What is sauce?
Food historians tell us sauces were "invented" for many reasons. The three primary reasons
are:
1. Cooking medium
2. Meat tenderizer
3. Flavor enhancer
Sauce ingredients, compostion, and preparation methods vary according to culture, cuisine and time period. The history of modern French sauces begins with Francois La Varenne. The French concept of "Mother Sauces" is an 18th century invention. Classification ensued. Careme is credited for this.
Recommended reading
The Saucier's Apprentice/Raymond Sokolov
---introduction traces the history of sauce through time; special emphasis on French sauces
Sauces : Classical and Contemporary Sauce Making / James Peterson, 2nd edition
(1998)
--Chapter 1 features the history of sauces from ancient times to the 20th century (15 pages)
A History of Cooks and Cooking, Michael Symons
--Chapter 6: 'On the Physical and Political Consequences of Sauces' (10 pages)
plus numerous references to sauce throughout this book. Also check the index for stock, stew &
soup.
Larousse Gastronomique, any recent edition
---Recipes & history notes
Le Guide Cuilinarie, Escoffier
---Recipes and notes
The Sauce Bible: Guide to the Saucier's Craft, David Paul Larousse
---Recipes & notes
Aioli
Aioli is what happens when garlic marries
mayonnaise. Simple, delicious, tangy & divine. Originally meant to accompany cod,
this traditional Provencal sauce pairs remarkably well with eggs, meats and starchy vegetables. Aioli piqued mainstream
American palates after World War II. "True" Spanish/Catalan Allioli is slightly different: it does not
contain eggs. Historic notes & vintage recipes here:
"Aioli is one of the classic components of Provencal cuisine. It is essentially a garlic-flavored mayonnaise, made with egg yolks, olive oil, and garlic...The word,
like the dish itself, is a compound of ail, 'garlic' and oli, the Provencal word for 'oil'."
"Aioli...is in effect a garlic mayonnaise. But it is not just a sauce; it can take the form of Aioli garni which is a whole dish in itself, traditionally served on Christmas
Eve and incorporating beef or a boiled chicken. Among the times which aioli accompanies are potatoes, beetroot, fish and other seafood, and boiled salt cod.
It may also be amalgamated with fish stock to make a thinner and pale yellow sauce to be poured over the fish in the famous Provencal dish called Bourride."
"Among the peoples living around the Mediterranean coasts, the use of garlic dates back to the very beginning of cooking itself. But as Leon Daudet observed, with
the aioli it attained its peak of perfection, 'the very highest degree of those truly civilized customs and habits that until health with well-being.' So that we need feel no
astonishment at learning that when the poet Mistral founded a Provencal newspaper (this was in 1891), he called it L'Aioli. The sauce had become a symbol. And
he wrote of it with justice: 'It concentrates all the warmth, the strength, the sun-loving gaiety of Provence in its essence, but it also has a particular virtue: it keeps flies
away. Those who don't like it, those whose stomachs rise at the thought of our oil, won't come buzzing around us wasting our time. There'll just be the family.' And
elsewhere again: 'The ailoi goes slightly to the head, impregnates the body with its warmth, and bathes the soul with its enthusiasm...'...The aoili...is a word formed
form the dish's two components: garlic (ail) and olive oil (oli in Provencal). This solid sauce is served with fish, with bourride (the fish sauce of Provence), with
hard-boiled eggs, with salad, with snails...even with meat,...The aioli de morue is eaten more particularly on Fridays in Provence..."
[1907]
[1951]
[1952]
"...in Provence, the southern French province as famous for fish as is Maine, the sauce is the garlicky aioli...'Aoili is not at all complicated...it is only a fine
mayonnaise with garlic seasoning...Aoili is best eaten with boiled fish, boiled potatoes and carrots. The fish which we used in France aren't available here, but I
would say that your small fresh codfish, haddock or halibut could substitute. But never use fresh water fish with this sauce...First take four garlic clove sections and
place them in a heavy stone bowl or crock. Crush to a very fine paste with a round, wooden stick or pestle. Now start the mayonnaise by placing in the bowl with
the garlic, the yolk of one egg and salt and pepper. Stir thoroughly with fork or spoon till well blended. Next take the olive oil and pour it into the mixture drop by
drop at first, then in a slow trickle, blending all the while. The more oil used...the thicker and more frigid the dressing becomes. When a fork will stand up in the
middle of the bowl, enough oil has been added (about one cup of oil in all). To add zest to the mayonnaise, gradually pour in one teaspoon of natural wine vinegar
(never cider vinegar) or lemon juice. The acidity of the vinegar or lemon thins the mixture but it should still be very firm. Should the sauce disintegrate, the disaster
can be turned into a success with a little patience...You simply start all over again. Pour all of the sauce except two or three tablespoonfuls into a second bowl. To
the contents of the second bowl slowly add three or four drops of water and when well blended return to the first bowl, adding more oil if necessary for the desired
consistency.' Note: [this] is the traditional and somewhat old-fashioned was of concocting this mayonnaise. We suggest that the vinegar might be added to the bowl
at the same time as the egg, salt and pepper. This will eliminate the possibility of the sauce's disintegrating. Also, when the vinegar goes in first, the oil may be added
a little more rapidly."
[1961]
[1961]
[1964]
Related sauce? Tapenade.
Spanish [Catalan] Allioli
"Allioli (Catalonia) Garlic Mayonnaise
"Allioli might be called the Catalan catsup...In one form or another, it can go on or into almost anything--seafood, noodle and rice
dishes, soups, stews, vegetables, snails. It is all but owith grilled meats, especially pork, rabbit, and chicken...
Strictly speaking, the name is the recipe" all (garlic), i (and, oli (oil). The oil, of course is olive oil...Salt...is added, another
given...maybe a few drips of lemon juice or vinegar or a combination of the two...And eggs? Never. 'Allioli made with eggs...isn't allioli at all. It's
just fancy mayonnaise.' The fact that allioli's closest relative, aioli of Povence and the lesser-known aillade of the Languedoc, always
do include eggs--and thus really are 'fancy mayonnaise'--is taken by some Catalans simply as further proof...that the French don't know very much
about food after all. Big talk aside,...the plain truth is that the vast majority of the allioli served in Catalonia and visicnity is made with
eggs, especially in restaurants...The eggless variety is just too difficult to whip up, and too fragile--capable of instantaneous
and capricious breakdown.
"New World" (Caribbean/West Indies) versions generally feature Seville (bitter) oranges instead of lemon. Think:
Mojo de Ajo. Perfectly understandable
given the fact early Spanish explorers introduced bitter oranges and they flourished.
Allemande
Our survey of historic cookbooks confirms Sauce Allemande [Allemand is French for "German."] was known by different names in different times:
Tournee, German, Almayne, Parisienne, and Blonde. Essentially, it is a
classic egg enriched creamy white sauce, flavored with mushrooms and sometimes lemon. Earliest iterations were basic roux concoctions, routinely accompanying fowl. As time progressed Allemande morphed into
a veloute-based more complicated presentation. The Allemande moniker was renamed Parisienne in the early 20th century. This reflected shifting political events
eventually resulting in WWI. This is nothing new. Think: German toast (aka French Toast) & Freedom Fries (aka French fries).
Closely related sauces are Roux,
Veloute & Hollandaise.
Almayne--Allemande
"Allemande, a la. German style. From the French word for German. The name is much used in culinary works--as Sauce Allemande...It goes back to the days
when it was spelled 'Almayne', a term that included Holland as well as many German States."
Allemande--Parisienne
[1845]
Obs. 3.--With the addition of three or four yolks of very fresh eggs, mixed with a seasoning of mace, cayenne, and lemon-juice, this becomes German sauce, now
much used for fricassess, and other dishes; and minced parsley (boiled) and chili vinegar, each in sufficient quantity to flavour it agreeably, convert it to a good fish
sauce."
[1869]
[1873]
[1952]
"Parisienne, Sauce. Another name for a Sauce Blonde."---ibid (p. 38)
"Blonde, Sauce. This is an ordinary Veloute with a binding of egg yolks."---ibid (p. 14)
[1961]
"Parisian Sauce (for cold asparagus). Sauce Parisienne--Pound in a bowl 2 small Grevaise cheeses (petits suisses or 2 ounces Philadelphia cream cheese).
Season with salt and paprika. Beat with ol and lemon juice like a mayonnaise. Add a tablespoon of chopped chervil."
[1963]
Bechamel
Food historians tell us the art of reducing cream sauces (aka cream reductions) began in 18th century France. Think: Antonin
Careme. Some argue modern bechamel was introduced a century earlier by
La Varenne. Our survey of historic
recipes confirms a facinating dichotomy between the "ancienne" formulary and contemporary sauce. The story behind the "invention" of
bechamel, and its name continues to fuel intelligent discussion.
Origination stories
Was bechamel sauce (which
some people would spell bechamelle) really invented by Marquis Louis de Bechameil? Was this financier a gastronome and a gourmet and
was he in any way competent in the culinary art? We do not know this for certain but everything seems to indicate that the bechamel
sauce, being a major sauce, must have been, if not invented, at least perfected by one of the queux de semestre--cooks in the
six months' service of the royal kitchen. Some dictionaries give quite erroneous definitions of this major sauce. Originally, the bechamel was made
by adding a liberal amount of fresh cream to a thick veloute sauce. Nowadays bechamel is made by pouring boiling milk on white roux (blend
of butter and flour). When a meat bechamel is wanted, a certain amount of lean veal, diced, and simmered in butter with a minced
onion is added."
17th century/La Varenne connection?
We find no bechamel in La Varenne's
Cookery/Terence Scully [Prospect Books:UK] 2006 & The French Cook, Englished by I.D.G. 1653, introduced by Philip and Mary
Hyman [Southover Press:East Sussex] 2001. Both confirm La Varenne used roux. La Varenne's recipe below describes a "white
sauce" composed of egg yolks and verjuice. The addition of egg yolks
and verjuice (acid component, similar to lemon juice) is strikingly similar to some contemporary bechamel recipes. If this is the
connection the Internet is perpetuating, we respectfully request reconsideration. La Varenne's sauce is so very different
from recipes published in the 19th century. Recipe evolution is generally slow and methodical. It is unlikely any bechamel
would skip three generations, much less three centuries. That said, there were many editions of La Varenne's book. It is possible
that a later version offered bechamel.
This French food historian does not categorically state "bechamel" was a recipe title in the 17th
century. He is describing a documented process which was published in the 19th century as "bechamel ancienne."
"A bechamel...in the seventeenth century was a very complicated sauce which contained a number
of vegetables and wines as well as old hens and old partridges, and after being strained several
times was finished with reduced cream and cooked in the oven. Not so very long ago, a bechamel
was cooked in the oven with ham, chopped onions coloured in butter and a bouquet garni. It was
turned out and strained through a hair sieve, double cream was added and the sauce was stirred
and reduced again..."
Who was Bechamiel? (Bechameil)
[1828]
No. 36.--The Bechamel maigre
(This sauce is intended chiefly for those who conform to the Roman Catholic religion)
[1869]
"Chicken Bechamel Sauce
"Bechamel Sauce Maigre(Without Meat)
[1927]
[1952]
Dips
Food historians tell us we have been "dipping" food since the beginning of time. Dips can be sweet or savory, mild or spicy. Texture
can be thick (hummus), thin (olive oil), creamy (sour cream based) or soupy (salsa). They are known in
many cultures and cuisines. Party dips, as we Americans know them today, are a twentieth century creation. Flavor are generally
savory; textures run from soupy to creamy. These cold dips are generally served in the hors d'ouvres course or for party buffets.
Most popular dipping items are crackers, chips and bite-sized vegetables. Dips differ from spreads in that the edible
receptacle is dipped into the creamy accompaniement.
Spreads & meal placement
Popular American dips
"Dips, Dunks, & Spreads. It's been said that dips originated in the 1950s with that gloppy blend of sour
cream and dry onion soup mix known as California Dip. Not so. Barbara Kuck, Director of the Culinary
Archives and Museum at Johnson and Wales University in Providence, Rhode Island, presides
over...culinary memorabilia amassed by her father, the late chef Louis Szathmary...Among these papers is
a recipe for clam and cream cheese dip penciled on a 3 X 5 -inch file card by Mrs. Woodrow Wilson. It is
said to hae been one of the President's favorites. That would push the advent of dips back to the second
decade of this [20th] century...Still, dips did not come into vogue until twenty or twenty-five years later. And
the man who popularized them, I'm convinced, was James Beard. In his very first cookbook (Hors
d'Oeuvre and Canapes, 1940), Beard wrote: I think it delightful to have large bowls of cheese mixtures
which are of a consistency that permits "dunking." Cream cheese mixed with chopped onions, sour cream,
and perhaps a little green pepper and a great deal of parsley, is always welcome. Roquefort cheese or
Gorgonzola mixed with cream cheese or sour cream, with a flavoring of chopped chives and chopped raw
mushrooms, is another good dunker. Cream cheese, sour cream, and grated fresh horseradish and a few
chopped chives is another delightful addition to this family. You may have your choice of dunkers--potato
chips, pretzels, crackers, Italian bread sticks--any of them.' Dips gained popularity during the 1940s, at
least in some parts of the country."
The 1930s connection made by Ms. Anderson may be explained, in part, by the Great Depression. During
this period many people had to rethink their entertaining style. Many middle class people were maidless
for the first time. Simple solutions to serving traditional meals filled women's magazines and trendy
cookbooks.
"The Depression also changed the way many Americans entertained at home. Except for the
upper echelons of society, most families were now maidless, which made grand, formal dinner
parties impossible. Instead, hostesses gave luncheons, teas, and cozy Sunday Night Suppers
around the chafing dish...The Thirties also ushered in an era of women's clubs--whether dedicated
to charitable activities, gardening, or the fine art of bridge--perhaps as a reaction to the
individualistic Twenties, perhaps as a kind of atavistic huddling together against the harsh
realities of the new age."
Our survey of popular American cookbooks confirms the popularity of dips in the 1940s and 1950s. They
also illustrate the evolution of this item from formal appetizer to informal party fare. It is interesting to note
that in these decades, the sauces were called "dunks." The items used to scoop the "dunk" were called
"dips."
