Sauces play an important part of all cuisine. Sauces originally came about to mask the unpleasantness of food back when refrigeration was nonexistent. But today sauces have a much more "happy" place on our plate. A sauce is liquid or sometimes semi-solid food served on or used in preparing other foods.Sauces are not to be consumed alone, they are accompaniments to dishes. Sauces add flavor to dishes, add moisture to drier foods, and they add nutrients. The number of sauces in the world are endless. As long as chefs continue create amazing dishes, amazing sauces will be born. Although there is an endless aray of sauces, there are only five "Mother" sauces. Of these five sauces, any sauce can be created with a few modifications.

The Béchamel sauce is also refered to as a basic white sauce. This sauce is great for making cheese based sauces. This sauce is very easy to make and is the absolut best formaking a great Mac & Cheese. Here's the general idea on how to make this sauce. I will not give exact mesurements so that you may adjust it to the amouth you see fit.

1. In sauce pan add milk and and onion cloute
2. Allow milk and onion to simmer
3. While milk simmers. begin to make a light or blanc roux ***Important*** Remember it is easier to thin a sauce than to thicken so it is ok if you make too much roux.
4. Remove milk from the heat and remove the onion from the milk.
5. Begin to temper milk into roux wile wisking briskly.
6. Bring sauce to a boil than a simmer
7. Season with white pepper and salt to taste.

The Velouté sauce is a white sauce using stock and is great sauce for meat. This is very easy to make. The key is when using this sauce you want to pair it with the same meat as the stock you are using.So remeber beef with beef, chicken with chicken and fish with fish.

1. Make your roux
2. Slowly add your stock while whisking briskly.
3. Bring to a boil.
4. Simmer
5. Salt and pepper to taste.

The Espagnole sauce is a brown sauce. This sauce is widely used in cajun/creole cooking.

1. Make a nice brown roux.
2. In a sauce pan brown your mire poix with tomato sauce

3. Once mirepoix is nice and brown you will add you stock

4. Add stock to roux while whisking briskly

5. AddSachet d'epices:* 3 or 4 parsley stems, chopped * 1/2 teaspoon thyme leaves * 1 bay leaf * 1/2 teaspoon cracked black peppercorns * 1 clove garlic, crushed * The above ingredients are placed into a 4" square of cheesecloth and tied into a sack.

6. Simmer for about 1 hour, and skim the surface if necessary.

7. Strain

Hollandaise is a sauce made with an emulsion of egg yolks and fat.It is generally used with vegetables, fish and egg dishes, such as the classic Eggs Benedict.

Ingrediants

4 egg yolks

1. Vigorously whisk, the egg yolks and lemon juice together in a stainless steel bowl until the mixture is thickened.

2. Place the bowl over a saucepan or barely simmering water. Whisk rapidly, be careful not to let the mixture get too hot or the eggs will scramble.
3. Slowly drizzle in the melted butter and continue to whisk until the sauce is thickened and doubled in volume. ***IMPORTANT*** do not add butter to rapidly or you will ruin the sauce and have to start over.

4. Remove from heat and season to taste with salt.

5. Serve warm.

The Tomato sauce isa great sauce to make in large volume. It freezes well and can be used on various dishes

Ingredients

INGREDIENTS

1 diced onion

4 minced garlic cloves

3-ounces extra-virgin olive oil

2 (28-ounce) cans of crushed tomatoes

1. Sauté the onion and garlic in the olive oil over medium heat until translucent, but not brown

2. Add the thyme cook 5 minutes
3. Add the tomatoes.
4. Bring to a boil
5. Simmer stirring occasionally
6. Salt and peper to taste

There you have it the five"Mother" sauces! These sauces are just the foundation to all the sauces you can create. have fun with it and tweek them here and there to your own liking. Cooking is supposed to be fun and an adventure. Before you go off start making your sauces here are a few tips.

• It is always easier to thin a sauce than to thicken it once all ingredients are combined
• Do not rush through the Hollandaise, if you do all your hard work wil go down the drain
• When using a double boiler make sure the water does not touch the bottom of the bowl and the water is at a low simmer not boil.
• Never let a sauce boil after the egg yolks are added as the sauce may curdle.