Liaisons

The Binding Agents

Appears in
The Fundamental Techniques of Classic Cuisine

By French Culinary Institute

Published 2021

  • About

The purpose of a liaison is to thicken a liquid in order to add body and thickness to the finished product. It is also often referred to as a binder or binding agent and a sauce thus thickened is described as “bound.” There are several different binding agents used in classical cooking, as well as a number of methods employed to incorporate them into the liquid. A good rule to keep in mind is:

Basic Stock + Binding Agent = Basic Sauce
Among the binding agents used to create a liaison are flour and other starches, cream, mustard, egg yolk, vegetable purée, tapioca, and butter.