[1942]
"Suggestions for hot dunking trays
"Suggestions for cold dunking trays
"Potato-chip scoop tray
[1947]
[1955]
Melba toast, Pumpernickel strips, hard-roll chunks, toast fingers, crisp crackers, pickle sticks, conr chips,
raw cauliflowerets, pretzel sticks, potato chips, raw carrots sticks or slices, celery chunks, hearts, or
sticks...cooked shrimp, avocado chunks...french fries, cucumber fingers...pineapple chunks...radishes,
scallions, lobster chunks, chicken chunks, salty-rye slices.
Dunks...Anchovy-celery cocktail, blue-cheese, avocado-cream-cheese, cheesy egg, garlic-cheese, clam
and cheese, chili-cheese, tangy salmon, tuna-cheese."
[1967]
[1982]
"Dips: things mashed up with other things to a harmonious consistency; readily spreadable, or pick-upable with raw vegetables or
crackers or chips. Dips as snacks, as hors d'oeuvre...dips as diner. Most of these are very easy to make, and even easier
to eat."
Bean dip
Hummus
"Hummus/Chickpeas. These hard, round, corn-colored peas, earthy in flavor and aesthetically
attractive, lend themselves, as do most ingredients in the hands of Middle Eastern cooks, to an
infinite variety of dishes. Mashed and smoothly pureed, they make an excellent base for a tahini
cream or a meat soup...Hummus bi Tahini/Chickpeas with Tahini...This tahini salad is the most
widely known and appreciated of all outside the Middle East; its aroma blends so well with that
of its constant companions, shish kebab and ta'ahia, in Oriental restaurants. Its particular quality
is a rich, earthy one. It makes an excellent appetizer served as a dip with bread, fish, eggplant--practically anything--
and can also be used as a dals with a main dish."
"Hummus, or hoummos, is an hors d'oeuvre made from crushed or mashed chickpeas with the addition of sesame
paste (tahini), garlic, and lemon juice. It is characteristic of the Middle East and the eastern Mediterranean (the term
entered English via Turkish), but this the explosion of interest in foreign cuisine in Britain over the past forty years
(due in no small measure to the writings of Elizabeth David, whose Book of Mediterranean Food (1965) contains the
first recorded reference to hummus in English) it has now established a place on the supermarket shelves."
[1965]
Chickpeas
"Chickpea, one of the oldest cultivated pulses in the Near East. Chickpeas were grown in Palestine by 8000 BC. They had been gathered from the wild in the
Mediterranean region even before cultivation began locally; in southern France, for example, by 7,000 BC. Theophrastus says that the chickpea
was not grown in India, bu that is incorrect: it had reached India by 2000 BC, the date of the oldest arthaeobotanical finds of chickpea in the
subcontinent. In the classical world chickpeas were wserved among tragemata, variousl eaten greenm, or roasted, or dried or boiled. Chickpea soup
...was a common and cheap street food in classical Rome...Anthimus reccomends that chickpease be boiled till soft and seasoned with
oil and salt."
"Chickepea...a small legume which was first grown in the Levant and ancient Egypt, but is now
an important food in many parts of the world., especially the broad band of countries extending
from India through the Middle East to North Africa, with offshoots of importance in places to
which the Arabs took it, e.g. Sicily and Spain...in the 2nd millennium BC according to Achaya,
the chickpea was one of the pulses eaten in India, where it is a major foodstuff...Despite its
reputation, the chickpea is the basis of some of the most popular Middle Eastern dishes, notably
hum(mus), which is the Arabic word for chickpea but also a ubiquitous paste of chickpea and
tahini (sesame paste) with garlic and lemon; and felafel."
"Bengal gram. So called because it was first encountered by the British in Bengal, the Bengal gram is chanka in Sanskrit, chana in
Hindi, kadalai in Tamil, chickpea in English...The khalva of the Yajurveda 9c. 1000BC) may refer to it, while chanka occurs in early
Buddhist writings (c. 400 BC). It has been found in 2500 BC layers in the Indus Valley site of Kalibangan...Thepostulated centre of origin of the
chickpea is the Caucasus or Asia Minor and it shows up as early as in 5400 BC in Halicar in Turkey...The Bengal
gram is the major pulse of India. The whole pulse is cooked in a gravy or to dryness, or is cooked with gourd in Bengal."
"The chick-pea is so frequently cultivated in Egypt from the earliest times of the Christan era,
that it is supposed to have been also known to the ancient Egyptians. There is no proof to be
found in the drawings or stores of grain in their monuments, but it may be supposed that this pea,
like the bean and the lentil, was considered common or unclean. Reynier thought that the ketsech,
mentioned by Isaiah in the Old Testament was perhaps the chick-pea; but the name is generally
attributed though without certainty, to Nigella sativa or Cicia sativa. As the Arabs have a totally
different name for the chick-pea, omnos, homos, which recurs in the Kabyl language as hammez,
it is not likely that the ketsech of the Jews was the same plant. These details lead me to suspect
that the species was unknown to the ancient Egyptians and to the Hebrews. It was perhaps
introduced among them from Greece or Italy towards the beginning of our era."
The Encyclopedia Judaica, the ingredients of hummus appear in the Bible and the Mishnah:
Chick-pea (Cicer arietinum): Isa. 30:24; Pe'ah 3:3; Kil. 3:2
Sesame (Sesamum orientalis): Shev. 2:7; Hal. 1:4, et al.
Seven layer taco dip
[1984] Related dishes? Tortilla soup & Taco salad.
Spinach dip
"Spinach and artichoke dip. A number of artichoke dips surfaced in the '70s and '80s but none better than
this cold one and the hot one that follows on page 34. The cold one is adapted from Phyllis Meras's New
Carry-Out Cuisine (1986). it comes from a Providence, Rhode Island, take-out shop called Culinary
Capers that's run by Rosalind Rustigian. In her recipe headnote, Meras writes, "This spinach and
artichoke dip is popular at faculty cocktail parties at nearby Brown University and the Rhode Island School
of Design."
Espagnole
Espagnole is basically a brown roux. Roux (the combination of fat and flour to create a thickening
agent) is ancient. It is interesting to note that La Varenne's Le Cuisnier Francois [1651]
does not contain a recipe for sauce Espagnole. It does, however, offer brief instructions regarding
sauce Robert, a well documented variation. Culinary evidence confirms during the 18th and 19th
centuries several recipes for Espagnole were published. They ranged from original & complicated
to convenient & simple. At some point, tomatoes were introduced. The difficulty with tracing the
history of Espagnole has nothing do with the lack of documentation. It's a fascinating sleuthing
job sorting out the plethora of names by which this sauce assumes alias. To complicate matters?
Lenten Espagnole does not (of course!) employ meat base.
"Espagnole. The name given in classical French cuisine to the 'mother sauce' from which are
derived many of the sauces described under brown sauces. The name has nothing to do with
Spain, any more than the counterpart allemande...has anything to do with Germany. It is generally
believed that the terms were chosen because in French eyes Germans are blond and Spaniards are
brown. Some authorities prefer to regard demiglace...as the parent of the group of brown sauces,
and would say that espagnole is the penultimate stage in producing demi-glace. However, what is
certain is that for people outside France as well as inside the term expagnole is widely understood
to mean the basic brown sauce, and indeed one which can be used on its own although it normally
has added flavourings and a new name. The arduous procedure for making an espagnole on
traditionally approved lines is now rarely followed."
ESPAGNOLE SAUCE THROUGH TIME
[1747]
[1828]
[1869]
Butter a stewpan, and put in it 3 sliced onions; upon these place 6 lbs of boned fillet of veal,
and 2 lbs of gravy-beef; moisten with 1 pint of General Stock, or Grand Bouillon, and set it
boiling on a brisk fire; when the Stock is reduced one half, glaze the meat of a bright-brown and
even colour, by simmering gently, and turning it frequently.
This process requires particular attention; for, if the glaze be over cooked, and of a
dark-brown colour, the sauce will have an acrid taste, which no amount of sugar added to it
would
rectify.
When the meat is well glazed, take the stewpan off the fire; cover it, and let it stand five
minutes before adding any more broth,--this will facilitate the dissolving of the glaze; then pour in
6 quarts of General Stock; boil; skim; and add:
1 faggot, 2 carrots, 1/2 oz. Of salt, 1/4 oz. Of mignonnette pepper, 1/4 oz. Of sugar;
Boil, and simmer; and, when the meat is done, take it out, and strain the Stock through a broth
napkin.
Make a roux in a stewpan, with 14 oz. of clarified butter, and 14 oz. of flour; when this is
cooked, moistened with the Stock; stir over the fire with a wooden spoon till boiling, and simmer
for two hours on the stove corner, with the stewpan only three parts closed; skim, and take off the
fat twice during that time; and the end of the two hours, skim, and free the sauce from fat once
more; strain it through a tammy cloth; and put by for use.
Observation.--I do not advise adding a hen or any game to this sauce, as is so often
fone,--butcher's meat alone should constitute the basis of Espagnole, which, being intended to add
to
other preparations, any special flavouring given to it, either by poultry or game, would often be
prejudicial."
[1884]
[1903]
Ingredients:
Preparation:
NOTES:
[1941]
Gastrique
Sweet and sour pairings transcend time and place. Recipes reflect time and place.
Think: Ancient Roman inspired
Vinaigrette, Duck a l'orange,
tangy Chinese dishes and Pennsylvania Dutch tables balancing Seven Sweets with
Seven Sours.
Sweet and sour pairings, including sauces, are native to several cuisines. Most notably China, France, and Pennsylvania Dutch. One of the foundations of classic French cuisine is sweetened vinegar dressings. Gastrique, as we Americans know it today, appears to be a relatively new iteration on this culinary theme. Escoffier does not offer a recipe.
"Gastrique. A reduced mixture of vinegar and sugar used in the preparation of hot sauces accompanying dishes made with fruit (such
as duck with orange). Gastrique is prepared by heating the ingredients together (seasoning as necessary) until the liquid has
almost entirely evaporated."
"When it comes to blending savory foods with fruits and berries--duck a l'orange, duck with cherries and the like--there is not much
neutral ground. There are those who deplore such combinations and those who find them delightful. I am a member of good standing in this group...
In cooking the [Calf's Liver With Grapes] I used a preparation, called a gastrique, that is commonly a part of the
preparation of duck a l'orange and related dishes. Made by blending a little vinegar and sugar in a saucepan and cooking until the
liquid evaporates and the sugar takes on a la light caramel color, it provides a trace of sweet and sour as well as a bit of color
to a sauce."
Hollandaise
Food historians generally agree that Hollandaise sauce was a French invention, most likely dating
to the mid-18th century. Why the reference to Holland? This country (or more broadly the
Netherlands) was famous for its fine butter and good eggs.
"Hollandaise. One of the most prominent suaces in the group of those which are thickened by the
use of egg yolk. The fact that such a sauce will curdle if heated beyond a certain point is largely
responsible for their reputation of being difficult. McGee (book: Curious Cook)...has
investigated both the history and the chemistry of the sauce. He reports that one of the earliest
versions which he found, " sauce a la hollandoise", in the 1758 edition of Marin's Dons de
Comus,
calls only for butter, flour, bouillon, and herbs; no yolks at all'...Sauces which are derived from, or
can be regarded as variations of, hollandaise include: sauce aux capres, maltaise, mousseline,
moutarde (Dijon mustard)."
"Although Hollandaise was a French creation its name was not totally inaccurate. The Dutch
cities of Leyden and Delft exported so much of their renown butter (the sauce's principal
ingredient) in the seventeenth century, that they were forced to import cheaper butter from
England and Ireland."
We find several recipes for Sauce Hollandaise (also sometimes referenced as 'Dutch Sauce') in
popular 19th century American Cookbooks. If you are interested in an
old recipe
you can view
the 1884 version printed in the Boston Cooking School Cook Book, Mrs. D. A. Lincoln
It is interesting to note that the classic Dutch cookbook De Verstandige Kock (The
Sensible Cook), circa 1683,
contains
several recipes for sauce meant for fish featuring butter, spices, verjus/lemon juice or wine. Few
of these list eggs as an ingredient:
To stew small Bundles of Young Eels with Herbs.
Honey mustard sauce
Sweet, creamy mustard preparations have been relished from ancient times forward. Recipes and applications vary according to culture and
cuisine. Modern honey-mustard, as we Americans know it today, descends from this tradition. This versatile, tangy combination works equally well as dipping sauce, salad dressing, sandwich condiment, barbecue sauce, and baking glaze.
We were hoping a survey of recipes published in WWII--present American newspapers would confirm a single explanation for modern popularity. No
such luck. What we found? Honey-mustard recipes have been promoted as economical & efficient (quickie glazes/sauces for home kitchens),
healthy & nutritious (natural sugar alternative), gourmet product (upscale purveyors promoting holiday gifts), down-home slathering sauce (barbeque), trendy fare (specialty salad dressing) and dipping sauce (fast food). We find no evidence confirming modern American taste for honey-mustard was inspired by a specific culture or cuisine. This surprised us. We would have guessed an Asian influence.
[1942: fruit salad dressing]
[1956: barbecue sauce associated with Wisconsin]
[1958: fruit salad dressing for dieters]
[1969: glaze for baked chicken, home recipe]
[1972: sauce for baked chicken, milder than above]
[1974: fried seafood dipping sauce, New York]
[1976: upscale gourmet gift, meant for meat, from Texas]
[1977: trendy gourmet French-style restaurant salad dressing, Los Angeles]
[1980: McDonald's Chicken McNuggets introduced]
[1981: sweet French-type dressing, Los Angeles]
[1991: sandwich condiment, grilled chicken]
[1999: barbecue sauce, South Carolina]
Hot-N-Tot sauce
Wizard of Oz movie trivia: When the Cowardly Lion gave his famous speech with the line "What makes the Hottentot so hot?" was he referencing the Hottentot
African peoples? Maybe not, speculate some food historians.
Wright's commercial Hot-N-Tot sauce was a popular condiment sold about the same time as the movie was produced. While we do not have exact dates on the
product's introduction, it is possible that Los Angeles based screenwriters, producers, and actors were familiar with this sauce. The earliest print reference we
find for Wright's Hot-N-Tot sauce is an ad published in the Los Angeles Times (June 22, 1941 p. 17). The last print reference we find is an ad from the same
paper (April 15, 1965 p. D4). The clincher for some? Wright's 1931 trademarked slogan "Puts the Barb in Bar-B-Q," is similar in construction to the Lion's speech structure.
