Sauces

Like stocks, sauces have lost some of the importance they once had in commercial kitchens—except, of course, in the best restaurants serving what may be considered luxury cuisine. Some of this decline is due to changes in eating habits and to increased labor costs.

However, much of the change is due to misunderstanding. How many times have you heard someone say, “I don’t go for all those sauces all over everything. I like good, simple food.” No doubt this person puts ketchup—a sweetened tomato sauce—on hamburgers, gravy on mashed potatoes, and tartar sauce on fried fish.