The Real Secret to French Cooking

Like so many others I was so inspired by the movie Julia and Julia to start doing some gourmet cooking in my own little kitchen… and then I hit a stumbling block.  No it wasn’t sticker shock for Julia Child’s Mastering The Art of French Cooking (two volume set), nor the daunting task of even lifting the enormous book.   It was the meticulous detail and difficulty of the recipes.. let’s face it, who has that kind of time?

But what I learned is that the real secret to gourmet cooking is all in the sauce.  So here is some basic information on sauces… I’ll start with Wine Sauces.

What I found most amazing in my research is that Sauces have been used since the middle ages- who knew! But of course French chef’s have upped the bar on sauces almost to the point of high art — just treat yourself to any fine dining at a French restaurant and you will know this is true.

So what goes into making a great sauce? The famous French Chef, Aguste Escoffier, tells us that the chef who wants to create a memorable sauce must first prepare a mirepoix (Wikepedia has a great but lengthy definition) and roast beef or veal bones to begin developing a stock… then one must slowly reduce the stock and add a slowly browned roux to create a deep brown color and rich flavor with a smooth and velvety consistency.  This will create a “foundation sauce” from which many other sauces can be made.

Slow being the operative word in the whole process … again I ask, who has this kind of time?  Let’s face it, this is a time intensive process that I certainly don’t have the patience required to complete it.  Never fear! More Than Gourmet has taken care of the time intensive work for us and has created both a Red Wine Sauce as well as a White Wine Sauce which reduces what would have taken hours to mere minutes without sacrificing flavor, consistency or eye appeal!

Using classical methods and only the finest ingredients,these sauces are consistently reliable, dependable, affordable and most importantly delicious! They have found a permanent home in my pantry and I know you also will find them so easy to keep on hand that all your meals will be gourmet!

Bon Appetite!

Sherea

Let’s Get Saucey!

To continue my journey in sauces, let’s discuss Wine Sauces—these are often referred to as a foundation sauce.  Because let’s face it, you have to begin somewhere, and you wouldn’t build a house without a strong foundation… a great sauce is no different really.

A good foundation sauce is a basic sauce from which you can make many, many sauces and even soups and chowders.  Whether you prefer to start with a red wine sauce or a white wine sauce, you can use these basic sauces as a starting point for a wide variety of flavors!

You know I am a fan of saving time, so I suggest starting with More Than Gourmet’s ready to use selection of wine sauces and build from there.

White Wine sauce is also called Veloute sauce and is one of the more famous “Mother Sauces” … For example starting with a Veloute, you can add eggs and heavy cream to thicken the sauce and then season with lemon juice, salt and pepper, and voila! You have a delicious Allemande sauce for your poached eggs on Easter morning or over veal for an elegant dinner.  The possibilities are truly endless… you can hone the flavor with classic or less standard additions: add a dollop of Dijon mustard and herbs to create a delectable mustard sauce (I like this with duck or chicken); add sautéed mushrooms for a perfect mushroom sauce over steak medallions; mince shallots, parsley and dices tomatoes for a fine Dulgere sauce, or squeeze some fresh citrus juice and zest for a light citrus sauce… both are magnificent with fish!

The same creativity flows with Red Wine sauces as well and the Red Wine Foundation Sauce from More than Gourmet is so finely made (as is the White Wine Sauce), it retains the aroma and flavor of the red wine, savory beef and butter used in its preparation.  You can even taste the subtle notes of mushrooms and onions… you can taste the freshness of this dare I say, perfect ready-made sauce! Once you indulge, you will never go back to making it yourself… there is simply no need!

Let More Than Gourmet do the time intensive work for you and get on with life and eating divinely!!

Sherea