The connection, albeit undocumented, merits consideration.
"Word Mark PUTS THE BARB IN BAR-B-Q Goods and Services IC 030. US 046. G & S: BARBECUE SAUCE. FIRST USE: 19310416. FIRST USE IN COMMERCE: 19310416 Mark Drawing Code (3) DESIGN PLUS WORDS, LETTERS, AND/OR NUMBERS Design Search Code 26.03.01 - Ovals as carriers and single line borders Serial Number 71651872 Filing Date February 8, 1954 Current Filing Basis 1A Original Filing Basis 1A Registration Number 0600551 Registration Date January 4, 1955 Owner (REGISTRANT) E. H. WRIGHT COMPANY, LTD., THE PARTNERSHIP 2435 MCGEE ST. KANSAS CITY MISSOURI Assignment Recorded ASSIGNMENT RECORDED Type of Mark TRADEMARK Register SUPPLEMENTAL Renewal 1ST RENEWAL 19750324 Live/Dead Indicator DEAD"
Records filed with the US Patent and Trademark Office confirm the Wright Company was based in Kansas City, Missouri. The earliest product in the database is
condensed smoke, introduced to the American public January 1, 1896.
Jezebel sauce
Cooks have been pairing spicy fruit sauces with meat for hundreds of years. Vitamin C-rich fruits pack a delicious punch of flavor.
Think: Pork & applesauce and
Turkey & cranberry sauce.
Combinations of sweet fruit or wine jellies and savory components (mustard, horseradish)
are found in several cuisines throughout the world.
Jezebel Sauce, combining apple jelly, pineapple preserves, mustard and horseradish, presumably descends from
this tradition. While most of
the ingredient are traditional *old world* flavors, the addition of pineapple places it (most likely) in the 20th
century.
Where exactly did Jezebel Sauce originate? Print sources generally point to the
Mississippi gulf region, from Florida to Texas. Late 19th-mid 20th century Creole cookbooks contain peppered jellies and
creamy horseradish mustard sauces but nothing remotely approximating Jezebel. The use of canned commercial products might suggest Jezebel was
developed in corporate kitchens. We cannot verify this in print.
Early recipes recommend Jezebel Sauce as an exotic twist to traditional ham glaze. Pairing it with cream cheese
and crackers happened later. The earliest print reference we find to a recipe for Jezebel Sauce was published by Clementine Paddleford, a popular newspaper columnist, in 1958. The location?
Kansas, of all places. In 1967 this recipe went viral in local USA newspapers during the winter holidays. None of these articles offered historic notes or locus of origin. This recipe was also listed by other names; most notably "Fruit
Horseradish sauce." The earliest print reference we find for this item is 1939. Sadly, there is no description to confirm its composition.
[1958]
[1967]
[1967]
[1975]
[1981]
[1986]
[1993]
Ketchup
The history of ketchup is fascinating and (believe it or not?) complicated. Food historians generally agree the predecessor of our
ubiquitous All-American
tomato-based condiment originated in Southeast Asia. Some believe the English word 'ketchup' was borrowed from Chinese, too. How is this
possible when tomatoes are a "New World" food? Original recipes for this pungent condiment were flavored with
Asian ingredients. When tomatoes were introduced to China (circa 16th century), they were eventually incorporated. 18th and 19th century
British and American cookbooks offer dozens of ketchup recipes featuring a wide variety of tangy fruits, vegetables, nuts,
and fish. By the end of the 19th century, American tomato ketchup, as we know it today, was commercially bottled and
widely consumed by a hungry public. In 1981, the USA federal government proposed
ketchup be classed as a vegetable to satisfy school lunch nutrition requirements.
What is ketchup?
English recipe, circa 1747:
About American ketchup
[1885]
Why call it ketchup (catsup)?
What is the correct spelling?
Related foods: Salsa & tomato sauce
Tomato soy
Food historians confirm the relationship between tomato soy, ketchup (catsup), pickles and sauce were complicated and sometimes interchangeable in the 19th
century. Andrew F. Smith, reigning tomato expert, states these fruits were highly prized for their ability to stay preserved for long periods. Karen Hess, early
American culinary expert confirmed the fact that soy, sauce and catsup sometimes produced similar products. Our survey of recipes in historic cookbooks bears
this out. Below please find selected examples. Tomato soy (catsup) was used in sauces for meat and vegetables, not unlike
today.
"Soy...in early American cookery, soy and catsup were not well differentiated, as seen in Mrs. Randolph's soy and catsup recipes for
tomatoes."
[1824]
[1840]
[1870]
[1885]
Mayonnaise
How many theories are there on the origin of mayonnaise? At least four! The fifth is generally overlooked. Some early recipes
indicate mayonnaise sauces accompanied jellied fish, in the traditional of aspic.
"Mayonnaise, a famous sauce which is, essentially, an emulsion of olive oil and vinegar (or lemon juice) stablized with egg yolk and seasoned to taste...As a French word
mayonnaise, meaning the sauce, first appeared in print in 1808. However, an interesting curiousity is its appearance in the phrase 'mayonnaise de poulet' in a German
cookbook of 1804."
"The derivation of the word mayonnaise has always been a matter of some controversy. Among suggestions put forward in the past are that it is an alteration of
bayonnaise, as if the sauce originated in the town of Bayonne, in southwestern France; that it was derived from the French verb manier, 'stir' (this was the chef Careme's
theory); and that it could be traced back to Old French moyeu, 'egg yolk'. But the explanation that it origianlaly meant literaly 'of mahon' and that the sauce was so
named to commemorate the taking of Port Mahon, capital of the island of Minorca, by the duc de Richelieu in 1756 (presumably Richelieu's chef, or perhaps even the duke
himself, created the sauce). English borrowed the word from French in the 1840s..."
"The Eighteenth Century...Members of the royal court invented new dishes, or tather they appropriated the glory for their discovery from helpless chefs...The greatest of these
noble discoveries, if in fact occurred, was the world premiere of mayonnaise, said to have taken place at the table of the Duc de
Richelieu, second cousin of the cardinal, after the capture of Port Mahon in 1759. This is the most disputed of all sauce
origins. Some people are persuaded that mahonnaise was indeed transformed into mayonnaise. Others find a more appealing etymology
in the old-fashioned word for egg yolk: moyeu. Careme insisted on yet a third alternative: "Some people," he wrote, "say
mayonnaise, others mahonnaise, still others bayonnaise. It makes no difference that vulgar cooks should use these words, but I urge
that these three terms never be uttered in our great kitchens (where the purists are to be found) and that we should always
denominate this sauce with the epithet, magnonaise." Careme was convinced that his etymology made the most sense:
magnonaise came from the verb "manier," to handle or work, which, he argued, was exactly what one did to produce a good
mayonnaise...If I may further add to the confusion, it seems to me improbably that no one has yet proposed a fourth solution to the
problem. Since most sauces are named after places (bearnaise, venitienne, italienne, africaine), it is logical that mayonnaise
refer to one also. Unfortunately, there is no town of Mayonne; however, there is a city in France, at the western edge of
Normandy, called Mayenne. Who is to day that mayonnaise did not begin as mayennaise?"
A sampler of historic mayonnaise recipes
[1869]
"Green Mayonnaise Sauce
[1907]
Related foods? Aioli & Chocolate Mayonnaise Cake.
Mirepoix
The definition of Mirepoix is a study in culinary evolution. Notes here:
"Mirepoix: A culinary preparation created in the 18th century by the cook of the Duc de
Levis-Mirepoix, a French field marshal and ambassador of Louis XV. It consists of a mixture of
diced
vegetables (carrot, onion, celery); raw ham or lean bacon is added when the preparation is with
meat. A mirepoix is used to enhance the flavour of meat, game and fish, in the preparation of
sauces (notably espagnole sauce) and as a garnish for such dishes as frog's legs, artichokes and
macaroni. When a mirepoix is used in braised or pot-roasted dishes, it should be simmered gently
in a covered pan until all the vegetables are very tender and can impart their flavour to the dish.
Mirepoix without meat is mainly used in the preparation of shellfish, for braised vegetable dishes
and in certain white sauces."
"A mirepoix is a mixture of finely chopped vegetables, typically onion, carrot, and celery, fried in
butter and used for flavouring stews and other meat dishes, as a base for sauces, and as a garnish.
It was reputedly devised in the eighteenth century by the cook to the Duc de Levis-Mirepoix, a
French field marshal."
"Mireopoix, Charles-Pierre-Gaston Francois de Levis, Duke of (1699-1757). Mirepoix was an
incompetent and mediocre individual', writes Pierre Larousse at the end of the 19th century, who
owed his vast fortune to the affection Louis XV felt toward his wife'. This same author informs
us that the unfortunate Mirepoix had one claim to fame: he gave his name to a sauce made of all
kinds of meat and a variety of seasonings'...But what exactly, in the 18th century, constituted a
dish a la Mirepoix? The answer is hard to supply since it is not until the 19th century that the term
is encountered regularly in French culinary texts. Beauvilliers, for instance, in 1814, gives a short
recipe for a Sauce a la Mirepoix which is buttery, wine-laced stock garnished with an aromatic
mixture of carrots, onions, and a bouquet garni. Careme, in the 1830s, gives a similar recipe
calling it simply Mire-poix and, but the mid-19th century, Gouffe refers to a Mirepoix as a term
in use for such a long time that I do not hesitate to use it here'. His mirepoix is listed among
essences' and, indeed, is a meaty concoction (laced with two bottles of Madeira!) Which, like all
other essences, was used to enrich many a classic sauce. By the end of the 19th century, the
mirepoix had taken on its modern meaning and Favre in his Dictionnaire universel de
cuisine (c. 1895, reprinted 1978) uses the term to describe a mixture of ham, carrots, onions,
and herbs used as an aromatic condiment when making sauces or braising meat."
Compare these recipes:
[1903] Escoffier
"321. Matignon
[1996] CIA
"White Mirepoix
Mother
In the French culinary tradition "Mother Sauces" are those
from which all
others are derived. Contemporary classic French cuisine generally rests upon five mother sauces.
Which are the mother sauces?
A timeline (of sorts) here:
[19th century Careme & 20th century Escoffier]
"Sauces, like all else, are continually changing in details whilst the foundations upon which they are built change but little if at all. There are five foundation sauces or
basic sauces, called in French Grandes Sauces or Sauces Meres [mother]. Two of them have a record of two hundred years between them; they are the
Bechamelle and the Mayonnaise. They have lasted so long, not only because they are very good, but because they are so adaptable and provide a fine basis for a
considerable number of other sauces. The other three, which also date back to the eighteenth century, are the Veloute, the Brune and the Blonde; Careme called
these last two Notre Espagnole and Notre Allemande, to emphasize that both were French sauces and that their names were due to their dark and fair
complexions. These five sauces still provide the basis for the making of many modern sauces, but no longer of most of them. Modern sauces may be divided into
two classes: the Careme and Escoffier classes. Among the faithful, in the great kitchens of the world, Escoffier is to Careme what the New Testament is to the Old.
Careme and his disciples produced sauces that were works of art: beautiful and delicious, but complicated. Their chief concern might have been--and probably
was--to camouflage as much as possible the meat, game or fish served with some sauce. Many of sauces whcih Careme used or introduced were strong and spicy...
Escoffier took a different view: he was the apostle of simplicity; he wanted his sauces to help and not to hide the flavour of whatever dish they adorned. He
introduced...fumets and essences...evaporated stock obtained by allowing the water, milk or wine in which meat, fish or vegetables happen to be cooked, to steam
away slowly so as to leave behind a fragrant concentrate as a basis for whatever sauce will be served with them."
[1869]
[1902]
[1927]
[1963]
[1993]
Backstory, courtesy of the food historians:
"It was Careme who began to classify sauces. The hot sauces, which are by far the more
numerous, are subdivided into brown sauces and white sauces....and they too, have innumerable
derivatives. Cold sauces are usually based on mayonnaise or vinaigrette, and they also have many
variations."
"In addition to stocks, the repertoire of French haute cuisine contains a multitude of sauces, in
which different ingredients are added to stocks and cooked in a number of ways. They all tend,
however, to be variations on the them of several basic, or "mother" sauces: espagnole, veloute,
bechamel, tomato, and hollandaise."
"French sauces are the height of culinary technique...They are also part of a structure so orderly and Cartesian that it could only
be French...French sauces are not just a group of randomly assembled essences and emulsions. They come in families, each one
which descends from one basic sauce known appropriately as sauce mere or mother sauce. Once you have made the mother
sauce (which is rarely served by itself), you can make all the small or compound sauces (the ones that are served) in a
matter of minutes by adding the appropriate special ingredients that make up the particualr sauce...The sauce system is like a group
of family trees that evolved over centuries and reached their fullest elaboration in the late nineteenth century. The system was
codified by Escoffier after World War I, and it is still the basis for what is called haute cuisine or classic
cuisine in France today. Not it is a fact that younger chefs in France have radically "simplified" their menus and no longer
cook precisely in the manner of Escoffier...as far as sauces are concerned, they have eliminated or virtually emliminated flour
as a thickening agent for the mother sauces. Instead, they reduce their stocks further and use other liaisons: cream, butter,
hollandaise and egg yolks, as well as arrowroot. This amounts to a fundamental change in direction. Its proponents assert that
flour muddied the taste of the (now) old-fashioned espagnoles and veloutes. They go on to say the streamlined nature of
modern life demands lighter sauces that do not overwhelm the basic elements of the dish which the sauce accompanies. These
arguments are persuasive up to a point. Flour-bound sauces do tend to be more present as a complex taste and a texture than do
sauces based on pure reductions of veal stock. On the other hand, in my opinion it is a slander on the past and an error to dismiss
150 years of professional saucemaking as a muddy, glutinous botch."
