The five basic mother sauces are?

Every time I get asked this question I get a different answer. If we were to go back the source, what would the 5 sauces be?


Gary

Bechamel, Veloute, Hollandaise, Espagnole, Tomato.

Where's Campbell's Cream of (X) soup?

And if you're interested in learning how to make them , you might check out a cookbook called "Chef on Fire".

Chef stole my answer.

A problem here, for much depends on just whom one chooses to follow.

According to Careme there were four and not five mother sauces and those were Béchamel, Espagnole, Velouté, and Allemande.

It was only later that Escoffier added to the list tomato sauce and, if one cares to include it, mayonnaise.

Best
Rogov

A problem here, for much depends on just whom one chooses to follow.

According to Careme there were four and not five mother sauces and those were Béchamel, Espagnole, Velouté, and Allemande.

It was only later that Escoffier added to the list tomato sauce and, if one cares to include it, mayonnaise.

Best
Rogov

Evolution, Rogov, evolution. (But mayonnaise is a "member" of the egg emulsion group, of which Hollandaise is the mother).

hmmm; hollandaise is the mother of mayonaise? seems it would be a mother only if it can 'beget' the other.

Chef, correct me if I am wrong but I seem to remember hearing somewhere that vinaigrette had been added to the list of mother sauces.

rwj

hmmm; hollandaise is the mother of mayonaise? seems it would be a mother only if it can 'beget' the other.

Step-mother.

Chef, correct me if I am wrong but I seem to remember hearing somewhere that vinaigrette had been added to the list of mother sauces.

rwj

It would have to have been relatively recently, RJ. Neither Careme nor Escoffier included it.

[Jenise]

Chef, correct me if I am wrong but I seem to remember hearing somewhere that vinaigrette had been added to the list of mother sauces.

rwj

It would have to have been relatively recently, RJ. Neither Careme nor Escoffier included it.

A gross oversight on their part.

Chef, correct me if I am wrong but I seem to remember hearing somewhere that vinaigrette had been added to the list of mother sauces.

rwj

It would have to have been relatively recently, RJ. Neither Careme nor Escoffier included it.

Yes, it was fairly recent (within the last 5 years or so) that I heard this. I knew that the aforementioned did not include it. If I have time later I'll do a little research and see if I can find it.

rwj

Considering that vinagirette in one form or another was part of the cuisine of the ancient Greeks and Romans (and very possibly before that those of Sumer), this might be considered a "great-grandmother sauce". Not a mother sauce though, for in order to be categorized as a "mother" the sauce must be able to yield (begat if we will) a host of other sauces based on the mother. Vinaigrette, no matter how much we may adore it and no matter what we add to it, yields only vinaigrette.

Best
Rogov

That's always been my line of thinking, Daniel. I spoke with one of my respected colleagues earlier and we both agreed that vinaigrette is always vinaigrette; also that it is not cooked. However, since some vinaigrettes can use eggs or egg yolks it seems fitting that they can be a part of the cold emulsion family like mayonnaise. I looked online (there is sooooooo much bad information on mother sauces out there) and some reputable sources talk about vinaigrette being a "contemporary" mother sauce. Another of my respected colleagues has worked with many other chefs that lump vinaigrette into the mother sauces.

As our own Chef on Fire said, "Evolution..."


rwj

ok, applying the vinaigrette logic, what sauces does mayonnaise beget? does adding paprika or curry or minced capers or ????? count?

ok, applying the vinaigrette logic, what sauces does mayonnaise beget? does adding paprika or curry or minced capers or ????? count?

David, Hi.......

Among others: Aioli, Alio-Olio, Rouille, Marie Rose, Mayonesa, Remoulade, Honey Mustard, Tartar and of course Thousand-Island

Best
Rogov

Not a mother sauce though, for in order to be categorized as a "mother" the sauce must be able to yield (begat if we will) a host of other sauces based on the mother. Vinaigrette, no matter how much we may adore it and no matter what we add to it, yields only vinaigrette.

I find this stricture just a tad Draconian, Rogov. For surely we will have to declassify Hollandaise which yields a paltry few derivative sauces.

Not a mother sauce though, for in order to be categorized as a "mother" the sauce must be able to yield (begat if we will) a host of other sauces based on the mother. Vinaigrette, no matter how much we may adore it and no matter what we add to it, yields only vinaigrette.

I find this stricture just a tad Draconian, Rogov. For surely we will have to declassify Hollandaise which yields a paltry few derivative sauces.

Chef, this thread spawned quite a bit of discussion at work today. What you state here is exactly one of the points that came up in our discussions.

Also, Rogov, you stated earlier that vinaigrette, no matter what you add to it, only yields a vinaigrette. This same logic can be applied to the hollandaise family. Bearnaise is just hollandaise with a tarragon reduction (vinaigrette!) added.

All in all the discussions of the day were very fun.

rwj

i forget the names of all of them but they are in the older books - the sauces that hollandaise begets:
with orange
with tomato
with glace de viande

i know these all have separate names and there are probably more.