Sunday School: The Five Mother Sauces

Light appetizers will be offered

Objective: By the end of the class, students will have a thorough understanding of the five mother sauces, their significance in classical French cuisine, and the skills to prepare each sauce from scratch.

Introduction to Sauces

Overview: What are the mother sauces and why are they important?

Historical Context: Origin of the five mother sauces in French cuisine.

Essential Tools & Ingredients: Stockpots, whisks, roux, stocks, etc.

The Sauces

1. Béchamel

Key Components: Milk, butter, flour (roux)

Demonstration: Making a classic béchamel sauce.

Discussion: Variations like Mornay (cheese sauce) and cream-based derivatives.

Food: Herbed Cheese Sauce and Crab Mac-n-Cheese

2. Velouté

Key Components: Stock (chicken, veal, or fish) and roux

Demonstration: Preparing velouté.

Discussion: Derivatives like Sauce Suprême, Normandy Sauce, and Allemande Sauce.

Food: Braised Chicken Thighs with Mushroom Velouté

3. Espagnole

Key Components: Brown stock, brown roux, tomato, and mirepoix

Demonstration: Building a rich Espagnole sauce.

Discussion: Sauce Bordelaise, Sauce Robert, and other brown sauce derivatives.

Food: Pork Tenderloin with Sauce Robert

4. Sauce Tomat (Tomato Sauce)

Key Components: Tomatoes, stock, aromatics (garlic, onions), and seasoning

Demonstration: Making a classic French tomato sauce.

Discussion: Marinara and variations like Sauce Creole or Provençal Sauce.

Food: Baked Cod with Puttanesca Sauce

5. Hollandaise

Key Components: Butter, egg yolks, lemon juice

Demonstration: Emulsifying hollandaise sauce.

Discussion: Béarnaise and variations like Mousseline or Maltaise.

Food: Roasted Broccoli with Dijon Hollandaise