Careme & Escoffier: compare & contrast:
"Sauces, like all else, are continually changing in details whilst the foundations upon which they are built change but little
if at all. There are five foundation sauces or basic sauces, called in French Grandes Sauces or Sauces Meres [mother]. Two of them
have a record of two hundred years between them; they are the Bechamelle and the Mayonnaise. They have lasted so long, not only
because they are very good, but because they are so adaptable and provide a fine basis for a considerable number of other
sauces. The other three, which also date back to the eighteenth century, are the Veloute, the Brune and the Blonde; Careme called these last two
Notre Espagnole and Notre Allemande, to emphasize that both were French sauces and that their names were due to their dark and
fair complexions. These five sauces still provide the basis for the making of many modern sauces, but no longer of most of
them. Modern sauces may be divided into two classes: the Careme and Escoffier classes. Among the faithful, in the great kitchens
of the world, Escoffier is to Careme what the New Testament is to the Old. Careme and his disciples produced sauces that were
works of art: beautiful and delicious, but complicated. Their chief concern might have been--and probably was--to
camoflage as much as possible the meat, game or fish served with some sauce. Many of sauces whcih Careme used or introduced
were strong and spicy...Escoffier took a different view: he was the apostle of simplicity; he wanted his sauces to help and not
to hide the flavour of whatever dish they adorned. He introduced...fumets and essences...evaporated stock obtained by allowing the
water, milk or wine in which meat, fish or vegetables happen to be cooked, to steam away slowly so as to leave behind a fragrant
concentrate as a basis for whatever sauce will be served with them."
Sauce Nantua combines bechamel & crayfish. Originating
in the Jura mountains, this delicious 19th century sauce pairs perfectly with fellow
crustaceans, white fish and light white meat.
"Nantua. Any dish cooked a la Nantua, or served with a sauce Nantua, contains crayfish or
crayfish tails as its chief flavouring element. Perhaps the one most often found on menus today is
filets de cole Nantua, sole fillets garnished with a ragout of crayfish tails and covered with sauce
Nantua, a bechamel flavoured with crayfish. Nantua is a small French town to the northeast of
Lyon, near the Swiss border."
"Nantua, a la. The name given to various dishes containing crayfish or crayfish tails, either whole
or in the form of a savory butter, a puree, a mousse or a thick sauce. These dishes often contain
truffles as well. Nantua is a town in Bugey, with a centuries-old reputation for gastronomy."
When was Sauce Nantua introduced?
[1907]
[1927]
[1948]
[1952]
[1961]
[1972]
Food historians generally trace the origin of the concept of pesto to ancient condiments made by
grinding spices with mortar and pestle and combining them with oil. The word 'pesto' literally
means 'pounded'. These types of foods were known in the Persia and ancient Rome. The key to
understanding pesto is basil, the primary ingredient. Pounded basil products were
noted in Italy in Medieval times. Today, pesto is a popular accompaniment to many dishes
served in restaurants and at home. The French call this sauce Pistou, with a nod to Italian origin.
About basil
Basil, A Modern Herbal, M. Grieve, 1931:
About pesto
"Genoa is closely associated with its basil and pesto. Pesto is said to be of Persian origin, and
although the pounding of coriander and garlic into a pesto is quite old in the Middle East, I
believe the origins of Genoese-style pesto may be Roman, as they were known to have made
pounded condiments. Although we can't be sure of the first use of pesto, we do know that Genoa
was associated with basil the star ingredient of this pesto, as early as the mid-fifteenth century,
from the story of the humanist ambassador and lawyer Francesco Marchese, who won his fame
on the basis of a remark he made to the Duke of Milan upon presenting him a tub of basil; if
treated well, basil gave off a very nice scent, if dealt with harshly, it produced serpents and
scorpions."
"In Genoa, the birthplace of basil, and all along the Ligurian coast, the air is redolent of
basil...The most famous Genovese sauce, pesto, is made of basil which has been worked to form
a durable, portable sauce, perfectly suited to long, hazardous voyages of discovery. It had been
suggested that during the crusades, the Genovese contingent could be easily identified even as far
afield as Jerusalem, by the characteristic aroma of pesto that surrounded them...Originally,
[making pesto] was a slow, laborious procedure since the basil, garlic and nuts had to be pounded
by hand with a pestle and mortar-hence the name 'pesto'."
"Pasta al Pesto...In the late 70s/early'80s, when fresh basil could be had at most farmer's markets,
pesto became the pasta sauce of choice."
Pesto infiltrated American culinary conscious during the 1930s; blossomed in the 1950s & went mainstream in the early 1980s.
[1935]
[1944]
[1946]
[1952]
[1955]
[1970]
[1981]
Pesto Sauce
1. Make noodles: Sift four with 1/2 teaspoon salt into medium bowl. Make well in center. Add eggs and water; beat with for until well combined. Dough will be stiff. Turn out on wooden board. Knead dough until it is smooth and elastic--about 12 minutes.
2. Cover with bowl; let rest at least 30 minutes. Divide dough into four parts. Keep covered with bowl until ready to roll out. On lightly floured pastry cloth or board, roll each part into a rectangle, about 16 by 14 inches. The dough should be aobut 1 1/6 inch thick.
3. Work quickly, because dough dries out. From long side, roll up loosely as for jelly roll. With thin, charp knife, cut roll crosswise, 18 inch wide for fine noodles, 13 inch wide for broad. Unwind noodles, stretching slightly, and wind loosely around fingers.
4. Arrange on ungreased cookie sheets. let dry overnight. Makes 1 pound. Next day, about 1/2 hour before serving, make pesto sauce: In bowl, with spoon or with mortar and pestle, blend butter with Parmesan, parsley, garlic, basil and marjoram.
5. Gradually add 1/4 cup oil, beating constantly. Add nuts, mix well. Makes enough sauce for 8 ounces cooked noodles. meanwhile, cook half of the noodles (8 ounces). In large kettle, bring 3 quarts water, 1 tabelspoon each of salt and olive oil to rapid boil.
6. Add noodles. Bring back to boiling, cook, uncovered and stirring occasionally with long fork to prevent sticking, just until tender--7 to 10 minutes. Do not overcook. Drain well, do not rinse. Toss with sauce in heated dish, to coat well. Serves 4."
[1982]
3 packed sups fresh basil leaves (no stems)
[1982]
"Roux. The various kinds of roux are used as thickening agents for basic sauces, and their
preparation,
which appears to be of little importance, should actually be carried out with a great deal of care
and
attention.' So begins August Escoffier's article on Roux in his monumental Guide culinaire;
almost an
entire page is devoted to roux brun, though only short paragraphs deal with the preparation of
roux blond
and blanc. Etymologically, and historically, all this makes perfect sense. Roux in French literally
means
'reddish' (or 'orange') hence the first roux were made by cooking flour and butter together until a
reddish tint
was obtained then using this to thicken a souce or broth. Its widespread use in French cooking
seems to
date from the mid-17th century. At that time, La Varenne (1651) described the preparation of a
liaison de
farine (flour thickener) made by cooking flour in lard and, by the end of the century, cooks are
referring to
this mixture either as farine frit or roux. By the mid-18th century cookbooks authors are advising
that roux
de farine'...be cooked until the butter and flour are a nice yellow' and recommend that the
resulting paste
be stored for later use...The roux had its critics...and some French gastronomes began
complaining about
the over-use of roux in sauces as the 19th century approached. Careme came to its defence in the
1830s
calling those who dared criticize the use of roux ignorant men'...A roux, writes Careme, is an
indespensible
to cooks as ink to writers but, he warns, just as a poor scribbler cannot produce a masterpiece
simply by
dipping his pen into that black liquid, a sauce is not necessarily impoved if the roux has not been
simmered
with sufficient care. In recent years the roux has once again come under heavy criticism and, with
the
advent of nouvelle cuisine in the early 1970s, many chefs abandoned its use...But, despite its
chequered
history, the roux remains one of the cornerstones of French cuisine..."
La Varenne's original recipe:
NOTE: Escoffier's Guide Culinare has recently been reissued in English. Your librarian
can help you
find a copy or obtain the pages you need: The Complete Guide to the Art of Modern
Cookery,
translated by H. L. Cracknell and R. J. Kaufman [John Wiley:New York] 1997. In this edition, his
notes and
recipes for roux appear on pages 6-7.
ABOUT CAJUN ROUX
"The Creoles, like their French ancestors, hold that the three mother sauces, or "Sauces Meres,"
are Brown
Sauce, or "Sauce Espagnole"; the White Sauce, or "Sauce Allemande," and the "Glace," or
"Glaze." These
are the foundation of all sauces, and upon their successful making depends upon the taste and
piquancy of
the numberless variety of fancy sauces that give to even the most commonplace dish an elegance
all its
own. The Creoles are famous for their spendid sauces, and the perfect making of a good sauce is
considered an indispensable part of culinary art and domestic economy. The first thing to learn in
making
sauces of every kind is how to make a good "Roux," or the foundtion mixture of flour and butter,
or flour and
lard. We have the Brown Roux and the White Roux. In making a brown Roux, this unfailing rule
must be the
guide: Never, under any consideration, use burnt or over-browned flour."
Here is the recipe from this book (circa 1901):
In making a roux for cooking gravies or smothering meats, the proportions are one
tablespoonful of lard
and two of flour, butter always making a richer gravy than lard, and sometimes being too rich for
delicate
stomachs. It is a great fad among many in our day to use nothing but butter in cooking. The
Creoles hold
that butter should be used its proper place, and lard in its own. The lard is not only less expensive,
but is far
preferable to an inferior quality of butter, and in many cases preferable to the best butter,
according to the
dish in course of preparation. Properly made, the taste of lard can never be detected, and it is
feared that
butter is used by many to cover up, by its taste, the deficiencies of having made the roux
improperly. If there
is the slightest indication of burnt odor or over-browning, throw the roux away and wash the
utensil before
proceeding to make another. Remember that even a slighly burnt sauce will spoil the most savory
dish."
"White roux.
Sour cream
The first sour [cultured] creams were probably made by accident...it's what happens naturally to
cream that is left too long in the heat. Food historians do not seem to have fixed an exact date or
place to this event. Yogurt, sour milk,
buttermilk & mayonnaise present similar history. Countries/cuisines which have
incorporated sour cream into traditional fare are generally located in central and northern Europe.
Sour cream was introduced to the New World by immigrants from these regions.
"Sour cream
An example of a dairy product in motion; its use has been steadily spreading westwards. It is a
traditional and important ingredient in Russian, E. European, German, and C. European cooking,
both in savoury and in sweet dishes. In the second half of the 20th century...it has started to
become a staple in the western parts of Europe, N. America, and elsewhere...Russian smetana
and Polish smietana are often taken by translators to be 'sour cream', although the dictionaries
give the meaning of the words simply as 'cream'...Traditionally, sour cream was made by letting
fresh cream sour naturally. Lactic (and to a small extent, acetic) acid-producting bacteria in a
cream could normally be relied upon to give an acceptable taste...Modern cultured sour cream is
made by pasteurizing and homogenizing light (English 'single') cream and inoculating it with a
pure culture of selected bacteria."
"'Sour' cream as distinct from 'soured' or 'cultured' is fresh cream which has been kept long
enough to sour naturally. This may produce a pleasant or unpleasant flavor depending on the
bacteria present in the cream. In countries where cooking with sour cream has long been a
tradition, the kind used is that allowed to sour naturally but 'cultured' or 'soured' cream can be
substituted successfully. Northern and Central Europe are the countries where sour cream is an
important ingredient in cooking, and many of the recipes I include here have their origins in
Russian, German, Hungarian, Polish and Czechoslovakian cooking. In Britain, particularly in
farmhouse cooking, sour cream is traditionally used in baking in place of milk for making scones
and similar goods."
Semtana
"Smetana (or smitane, the French version of its name) is sour cream. Until recently it was
familiar in Western gastronomy only in smetana sauce, a savoury sauce made with sour cream,
onions, and white wine, but over the past two decades it has become relatively widely available in
its own rights in British supermarkets. The term is of Russian origin."
"Smetana. A soured (sour) cream, used extensively in central and eastern Europe. Produced by
bacterial fermentation, it does not keep well. It is mainly used with fish, borsch, and as a sauce for
stuffed cabbage leaves, sauerkraut and Hungarian meat stews. The similar sauere Sahne of
Germany has a milder taste but is used in the same ways and also in horseradish sauce with
herrings."
Popular Amreican uses
Mexican-American food & sour cream: tradition or convergence?
"Joe Valdez Caballero, who helped adapt Mexican food to American taste buds by creating a
crisp taco shell and smothering his enchiladas in sour cream, has died at age 81. Caballero,
considered a pioneer of Tex-Mex cuisine, died Friday, his family said. During a 37-year career at
El Chico Restaurant in Dallas, Caballero was apparently the first restaurateur to put sour cream
on chicken enchiladas, and thought up the idea of the hard taco shell, said Fred Cavazos, who
worked many years with Caballero."
About California dip.
Soy
"Soy sauce. The universal condiment of China and Japan, is also widely used throughout SE Asia.
It is the main
condiment of Indonesia, where soya beans are grown extensively...Although soya beans have been
grown in China for at
least 3500 years, the sauce is a slightly more recent invention. It was developed during the Zhou
dynasty (1134-246
BC) , and probably evolved in conjunction with the fermented fish sauces, many of which
involved both fish and rice.
The moulds Aspergillus oryzae and A. soyae are the principal agents in producing soy sauce, and
the enzymes which
they provide are similar to those which ferment fish sauce. These organisms are common and
could accidentally have got
to work on soya beans, with results which would have been recognized as a fishless fish sauce'.
Early soy sauce was a
solid paste known as sho or mesho. This developed into two products, liquid shoyu and solid
miso. In China the liquid
sauce is used more than the paste, while in Japan both are of equal importance. The European
name soy' (similar in all
lnaguages) originates with the 17th-century Dutch traders who brought the sauce back to Europe,
where it became
popular despite its high price."
Recommended reading (both contain extensive bibliographies for further reading):
Ingredients suggest tapenade, a robust Provencal sauce featuring capers, anchovies, olives, and lemon juice, dates to ancient
times. Food historians generally agree this delicious convervence of Mediterranean flavors is a relatively new
creation. J. B. Reboul [1897] names the restaurant and the chef (a friend of his) but does not share when or how Tapenade came to be.
Tapenade first surfaces in USA print in
the 1960s. This make sense in context. Until recently, most French-American restaurants, culinary educators, and publications
focused on a niched world where "French" and "Parisian" were synonymous. Tapenade's original purpose was to accompany eggs in appetizer format.
Today we graze a different table filled with tapenade dips, toast toppers, and pairings with mild fish or beef. USA cooks are
world famous for creative interprations. Tapenade on warm broiled salmon, anyone?
