very unartistic preparation.
Almost always, an ignorant cook will IN
crease the quantity Of gravy by pouring
in warm water and dredging flour 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-
ed. Melted butter alone, like ghee, may
be good for Hindoos, but might
not save on vegetables, (and then in
small quantity,) 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-
tquires skill to know exactly when to ter
inmate the process. The butter should be
perfectly fresh, and placed in q skillet,
| and cooked until it begins to smoke and
brown slightly. Then it should be taken
off, some chopped parsley thrown into it,
and a little salt, and half teaspoonful Of
vinegar or the juice of half lemon, add
ed to it. The temperature of the melted
butter is so high that if the favoring 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 o.
even for broiled salmon. For plain white
) drawn butter to be served with fish o
. with mutton, the following receipt i
right: Take two tablespoonfuls of sifte6
-four and stir itin pint of cold water
being very sure to have it perfectly smooth
then bring it slowly to the boil, stirring
all the time; add to this three eighths O
: a pound of the best butter, cut into small
: pieces, stirring all the time; add hal
teaspoonful of salt at the end of the pro
cess; chopped parsley may be. added TO
j, fish, OF capers for mutton. The plail
sauce wants watching and constant stir
!: ring otherwise it becomes gumou
| mess. Additional richness may be give
to this sauce by adding the yolks0f al
: egg to it, when the egg must be put In a
: the beginning Of the process. Thu
/ same sauce, used as a foundation, will d
for puddings, when sweatened, with tn
/: addition Of a little wine at the end of tn
cooking. For regular sauces, such a
e Bechamel or Maire d Hotel, stock ant
\ foundation is necessary. In most case
Liebig's extract of meat answers all pu1
). poses. If this is not obtainable, sma
8 piece of lean veal and of ham, as indicat
+ ed in a prior receipt in the making Of
e sole a la Nornaande will do. Here is th
O ordinary receipt for Bechamel sauce
n Half pound Of veal, slice of lean har
8 cut into small pieces, and stewed with a
}, onion, a carrot, and bouquet OF herbs i
' butter; add very little flour, pint {
: mills, and boil gently for an hour; strai
: then as clear as possible, and reduce j
e quantity by boiling; it should alway
Is simmer and hardly boil; this is the stool
Is add few mushrooms, cut in small piece
Q In all sauces there is no exception to Il
y rule overlooking should be evade.
}, sauces are decidedly better when made
e a water bath, for this reason, because Il
lie temperature cannot be raised over 212 <
The quality of bechamel may be increase
by using cream instead of milk. A sau
Robert may be made from the stock, lie
mushrooms, by adding a teaspoonful
mustard, tablespoonful Of vinegar,
o which little tarragon has been adde
So and the juice Of half lemon; with Il
es same stock an addition of celery can
III made, which is excellent for boiled fow
It, A sauce piquante is readily made with Il
g same stock, adding half teaspoonful
i'd white pepper, and wineglassful of vim
ne gar and little thyme. An infinite varrie
ID Of sauce may be made, providing the sto,
ae is on hand It must however; be reme1
I Il 4 L IL \ f--.- ~