"La tapenade est une creation de notre ami Meynier a la Maison Doree a Marseille, sous la direction Peyrard. Cette maison est
aujourd'hui disparue."
"The curious thing about this sauce is that it has a kind of ancient, powerful flavour about it, as
if it were something which might perhaps have been eaten by the Romans. Well, it was invented less than a hundred years ago
by the chef at the Maison Doree in Marseille, although it must certainly have been based on some already existing sauce. The original
method was to stuff the eggs with the tapenade, plus the pounded yolks. At la Mere Germain's beautiful restaurant at Chateauneuf du Paper the tapenade is served
pressed down into little deep yellow earthenware pots, like a pate, and comes as part of the mixed hors-d'oeuvre."
"Tapenade. A condiment from Provence, made with capers (from Toulon), desalted
anchovies and stoned black (pitted ripe) olives, pounded in a mortar and seasoned with
olive oil, lemon juice, aromatics and possibly a drop of marc brandy. Tapenade is
sometimes augmented by small pieces of tuna, mustard, garlic, thyme or bay leaf. It
accompanies crudites (in particular, celery, fennel and tomato), meat or grilled (broiled)
fish, is spread on slices of toast, and can garnish hard-boiled (hard-cooked) eggs (mixed
with yolk)."
[1960]
[1962]
[1965]
"Tapenade is a Provencal sauce. The name comes form the word tapena, Provencal for capers. It is a simple sauce and excellent for
hard-boiled eggs, cold fish, or a salad of cold boiled beef. Pound 2 tablespoons of capers in a mortar with half a dozen fillets
of anchovies; add olive oil little by little as form mayonnaise, until you have about a cup of sauce. Add the juice of a lemon and a little
black pepper, but no salt, as the anchovies will probably be salty."
[1975]
Yes, tartar(e) sauce was named for the Tatar peoples of Mongolia. No, it is not a traditional
Tartar recipe. The word 'tatar' refers to the Turkic-speaking people [Tatars] who settled in Mongolia sometime
during the 5th Century AD. In the food world, 'tatar' takes on the French spelling 'tartare' and
is most often associated with tartar(e) sauce. Poultry and fish tartare recipes are fully cooked dishes accompanied by
tartare sauce. Chicken Tartare, a Creole favorite, is a prime example.
Steak tartare, composed of
raw ground beef, is an entirely different dish saddled with the same appelation. No wonder there is confusion!
Why is this recipe called tartar sauce? And when was it first referred to a such? This is hard to
say. According to Rare Bits: Unusual Origins of Popular Recipes, Patricia Bunning
Stevens (p. 156) "Beef Tartare--finely minced lean raw beef--became fashionable in France in the
nineteenth century. It was named for the Tartars (Originally "Tatars") or Mongols who had
terrorized eastern Europe in the days of Gengis Kahn....Beef Tartare was usually served as it is
now, with a bevy of garnishes, including a piquant sauce with a mayonnaise base that came to be
called sauce Tartare or Tartar Sauce. Today, at least in the United States, it is more often served
with fish."
Meat/fowl/fish sauces made with eggs, oil, vinegar and spices date back to Medieval times, a
tradition carried over from Ancient Roman cookery. These recipes were not called "tartar sauce"
but are unmistakably similar to the sauce we know today. They were still popular in Elizabethan
and later times:
The first step in dating modern tartar sauce is dating the origin of this recipe's major component:
mayonnaise. There are many variations on the recipe for tartar sauce; the simplest being a mix of mayonnaise
and chopped pickles. Elaborate recipes give instructions for making one's own mayonnaise and
include chopped onions, scallions and a mix of spicy herbs.
Compare these recipes:
[1879] "Morcan's Tartar Sauce--To Mix Mustard
[1884] Tartar
Sauce & Sauce
Tartare
[1890?] "Tartar sauce
Tomato sauce
Tomatoes are a "new world" fruit. The first tomato sauces were made by ancient South
Americans. These spicy sauces/salsas also employed chilies, peppers, and other finely diced
vegetables. About salsa. The practice of combining
pasta and tomato sauce originated in the late 18th century.
Ragus, sugos and tomato gravies proliferated.
By the middle of the 19th century, tomato ketchup
became America's favorite condiment. Italian-American pasta dishes (Spaghetti and meatballs ) slathered with
tomato sauce gained popularity in the 20th century.
When were tomatoes first combined with pasta?
"Not until...1790, with the publication of the Neapolitan chef Francesco Leonardi's L'Apicio
Moderno (The Modern Apicius) does the spaghetti and tomato sauce of today begin to
emerge."
"How and when the tomato-as-condiment was first put on pasta is a mystery. The first mention of using tomatoes in a pasta dish
is actually French. In L'Almanach des gourmands (1807), Alexandre-Balthazar-Laurent Grimod de la Reyniere recommended that in the autumn,
tomatoes be substituted for the purees and cheese usually mixed into vermicelli before serving. He justified this practice by noting
that 'the juice of this fruit or vegetable...gives a rather agreeable acidity to the soups into which it is put, which is generally
pleasing to those who have become accustomed to it.' Using tomatoes in soups was a long-standing practice in Italy...by Grimod's
time, tomatoes were also consumed in Paris...The marriage between pasta and the tomato is usually said to have taken place in Naples.
La cucina casereccia...has a recipe for macceroni alla napolitana, in which the pasta is boiled in a meat broth in which
tomatoes have been cooked...The recipe for macceroni alla napolitana is not a tomato sauce. it was not until 1837 that Cavalcanti write that the
secret of the successful dish of baked vermicelli with tomatoes...was to make the tomato sauce dense, to cook the pasta just
until firm, and to toss everything together in a pan. As for the accompanying tomato sauce, Cavalcanti wrote that whether it was made
from fresh, dried, or preserved tomatoes, there was no point describing its preparation, since everyone knew how to make it...
A recipe for 'macaroni a la napolitana,' combining pasta and tomatoes, first appeared in an American cookbook just a few years
later, in 1847. By the 1880s, the tomato had been established as the condiment of choice for pasta for the peasants of the
Campania region, and pasta itself had become a staple."
[1839]
[1845]
About Ragu:
"Ragu...Meat sauce, usually referring to the long-simmered Bolognese classic, ragu alla bolognese, made with vegetables, tomatoes, heavy cream, and beef."
"Bolognese pasta is almost always served with a ragu (the word is a corruption of the French ragout, or stew). This is a thick sauce made from such ingredients as
onions, carrots, finely chopped pork and beef, celery, butter and tomatoes."
"Ragu can be the dense concentrated meaty sauce made in Bologna to accompany the egg tagliatelle of the region, or a dish of a slow-cooked beef or pork from
Naples, whose thick dark cooking juices season ridge short pasta, the meat making a delicious second course. This Neapolitan recipe used to be made by the
portinai, or doormen, who sat watchfully observing both the comings and goings of tenants and the murmurings of the barely simmering pot. Both recipes have
nothing in common with that Anglo-Saxon abomination Spag Bol, spaghetti bolognese, a recipe loved the world over but quite unknown in Italy."
Related foods? Tomato sauce, sugo & tomato gravy.
About Sugo:
""Juice." Both fruit juice and the juices that seep from meats being cooked. Italians may use the terms sugo (plural, sughi) and salsa interchangeably, but some cooks
distinguish between the two--without agreeing on what those distinctions are. In his cookbook La Scienca in cucina e l'arte di mangiar bene (1891), Pellegrino
Artusi insisted that a sugo di omodoro (tomato sauce) is "simple, i.e., made from tomatoes that are simply cooked and run through a food mill. At the most, you
may add a small rib of celery and a few leaves of parsely and basil to tomato sugo, if you must." Salses, he contended, as accompaniments like greens auce...to
other dishes. Yet sugo di carne, a suace made with meat juices (if with beef alone, it is called sugo di manzo), was well known among wealthy families of the 19th
century, and sugo finto (fake sauce) is a common term used by poor people for a pasta sauce made to taste like a sugo di carne by using the same ingredients, but
without the meat. And meat sauces are also termed salse. To further complicate matters the words ragu, and in Tuscany, tocco, are often used for a meat sauce...It
would appear...that the two terms sugo and salsa are often interchangeable, with sugo reserved for a pasta sauce while salsa may be used to describe sauces that
may or may not accompany pasta."
"Sugo di Umido de Maiale (Campania) Rich Pork Stew Sauce. This rich sauce is typical of Naples and is used to sauce various lasagne, macaroni dishes, and
timapny...The finished sauce will contain a substantial amount of fat, traditionally a prized source of calories for the poorer population."
Artusi's 1891 recipe translated here:
Recommended reading
Related foods? Tomato sauce, ragu & tomato gravy.
Tomato Gravy
"Q. Is there a difference between tomato sauces and tomato gravies?
"I recently offered the opinion that there was essentially no difference between the words 'sauce' and gravy.' I averred that term
sauce had, to my ears at any rate, a much more sophisticated ring to it. Two readers who live in Manhattan had quite
definate thoughts. One, Anne Mendleson, wrote: 'If I may amend your reply to the reader who wondered by her mother always
spoke of tomato 'gravy,' the reason undoubtedly lies in the existence of two Italian words for 'sauce.': sugo and salsa.
Authorities on Italian food invariably say that the distinction is untranslatable, and in Italian-language cookbooks it is not
always consistently maintained. But roughly speaking, sugo (from latin sucus) means 'juice, gravy, essence,'
and salsa corresponds to our word 'sauce.' 'The family of salsa includes mayonnaise, roux-based preparations, salad dressings
and other vinegar- or lemon-based sauces, and in general most of the sauces that might be used with meat dishes. Sughi are almost
invariably served with pasta, and usually involved bringing out the essence or juice of their main ingredients through long or brief
cooking. Sughi are intrinsic to the identity of the dish--in other words, they are not just mixtures of ingredients
intended to gracer it. An Ada Boni's wonderful Il Talismano della Felicita, there is an entire chapter devoted to salse, but
sughi are scracely even mentioned by name, being subsumed under the identities of such classic pasta dishes as spaghetti alla
amatriciana and tagliatelle alla bolognese. Your correspondent's Italian mother was unquestionably making a literal translation
of sugo di pomodoro.' And Joseph Duome stated: 'You replied to a listener that 'a sauce may be more sophisitcated sounding,'
etc. However, there is a diference to us of Italian origin who have had the ecstatic pleasure of smelling Mom or Grandma's
gravy slowly simmering for yours on a Sunday morning. (You know, Sundays and Thursdays were traditional pasta days; not Wednesdays.)
Gravy, as we learned was that sauce that had been highly elevated in taste by sauteing of the braciole, and subsequently, meatalls.
(Some Italian families sometimes added sausages or pork chops for a slightly different tasting gravy.) Thus without meat we knew
it as tomato sauce and with meats, gravy. yes, there is a difference despite the fancy marketing of the various brands of
'sauces,' Some to my house sometime and take in the wondrous aroma of a real gravy!'"
So why call it gravy?
[1955]
[1962]
[1971]
[2002]
[2004]
Recommended reading: Gravy Wars: South Philly Foods, Feuds & Attytudes/Lorraine Ranalli (includes historic notes &
several recipes)
What about milk-based tomato gravies & biscuits?
Our tomato expert (Andrew F. Smith) suggested the origin might have been inspired by late 19th century health advocates. The earliest recipe he identified
(see below, 1892) titled Tomato Gravy, combining this fruit with cream, was published by Ella Eaton Kellogg, of Battle Creek. Note: this recipe is actually a sauce, as it
does not use any fat drippings. Our survey of Southern cookbooks (current & historic) returned several tomato recipes; mostly sauces and ketchups. None of these combined
milk/cream or were suggested to accompany biscuits.
"Tomato Gravy. Pervasive in Appalachia, where frugal cookery is foundational, this gravy is chunkier and more countrified than a
New Orleans red graby. It's also more likely to be poured atop biscuits or fried chicken than pasta. Leftovers of tomato gravy
make the beginnings of tomato soup."
TOMATO GRAVY=VEGETARIAN/HEALTH FOOD
[1976]
TENNESSEE STYLE
Related foods? Tomato sauce, ragu & sugo.
Veloute
Veloute is considered by some to be the most practical of all "mother sauces." Ordinary veloute is
a based on
basic white stock. Chicken and fish veloute inspired their own cadre of flavorful descendents.
"A veloute is a basic white sauce made from veal, chicken, or fish stock and a flour-and-butter
roux. In
French the word means literally " velvety," and it seems to have been introduced into English in
the
early
nineteenth century. It should not be confused with the fairly similar bechemel sauce, which is
made with milk
or cream rather than stock."
"Veloute...is the term used for a basic French sauce which is made with stock...First of all roux is
made with
butter and flour; then plenty of stick is blended in and flavouring added. After prolonged
simmering, the
sauce will have acquired its velevety texture. A liaison of egg yolk and/or a little cream can be
added at the
end to enrich it and make it even more velvety. Veloute, with the addition of various other
ingredients,
acquires new names..."
Related sauce? Allemande.
Vodka sauce
Several traditional Italian sauces incorporate native wines. Vodka??? Intriguing, but decidedly
un-Italian. A survey of newspaper/magazine articles places the genesis of vodka sauce in the
1980s.
Nuevo Cucina.
"Pasta with vodka-enhanced sauce was another trendy food in the mid-Eighties. Although cooks
later devised such dishes as pasta with vodka, sour cream, and two caviars, the first and probably
best was a simple dish of penne (a thick, tubular pasta), vodka, tomatoes, and cream. According
to Barbara Kafka in Food for Friends (1984), it was fashionable in Italy before Joanna's
Restaurant in New York put it on the menu and made it a fad in the United States."
The first references we find to vodka sauce in American newspapers were printed in 1983:
"Pasta with sweet red pepper sauce, pasta with salmon, pasta with sage sauce, pasta with vodka
sauce--and this is just the beginning..."
"The wives of two American Diplomats who met in Rome five years ago have written a cookbook
with recipes that include pasta with vodka sauce and rice with strawberries. Both are examples of
nuova cucina, Italian for new cuisine. What the authors have not included among the more than
250 recipes in "Pasta and Rice Italian Style" (Scribner's, $16.95) is pasta with flavors such as chili
peppers and carrots. Tomatoes and spinach are used in Italy to color some pasta, but not to flavor
it, Efrem Funghi Calingaert and Jacquelyn Days Serwer said in an interview during a trip to New
York. They said the fad for unusual flavored pastas in the United States has not caught on in Italy.
"Italians like to experiment with the sauces, not the pasta," Mrs. Calingaert said."
By the late 1980s, vodka sauce is all the rage:
"With farm markets and produce stands in full bloom, I am always experimenting with new
recipes to take advantage of the seasonal bounty. The recipe given here is a variation on pasta
primavera, a dish that has countless incarnations, although the classic version calls for a wide
assortment of vegetables and a cream-based sauce. The major twist is adding a dash of flavored
vodka to the sauce. You do not really taste the alcohol, most of which evaporates in cooking, but
a kind of peppery flavor does come through. Many herb-flavored vodkas are available, and it can
be fun experimenting with them."
Cheese sauce & Mornay
Our examination of historic UK, USA & French sources (cookbooks, newspapers) appears to confirm "cheese sauce" (aka Sauce
Mornay) first surfaces in the late 19th century. The original/classic pairing was fish. Eggs come second. Vegetables
appear to be an afterthought inspired by classic white sauce. Think: asparagus and Hollandaise and Creamed Onions.
USA food companies creatively promoted cheese
sauces from the 1930s forward as quick economical options for creating family meals. Think: Velveeta &
Cheez Whiz.
Possible progenitors? Fondue (cheese dip), and Welsh
rarebit (chafing dish cheese sauce). 19th century cheese soup recipes are generally composed of similar ingredients; they are
a tad creamier and serve a different place in the meal. In the 1950s casseroles were sometimes
"glued" with cream cheese sauces.
What is Mornay?
"Sauce Mornay, a bechamel sauce flavoured with cheese, seems to have been created at the end of the nineteenth century. There are
conflicting accounts as to whom its name commemorates. Some give the honor to the seventeenth-century French Huguenot writer
Phillipe de Mornay, others to the son of its inventor, Joseph Voiron of the restaurant Durand in Paris, who was supposedly called
Mornay."
[1883]
[1894]
[1906]
[1907]
[1909]
"Cream of Cheese Soup
[1911]
"Cream of Cheese Soup I--Put in a double boiler one quart of milk and half an onion. When at scalding point remove
onion and thicken milk with two level tablespoons of butter and two of flour rubbed together. Season with salt and pepper
and stir in two-thirds of a cup of finely grated cheese and an egg beaten light. Serve immediately."
[1914]
[1915]
[1927]
[1938]
[1939]
[1940]
[1944]
[1962]
Chocolate gravy
Chocolate gravy is a specialty of the American south and Appalachian regions. This flour-thickened sauce is served with biscuits for breakfast. There are (at least) two theories regarding
the origin of this recipe:
"Spanish Louisiana had a trading network in to the Tennessee valley. This trade may have
introduced Mexican-style breakfast chocolate to the Appalachians, where it is called "chocolate
gravy." (Another possibility is that the very old population of mixed-race Appalachian
Melungeons has preserved the dish from the sixteenth- and seventeenth-century Spanish colonies
on the East Coast.)"
"Chocolate gravy in the Appalachians? Yes, say Mark Sohn of Pikefill, Kentucky, who says this
recipe has been handed down over the years by mountain families in his region of eastern
Kentucky and West Virginia...It's a milk-and-flour-based sauce that should be cooked thick
enough to stick well on open biscuits."
"Chocolate Gravy. This gravy, once served by isolated Highlander families as a treat for children, is now a treat for adults.
Why? Because while adults have hond memories of chocolate gravy, children don't know it. They don't see it advertised on TV, and they
can't buy it...When I first heard about this sauce, the name did not appeal to me. Later when I tasted its
smooth chocolately sweetness, when I lifted it with butter and biscuit to my mouth, when I first smelled the chocolate and saw it
shine, then its flavor filled my chocolate-craving taste buds and it entered my long-term memory. I will never forget that
moment. As badly as an itinerant preacher seeks converts, I want you to taste this gravy! Our elderly mountain cooks make chocolate
gravy with canned "cream," a product that manufactureres call evaporated milk. To this "cream," they add enough water so the
gravy will flow and spread, but not so much that it runs over the plate...Chocolate gravy is a milk and flour-based sauce, a white
sauce or a bechamel. It is low in fat--spoon for spoon, it has fewer calories than butter, cream cheese, chocolate sauce,
marmalade, or strawberry jelly--and it is low-cost and easy to prepare. It is thick, full, smooth, and chocolatey. And when the
gravy is cold, it cane be used as a cake filling--it softens as it warms."
---Mountain Country Cooking, Mark F. Sohn [St. Martins Press:New York] 1996 (p. 10-11)
ABOUT CHOCOLATE SAUCE & PUDDINGS IN AMERICA
SO WHERE DOES CHOCOLATE GRAVY FIT IN?
SELECTED CREAMY CHOCOLATE RECIPES
[1879]
[1912]
[1934]
[1996]
[1998]
Related food? Chocolate fondue.
Where did tomatoes originate?
"Sophie Coe and others explain that the tomato originated in north-western S. America, where the ancestor of our edible tomato was most likely L. cerasiforme,
S. pimpinellifolium, or currant tomato, which bears a long spray of tiny red fruits which split on the plant is another candidate, but L. cerasiforme has greater genetic
similarity to the cultivated variety than any other. The edible descendant traveled north to Mexico and was one of the Solanaceae cultivated by the Aztec. There is
no evidence that the wild varieties were ever eaten in their lands of origin, and all tomatoes consumed in S. America were reintroduced after the Spanish
Conquest."
"The tomato (lycopersicon esculentum) is an American plant with an American name. In Nahuatl, the language of the Aztecs, tomatl indicates something round and
plump, and this fruit (rather than vegetable) was almost certainly domesticated in Mexico, even though the presence of its numerous wild relatives (consisting of at
least seven species) in South America suggests that it originated there. Apparently, however, tomatoes were not much used in the Andes region."
Tomatoes in Europe
"The first description of the tomato in the Mediterranean was in 1544, by the Italian botanist
Pierandrea Mattioli. He was desribing the yellow-fruited varity, and it has been suggested that the
Italian word for tomato, pomodoro (apple of gold), derived from this variety...Another theory of
the origin of pomme d'amour is that it is a corruption of pomme des mours, "apple of the Moors,"
in recognition that two important members of the Solanaceae family, the egglant and the tomato,
were favorite Arab vegetables. At first the tomato was used only as an ornamental plant in
Mediterranean gardens because growers recognized it as a member of the nightshade family, then
only known as comprising only poisonous members such as mandrake."
"The tomato, initially regarded as an ornamental fruit and later adopted as a food, was an exotic curiousity that first
appears in the writings of P.A. Mattioli and Jose de Acosta, travelers and naturalists. Apart from these sources, allusions
to its consumption are very rare. Costanzo Felici tell us...that the usual "gluttons and pople greedy for new things" did not
realize they could eat the tomato as they would eat mushrooms or eggplants, fried in oil and flavored with salt and pepper.
Although we must not exclude the possibility that tomatoes were consumed at an earlier date by the common people, it is only at the
end of the seventeenth century that we observe their inclusion in elite cuisine, thanks to the Neapolitan recipe collection
of Antonio Latini. Iberian influences may be detected in their adoption for culinary purposes, since various recipes that
call for tomatoes are designated as "in the Spanish style." Among these is a recipe for "tomato sauce," which is flavored with
onions and wild thyme "or piperna" and subsequently adjusted to taste by adding salt, oil, and vinegar. With a few
modifications, this preparation was to enjoy a remarkable future in Italian cuisine and in the industry of preserved foods. The
custom observed in ancient and medieval times, as well as during the Renaissance, of serving sauces as accompaniments to
"boiled foods or other dishes"--as Latini expresses it in this instance--facilitated the acceptance of the tomato by
integrating it into an established gastronomic tradition. For the same reason, it gained widespread ocurrence in
Italian cooking in the eighteenth and nineteenth cneturies. Panunto in Tuscany, Vincenzo Corrado in Naples, and Francesco
Leonardi in Rome all include it in their recipe books."
"Despite the current enthusiasm for tomatoes in Italy, Spain and the rest of southern Europe, they
were not well received upon arrival from the New World in the sixteenth century. Looking and
smelling much like their poisonous relatives in the Solanaceae family it is not surprising that few
people tried to eat them. They were usually grown as ornamental flowers, and only described
botanically in Mattioli's Commentaries on Dioscordes in 1544. Although wealthy diners
would not eat tomatoes, it does appear that their poorer neighbors had begun to eat them out of
necessity. Good evidence of this can be found in 1650 in Melchior Sebizius' On the Faculty of
Foods in which he writes that they are so cold and moist that they must be cooked with pepper,
salt and oil, but "our cooks abosolutely reject them, even though they grow easily and copiously
in gardens." The first published cookbook recipes including tomatoes appeared in Naples at the
very end of the seventeenth century in Antonio Latini's Lo Scalo all a Moderna." Recommended reading: Pomodoro! A History of the Tomato in Italy/David Gentilcore
Tomatoes in North America
"...English herbalist William Salmon...In 1687...he left for the New World...He traveled to New England and the Caribbean
and practiced medicione in South Carolina...During the early yuears of the eighteenth century, he began working on his major
work, Botanologia; he completed it in 1710. In an early section of the herbal, Salmon revealed that he had seen tomatoes
growing in Carolina, which was in 'the South-East part of Florida.' As strange as this may seem today, his geography was
accurate because the term Florida then referred to what is now the eastern part of the United States. This is the first
known reference to the tomato in the British NOrth American colonies. Several different theories have been espoused to account for
the presence of tomatoes in the Carolinas. The most likely explanation is that there were multiple introductions by different
peoples at different times for different purposes. The Spanish, who had probably cultivated and consumed tomatoes in their
settlements in Florida earlier in the seventeenth century, had established colonies and missions...It is probable that the
Spanish introduced tomatoes into what is today Georgia and the Carolinas. Alternatively, as gardeners grew tomatoes in
Europe, French Huguenot refugees and British colonists may have brought seeds directly from the Caribbean...Whatever the initial
source, tomatoes were cultivated in the Carolinas by the mid-eighteenth century...Only one colonial cookery manuscript is known to
have contained a tomato recipe...author Harriott Pinckney Horry...From the southern states, tomatoes spread northward...Beginning in the late
eighteenth century, cookbooks and agricultural books published in Philadelphia contained references to tomatoes...the earliest
primary source pinpointing the tomato in New Jersey was George Perot Macculloch's farm journal, which noted the planting of
tomatoes from 1829 onward in Morristown...In Massachusetts, tomatoes were introduced in the late eighteenth century."
About tomatoes in China
Grape tomatoes
Who introduced grape tomatoes to the USA?
"The grape tomato landed in Chu's lap in 1996 when a Taiwanese friend gave him some seeds and challenged him to grow the uniquely sweet crop. He planted 2
acres and sold the produce in the farmer's market on Hillsborough Avenue.
Word spread. The next year he planted 40 acres. In 1998, he abandoned the Chinese greens and filled all 200 acres in Wimauma with grape tomatoes."
"Andrew Chu, a vegetable grower in Wimauma, Fla., first heard about a grape-shaped variety of cherry tomato in 1996. A Taiwanese friend and specialty produce wholesaler in New York asked Chu to try them, thinking they might appeal to Asian shoppers; they were already being grown in mainland China.
So Chu sent away for the hybrid seeds from Known-You Seed Co., Ltd., in Taiwan. He planted his first crop in the fall of 1996. Asians bought the grape-shaped tomatoes, but the market was limited, says Chu.
"I started thinking about taking them mainstream," he says. So in 1997, Chu Farms packed them up in pint-size plastic clamshells, and shipped them through its
regular distributors to the East Coast."
"The short history of grape tomatoes starts in 1994, when Florida farmer Andrew Chu began experimenting with the seed--received from a friend in Taiwan--on his
Chu Farms in Wimauma, south of St. Petersburg. The seeds, from the Known-You Co., consistently produced tomatoes with a high level of sugar. With their crimson color, oval shape
and size--slightly smaller than cherry tomatoes--they were like nothing else on the market."
"We talked by phone to Andy Chu of Chu Farms at Wimauma, Fla. (south of Tampa), who grows, packages and sells "the original grape tomatoes." He has
160 acres of the Santa variety. He discovered the tomatoes in Mexico, got a Chinese wholesaler to get the seeds for him and began growing them in 1997.
"Many people are growing them now," he says. Chu Farms ships the grape tomatoes by truck all over the country.
The plants are easy to grow, he says. When he couldn't get seeds, he had a laboratory, West Winds Technology in Athens, Tenn., do tissue cultures to start plants for him, so East Tennessee is a location he's visited frequently.
Asked about their popularity, he says they are sweeter, less watery and easier to eat in one bite than cherry tomatoes. His favorite way of eating them is as a
snack."
U.S. Patent and Trademark Office records confirm grape tomatoes were registerd by Mr. Chu and
introduced to the American public November 15, 1997:
Compteting claims
Early market strategy
"Fresh Grape Tomatoes, new taste sensation...eat as candy or add to a green salad, pint $1.59"
"Grape tomatoes are the hot item in the supermarket produce section. They're roughly the size of seedless green grapes-hence their name-and are sold by the pint
for $1.99 or more. Many folks agree they're pretty tasty. So why not grow your own? That may be difficult, at least this year.
For one thing, there's no tomato variety called "grape." (In catalogs that word typically refers to how some tomatoes grow in clusters.) Ag-Mart Produce of Plant
City, Fla., one of the largest suppliers of grape tomatoes in stores, says the seed variety it uses is called Santa. Also, Santa tomato seeds are scarceand relatively
pricey when you can find them."
Grape tomatoes in Australia
About culinary research & about copyright
---An A-Z of Food & Drink, John Ayto [Oxford University Press:Oxford] 2002 (p. 2)
---Oxford Companion to Food, Alan Davidson [Oxford University Press:Oxford] 2nd edition, 2007 (p. 8)
---The Hundred Glories of French Cooking, Robert Courtine [Farrar, Strause and Giroux:New York] 1973 (p. 137-140)
[NOTE: This book offers a recipe for Aioli de Morue. We can scan/send if you like.]
"Aioli, or Beurre de Provence. Pound 30 g (1 oz) garlic as finely as possible in the mortar, add 1 raw egg yolk and a pinch of salt and gradually mix in 1 1/2
dl (9 fl oz or 1 1/8 U.S. cup) oil allowing it to fall drop by drop to begin with, then faster as a thread as the sauce begins to thicken. The thickening of the sauce
takes place by turning the pestle vigorously whilst adding the oil. The consistency of the sauce should be adjusted during its making by adding the juice of 1 lemon
and 1;2 tbs cold water little by little. Note: Should the sauce separate it can be reconstituted by working it into 1 egg yolk as for Mayonnaise."
---Le Guide Cuilinaire, Escoffier, first translation into English by H.L. Cracknell & R.J. Kaufmann, 1907 edition [John Wiley:New York] 1979 (p. 29)
"Aoili (Provencal sauce for boiled fish)
3 cloves garlic
2 egg yolks
Pepper
Salt or mustard
1 1/3 cups olive oil
Lemon juice
Start by pounding the garlic. Then add the egg yolks, seasonings and, drop by drop, just as you would in making mayonnaise, beat in the olive oil. A few drops of
lemon juice are added at the end."
---"Feast-Day Traditions," Jane Nickerson, New York Times, November 11, 1951 (p. SM22)
Aoili. A Provencal olive-oil-cum-garlic cold sauce which may be described as a well-seasoned Mayonnaise with more or less pounded garlic. In Provence,
the Aioli is the name of the dish itself, whether it be cod or vegetables or snails, when served with such a sauce."
---A Concise Encyclopedia of Gastronomy, Andre L. Simon [Harcourt Brace and Company:New York] 1952 (p. 9)
---"News of Food: France's Aioli and Sweden's Skarpsauce: How to Make 2 famous Fish Dressings," New York Times, August 21, 1952 (p. 22)
"Aioli.--Take 4 large cloves of garlic, remove the sprout and with 1 yolk of egg pound into a fine paste in a mortar. Season with a pinch of salt, and continue to
pound adding 1 cup...of oil, little by little, as for mayonnaise. Stir this mixture vigorously. When finished, it should have the appearance of a thick smooth
mayonnaise. Aoili is served mainly with boiled fish, hot or cold, but can also be served with cold meat, or could be used for seasoning salads and cooked
vegetables."
---Larousse Gastronomique [Crown:New York] 1961 (p. 21)
Sauce Aioli [Provencal Garlic Mayonnaise]
For: Boiled fish, especially cod, bourride (Provencal fish soup), snails, boiled potatoes, green beans, and hard-boiled eggs. This rich, thick mayonnaise with its fine garlic flavor must be made in a fairly traditional way if it is to have its correct taste and consistency. The garlic should be pounded in a mortar until it is mashed into a very smooth paste. You cannot make it successfully in an electric blender because for some unfortunate reason the garlic acquires a raw and bitter taste, and the egg white required for blend-made sauce does not produce the fine, heavy texture that is characteristic of a proper Mediterranean aioli. For about 2 cups
1 slice--3/8 inch thick-of stale, white homemade-type bread, 3 Tb milk or wine vinegar: Remove crusts and bread bread into a small bowl. Stir in the milk or vinegar and let the bread soak for 5 to 10 minutes into a soft pulp. Twist the bread into a ball in the corner of a towel to extract the liquid.
A heavy bowl or mortar, A wooden pestle, 4 to 8 cloves mashed garlic: Place the bread and garlic in the bowl and pound with the pestle for at least 5 minutes to mash the garlic and bread into a very, very smooth paste.
1 egg yolk, 1/4 tsp salt: Pound the egg yolk and salt until the mixture is thick and sticky.
1 1/2 cups good olive oil, A wire whip, 3 to 4 Tb boiling water or fish stock, 2 to 3 Tb lemon juice. Then, drop by drop, pound and blend in the olive oil. When the
sauce has thickened into a heavy cream, you may switch form a pestle to a wire whip and add the oil a little bit faster. Thin out the sauce as necessary with drops of
water or stock, and lemon juice. Sauce should remain quite heavy, so it holds its shape in a spoon. Correct seasoning....Fish Soup Note: If the aioli is to be stirred
into a fish soup, more egg yolks are used, usually one per person."
---Mastering the Art of French Cooking, Simone Beck, Louisette Bertholle and Julia Child [Alfred A. Knopf:New York] 1961, 1963 (p. 92-92)
"Aioli sauce*Sauce aioli
4 cloves garlic
2 egg yolks
salt and black pepper
1 cup (approximately) olive oil
2 teaspoons lemon juice
Aioli, an emulsified sauce, strongly flavored with garlic (hence the name) is a classic in Provence, particularly in Marseilles. A popular regional dish made of boiled
salt cod, boiled vegetables (potatoes, carrots, turnips, andso on) molluscs, crustaceans is also called aioli, but the sauce with its pungent odor is used with leftover
beef, particularly boiled beef. In a mortar or a wooden bowl, pound the garlic with the salt and pepper to an oily consistency. Mix the egg yolks in well and start
adding the oil very slowly as if making mayonnaise, beating constantly. Add a little lemon juice from time to time. If the sauce starts to curdle, add a few drops of
likewarm water to it and whisk vigorously. Do not store in the refrigerator. Too cold temperatures separate emusified sauces."
---La Cuisine de France, Mapie, the Countess de Toulouse-Lautrec, edited and translated by Charlotte Turgeon [Orion Press:New York] 1964 (p. 5)
A unique use for garlic was as a base for emulsion condiments and sauces made by pounding the garlic and incorporating olive oil. The
first apparent mention of anything resembling allioli is in the writings of Pliny (A.D. 23-79), who was the Roman procurator in
Tarragona, on the Catalan coast, for a year and writes that when garlic is 'beaten up in oil and vinegar it swells up in foam
to a surprising size.' There is no doubt in my mind that mayonnaise...was an evolutionary development from allioli. Whtether all of the emulsions
known throughout the Mediterranean are derived from this usurping is less certain. There is a good possibility of serendipitous
culinary invention. Unlike the ailo of Provence and the aillade of Languedoc, the true Catalan allioli...is made without eggs, using
only garlic, olive oil, and salt. The garlic is placed in a mortar with salt and pounded until completely mashed and smooth. Then
olive oil is slowly drizzled in, almost drop by drop, as the continued pounding incorporates the oil into an emulsion with garlic..."
---A Mediterranean Feast, Clifford A. Wright [William Morrow:New York] 1999 (P. 513)
Allioli Autentic (Authentic Allioli)
Allioli in its purest form is white and shiny, rather like lemon sorbet in appearance. It is very strong in garlic flavor, and
a little goes a long way--except among the garlic-mad, of course. It is, as noted, practically de rigueur in Catalan cooking to accompany grilled
meat and fowl (especially chicken, rabbit, and pork), and is traditional as well with snails and with many kinds of fish and
shellfish. Fishermen are famous for their mastery of its manufacture, in fact, as are rural mothers and grandmothers--while some of the
region's most famous chefs openly admit the can't always get the...thing to work. The tricky part is coaxing an emulsion
to form without eggs or other thickeners, and this takes a lot of practice...
To make 1 1/4 cups
6 cloves garlic (or more to taste), peeled
1 cup mld extra-virgin olive oil
Cut each clove of garlic in half lengthwise and discard any green pieces, then mince the garlic finely. Scatter salt in the bowl of a
large mortar and add the garlic. Mash the garlic gently with a pestle, mixing it with the salt untl it takes on the consistency of a
thick paste. Add the olive oil very slowly, a few drops at a time, while stirring the mixture with the pestle, using slow, even
motions and always stirring in the same direction. Continue adding oil until an emulsion forms. Less than a full cup might be sufficient
to obtain this result, in which case do not use the rest, as it will 'break' the emulsion. Serve immediately."
---Catalan Cuisine: Europe's Last Great Culinary Secret, Colman Andrews [Atheneum:New YOrk] 1988 (p. 29-31)
[NOTE: This book also offers recipes for Allioli amb Ous (with eggs), Negat ('drowned'), & amb Fruita (with fruit)]
"...Sauce Allemande, or Sauce of Almayne. In old English and in old French cookery there is always a broth of Almayne, but it gives one no idea of what is now
understood by the Almayne sauce, which is nothing else than Velvet-down thickened with yolks of eggs, say four to a pint, smoothed with a pat of the freshest
butter, and flavoured with lemon-juice; sometimes also, but not always, with essence of mushrooms. How this sauce got its name is not quite clear; but it is plain
that, not only have the Hollander and the German long been more or less confounded together as Dutchmen (Deutsch), but also that the sauce Allemande or sauce
of Almayne is one of the same character as the well-known Dutch sauce or sauce Hollandaise, and is probably an attempt to improve upon it. Now, Dutch sauce
has a reputation among epicures of being at once the best and the most useful of all the sauces, while at the same time it has all the simplicity for which Minheer is
renowned. It is nothing but butter and eggs, with a litttle water. Suddenly, now doubt, it entered into some Frenchman's brain to improve upon this simplicity, and
refine upon the Dutch. He dismissed the water, and put Velvet-down instead of it, and, finding the result too rich, he reduced the quantity of buttter. Make a note of
thsi therefore: that Dutch and Almayne suace are but different forms of the same idea. In Dutch or Holland sauce there is good water; in German or Almayne sauce
there is the finest Velvet-down. Note another point: the Poulette sauce is another form of the same idea. If the Almayne may be described as an attempt to improve
upon Holland sauce, the Poulette may be described as mock Almayne. In true Holland sauce there is no flour. But mock Almayne, known as Poulette, attempts by
means of flour to simulate the effects of the Velvet-down introduced into true Almayne."
---Kettner's Book of the Table, E.S. Dallas, facsimile 1877 edition [Centaur Press:London 1968 (p. 23-24) [NOTE: Hollland sauce=Hollandaise. Velvet-down=Veloute.]
---The Master Dictionary of Food & Cookery, Henry Smith [Philosophical Library:New York] 1951 (p. 5)
"Sauce Allemande (German Sauce). Escoffier included this egg-bound veloute among the mother sauces, because it is the basis of many other sauces. If we were to
follow him in this decision, it would imply that we would then make up large quantities fo allemande in advance and freeze it...I am also departing form Escoffier's
counsel in another matter. He tried to supress the name of the sauce because of hostile feeling to Germany. Since the sauce was German in name only, he proposed
renaming it sauce parisienne or sauce blonde. This culinary ripost to the armies of Bismark and Kaiser Wilhelm II did less even than the Maginot Line to keep the
Teutonic menace at bay...Allemande...is thickened with egg yolks, but because it has already been thickened with flour at the veloute stage, it can be boiled after
the yolks are added. They will not scramble; the flour keeps this from happening. It is essential, however, that all ingredients be cold when you start, since gradual
heating of the yolks is also crucial."
---The Saucier's Apprentice, Raymond Sokolov [Alfred A. Knopf:New York] 1976 (p. 194-195) [NOTE: recipe included.]
TRACING CULINARY EVOLUTION THROUGH RECIPES
[1828]
"No. 19.--Sauce tournee.
This is merely a sauce tournee as above reduced, into which is introduced a thickening well seasoned. This sauce is always used for the following sauces or ragouts,
viz. blanquette of all descriptions, a-la-toulouse, loin of veal, a-la-bechamel, white financiere royale, &c. &c."
---The French Cook, Louis Eustache Ude, facsimile 1828 Englished edition [Arco Publishing:New York] 1978 (p. 10)
"Sauce Tournee, or Pale Thickened Gravy
Sauce tournee is nothing more than a rich pale gravy made with veal or poultyr...and thickined with a delicate white roux. The French give it a flavouring of mushrooms and green onions, by boiling some of each in it for about half an hour before the sauce is served: it must then be strained, previously to being dished. Either first dissolve an ounce ob butter, and then dredge gradually to it three-quarters of an ounce of flour, and proceed as for the preceding receipt [White Roux, or French Thickening]; or blend the flour and butter perfectly with a knife before they are thrown into the stewpan, and keep them stirred without ceasing over a clear and gentle fire until they have simmered for some minutes, then place the stewpan high over the fire, and shake it constantly until the roux has lost the raw taste of the flour; next, stir very gradually to it a pint of the gravy, which should be boiling. Set it by the side of the stove for a few minutes skim it thorougly, and serve it without delay. Butter, 1 oz; flour, 3/4 oz,; strong pale gravy, seasoned with mushrooms and green onions, 1 pint.
---Modern Cookery for Private Families, Eliza Acton, fascimile 1845 edition with an introduction by Elizabeth Ray [Southover Press:East Sussex] 1993 (p. 106-107)
"Allemande Sauce
Prepare: 1/2 pint of Essence of Chicken
1 gill of Essence of Mushrooms
1 quart of Veloute Sauce
Reduce these over the fire, till the sauce is of sufficient consistence to coat the spoon; thicken with 4 yolks of egg and 1/2 oz. of butter; strain through a tammy cloth,
into a bain-marie-pan; put a tablespoonful of Chicken Consomme on the top of the sauce, to prevent a skin forming on the surface."
---The Royal Cookery Book, Jules Gouffe, translated by Alphonse Gouffe [Sampson Low, Son, and Marston:London] 1869 (p. 265)
"Allemand Sauce.
"Sauce Allemande (also known as Sauce Parisienne)
To make 1 litre ( 1 3/4 pt or 4 1/2 U.S. cups)
Ingredients:
1 litre (1 3/4 pt or 4 1/2 U.S. cups) Ordinary Veloute
5 dl (18 lf oz or 2 1/4 U.S. cups) Ordinary White Stock
2 dl (7 lf oz or 7/8 U.S. cup) mushroom cooking liquor
5 egg yolks
pinch of grated nutmeg
squeeze of lemon juice
pinch of coarsley ground pepper
100 g ( 3/ 1/2 oz.) butter
Preparation: Place the stock, mushroom liquor, yolks of egg, lemon juice, pepper and nutmeg in a heavy shallow pan, mix well together with a whisk and add the
Veloute. Bring to a boil and reduce by one-third stirring constantly with a metal spatula; reduce untl the sauce reaches the point where it coats the spatula. Pass
through a fine strainer or tammy cloth and coat the surface of the sauce with butter to prevent a skin forming. Keep in a Bain-marie until required then add 100 g
( 3 1/2 oz) butter before using...Notes...(2) This sauce is also known as Sauce Parisienne a name which is more logical and proper than Sauce Allemande. This was
pointd out in an article in 'l'Art Culinaire' in 1883 by Mons. Tevenat, a well-known chef. The name 'Parisienne' has been adopted by several chefs but not widely as
could be wished."
---Complete Guide to the Art of Modern Cookery, A Escoffier, [first published in 1907] translated by H.L. Cracknell & R.J. Kaufamnn [John Wiley & Sons:New York] 1979 (p. 8-9)
[1927]
"Sauce Allemande or "Parisienne"
A classic sauce, this is now alos known a s 'parisienne.' It is used in a number of whimsical culinary creations as wsell as remaining a cornerstone for classic dishes
such as vol-au-vent, puff pastries, etc. In the home kitchen, it is used for anhy dishes requiring a basic white sauce (for white foods, such as fowl or veal). To sum
up, this is a veloute, or white sauce, with a liaison of egg yolk added. We must stress, once again, the importance of boiling the sauce rapidly after adding the egg
yolks. Many people, unaware of this essential point, do not understand the risks. A sauce that is taken off the heat too soon will separate, thin down, and not have
the right consistency to coat the food it is supposed to cover."
---La Bonne Cuisine, Madame E. Saint-Ange, translated and with an introduction by Paul Aratow [Ten Speed Press:Berkeley CA] 2005 (p. 52) [NOTE: recipe follows. Ingredients are veloute, musroom cooking juice, egg yolks, white pepper, ground nutmeg, butter.]
"Allemande, Sauce. One of the classic French sauces, also known as Sauce Blonde or Sauce Parisienne. To make a Sauce Allemande, one requires:
2 cups of Sauce Veloute
2 egg-yolks
Fresh butter or thick cream
A little nutmeg.
Reduce the Veloute upon a slow fire until it is but half the original quantity. Pour into a double-boiler, or, failing this, in a small saucepan which must be set in another
larger pan containing hot water. Beat two egg-yolks and add to sauce, stirring gently during addition. Next, add cream or butter sufficeint to enrigh and imnprove
the flavour of the sauce; also a light dusting of nutmeg, some essence of mushrooms, or lemon juice to taste. Cook in or over gently boiling water, stirring frequently
until the sauce is thick and very creamy."
---A Concise Encyclopedia of Gastronomy, Andre L. Simon [Harcourt, Brace and Company:New York] 1952 (p. 9)
"Allemand Sauce (Careme's recipe)--This name is given to a classic white sauce, made with veloute blended with yolks of eggs and cream. The recipe for this
sauce, which is one of the best in the French Culinary repetoire, as it is made nowadays, is geven in the section devoted to sauces. In spite of its name, this sauce in
no way originates in Germany. It is so called, according to Careme, because it is light in colour, to differentiate it form Esapgnole sauce, which is dak...There is, in
the French culinary repertoire, a very great number of terms which, although borrowed from other countries, serve to describe dishes of entirely French origin.
Modern authors also refer to the Allemande as Parisienne sauce...Careme's recipe.--Careme first of all gives the recipe for preparing Veloute...to prepare
Allemande sauce. 'Pour into a saucepan half the veloute and the same quantity of good chicken consomme, in which you will have put a few mushrooms (stalks and
peel), and as mcuh salt as can be held on the point of a knife. After having placed on a brisk fire, stir the sauce with a wooden spoon untl it comes to the boil; then
put it on the edge of the stove, cover and leave to simmer for about an hour; ehn skim off fat and put back on a high flame stirring with a wooden spoon to prevent
it sticking to the bottom of the pan. When this sauce is perfectly cooked, it should coat the surface of a spoon quite thickly. When poured, it should be the same
consistency as red-currant jelly, if it has reached the ideal point in its cooking. Then, you remove the saucepan from the fire, preapare a liaison using 4 yolks of egg,
mix with two tablespoons of cream and, having passed it through a sieve, add best butter the size of a small egg, in small pieces; then pour it little by little into the
veloute, stirring carefully with a wooden spoon to make sure that the liaison is blended in smoothly. When it is all perfectly incorporated, replace the allemande on a
moderate fire and keep on stirring. As soon as a few bubbles start to rise, remove from heat; add as much grated nutmeg as can be held on the point of a knife.
When well blended, pass through a sieve.'"
---Larousse Gastronomique [Crown Publishers:New York] 1961 (p. 26-27)
Not to be confused with
--ibid (p. 861)
"White Sauces...Egg Yolk and Cream Enrichment [Sauce Parisienne--formerly Sauce Allemande]
Sauces enrigched with egg yolks and cream are among the riches and most velvety in all the French repertoire. Sauce parisienne, or sauce allemand, is the generic
term, but it invariably goes by another name according to its special flavorings or to the dish it accompanies. The simplest, sauce poulette, has a base of veloute
flavored with meat or fish, onions and mushrooms. The most famous Sauce normande is a veloute based on white-wine fish stock and the cooking liquors of
mussels, oysters, shrimps, ecrevisses, and mushrooms. The shellfish sauces such as cardinal, Nantua, and Joinville are shellfish veloutes with special trimings and a
shellfish butter enrichment beaten in a at the end. As all of these sauces are a basic velote with a final enrichment of egg yolks, cream, and usually butter, if you can
make you can make one, you can make all. Success in making the egg yolk liaison is but a realization that egg yolks will curdle and turn granular unless they are
beaten with a bit of cold liquid first, before a hot liquid is gradually incorporated into them so that they are slowly heated. Once this preliminary step has been
completed, the sauce may be brought to the boil; and because the egg yolks are supported by a flour-based sauce they may boil without danger of curdling. The
sauce parisienne described in the following reicpe is used with eggs, fish, poultry, hot hors d'oeuvers, and dishes which are to be gratineed. A heavily buttered
sauce parisienne is used principally for fish poached in white wine."
---Mastering the Art of French Cooking, Simone Beck, Louisette Bertholle, Julia Child [Alfred A. Knopf:New York] 1963 (p. 59-61) [NOTE: ingredients are: bechamel or veloute, egg yolks, whipping cream, salt, white pepper, lemon juice, more cream, & butter. We can sen the complete recipe if you like.]
"Gastronomique literature is filled with tedious passages and trifling disputes. Bechanel has inspired more than its fair share of this
piffle. People will bargue about whether it was invend by the Marquis Louis de Bechameil; whether the correct spelling should not be bechamelle;
whether the Italian version, balsamella from the Romagna district, is the original of this best-known and easiest mother sauce.
In such matters prejudice will always rule, for there is no evidence one way of the other. We can only point to the appearance of a sauce called
bechamel during the reign of Louis XIV. And, as so often, this original sauce bore only a slight resemblance to the modern
sauce. While we think of bechamel as an all-purpose white sauce made of scalded milk, roux, and flavorings, Careme made it by enriching
veloute with cream. The modern sauce is also in dispute...Some chefs, we know from early cookbooks, have always flavored their bechamels with
veal; others have not. The difference in tgaste is minor."
---The Saucier's Apprentice, Raymond Sokolov [Alfred A. Knopf:New York] 1976 (p. 161-162)
---Larousse Gastronomique, Prosper Montagne [Crown Publishers:New York] 1961 (p. 118-119)
Some sources on the Internet credit La Varenne as the first cuisiner to
write about bechamel. None of them share the original print reference.
It is true that La Varenne introduced Roux (Russet)
[a white sauce composed of flour and dairy...milk/cream/butter] at that time. Bechamel is more complicated.
"Pie of breast of veal.
When veal is well blanched, you can stuff it with whatever you like. You can also put it, well-seasoned, into fine dough; or, if you wish, cut
it up into small pieces. Make up your pie; bake it. Serve it with a white sauce made of egg yolks and verjuice."
---"XIV. Pasties the Whole Year, no. 10," La Varenne's Cookery, a modern English translation and commentary by
Terence Scully [Prospect Books:Totnes] 2006 (p. 233)
---Gastronomy of France, Raymond Oliver [World Publishing Company:London] 1967 (p.
218, 220)
"Bechameil (Louis de)--Marquis de Nointel, a financier who made his fortune during the Fronde (the rising of the aristocracy and the Parliament against Mazarin in 1648-
53) and got himself the post of Lord Steward of the Royal Household to Louis XIV, a job for which only very high-ranking
gentlemen were eligible, and which was in no way like the post is nowadays fulfilled by a maitre d'hotel of a big restaurant.
The invention of bechamel sauce is attributed to him buy it had, now doubt, been known for a long time under some other name. It is more
likely, however, to be the invention of a court chef who must have dedicated it to Bechameil as a compliment. The old Duke d'Escars said:
'That fellow Bechameil has all the luck. I was serving breast of chicken a la creme twenty years before he was born, yet,
as you can see, I have never yet had the chance of giving my name to the most insignificant of sauces!"
---Larousse Gastronomique, Prosper Montagne [Crown Publishers:New York] 1961 (p. 118)
[Careme's recipe (undated)]
"Bechamel sauce...'When the veloute is thick and just at the moment when you are goint to bind it with a liaison of yolks and
cream, pour into the veloute, little by little, thick cream and then you reduce (cook down) this bechamel, taking care to stir with a
wooden spoon to make sure the sauce does not stick, to the bottom of the pan. When it is simmered down to th desired consistency, it
should just coat lightly the garnish for which it is intended; then you remove it from the fire, add to it a piece of butter the
size of a walnut and a few tablespoons of very thick double cream to make it whiter. Then add a pinch of grated nutmeg, pass it through
a white tammy and keep hot in a bain-marie. Note. In a marginal note Careme says: 'Boil down 2 pints (about 1 litre) of hot milk by
two-thirds and use instead of cream, if the latter cannot be obtained except the day before it is required, which renders it extremely
liable to have a sourish taste, whereas by using hot milk no such risk can be incurred. When it is possible to obtain good
double cream, it should be used cold, and blended with a veloute a little at a time.'"
---Larousse Gastronomique, Prosper Montagne [Crown Publishers:New York] 1961 (p. 119)
"No. 35.--The Bechamel.
Take aobut half a quarter of a pound of butter, about three pounds of veal, cut into small slices, a
quarter of a pound of ham, some trimmings of mshrooms, two small white onions, a bunch of parsley and green onions; put the whole into a
stew-pan, and lay it on the fire till the meat may be made firm. Then put three spoonsful of flour; moisten with some boiling hot thin cream. Keep
this sauce rather thin, so that whilst you reduce it, the inredient may have time to be stewed thoroughly. Season it with a little
salt, and strain it through a tammy, when it retains no taste of flour, and the suace is very palatable."
Is prepared as above, with the exception of the meat, which is to be omitted. If you have made any sauces from fish, put a little of
the juice or gravy of the fish with cream. When done, strain it through a tammy, and serve up."
---The French Cook, Louis Eustache Ude, originally published in 1828, facsimile Englished edition [Arco Publishing:New York] 1978
(p. 15-16)
"Bechame Sauce A L'Ancienne
Remove the noix from a fillet of veal, and cut up the remainder in 2-inch dice; put these in a stewpan, with:
3/4 lb. of butter,
2 middle-sized onions,
2 moddle-sized carrots;
Fry, without colouring, for ten minutes; then add 6 oz. of flour; stir over the fire for five minutes; and put in:
10 oz. of sliced musrhooms,
1 faggot,
Stir over the fire till boiling, and simmer for one hour and a half, skimming off the fat occasionally; strain through a
tammy cloth; put the sauce in a large glazing stewoan, with 2 gills of cream to each quart of sauce; reduce it over the fire till it coats
the spoon; then strian again through a tammy cloth, into a basin; and stir with a spoon till the sauce is cold, to prevent a
skin forming on top."
Cut 2 pbs. of fillet of veal in 3-inch dice; take 2 hens, having previously removed the fillets; put the veal and hens in a
stewpan, with:
1 oz. of butter,
2 middle sized onions, cut in 8 pieces,
1/2 oz. of salt
1/4 oz. of mignonnette pepper;
Fry, without colouring, for five minutes; add 3/ lb. of lour; stir over the fire for five minutes; then add 5 quarts of General
Stock, 1 faggot; and stir till boiling; Simmer for two houts, skimming off the fat frequently; strain the sauce, through a tammy
cloth, into a large stewpan; reduce it, adding 1 1 /2 pint of double cream, in three parts; when the sauce coats the spoon, strain
it through a tammy cloth into a basin; stir it till quite cold; andy put by for use."
Cut 3 onions, 1 carrot, and 2 shalots, in large dice; fry them in a stewpan, with 1/2 lb. of butter, for five minutes; add 1/2 lb.
of flour; fry for five minutes more; and put it in:
1 faggot,
1/4 oz. of mignonnette pepper;
Stir, and reduce the sauce for fifteen minutes; strain it, through a tammy cloth, into a basin; cover it with a little butter, melted;
and put by for use. When the Bechamel is wanted, if should be boiled up, and thickened with 1/4 lb. of butter, to each
quart of sauce."
---The Royal Cookery Book, Jules Gouffe, translated from the French and adapted for English use by Alphonse Gouffe
[Sampson Low, Son, and Marston:London] 1869(p. 265-266)
"Sauce Bechamel
Il fout etre deja au courant des subtilites de la cuisine, pour cavoir que la bechame il n'est pas toujours unce sauce ou le lait soit
l'unique liquide employe: il y a aussi la bechamel grasse, et la plus authentique, puisqu'elle porte le nom de celui "qui
imagina l'addition de la creme au veloutes", rapporte le grand chef Careme. A cette epoque, la bechamel se comprenait donc ansi
du veloute, auquel s'ajoutait une certaine quantite de creme double; let tout reduit a grand feu, sans cesser de emuer, pour
revenir a la proportion premiere du veloute. Quoique secondaire par rapport a l'idee initiale de la bechamel, la mechamel maigre n'en est pas moins
devenue plus repandue et plus representative de l'appellation que la bechamel grasse. C'est sans doute qu'elle constitue une
importante resource pour les apprets maitres; parce qu'aussi la cuisine menagere l'a progressement
simplifiee dans sa composition, abregeant temps et soins, et l'a rendue par la popularie. Mais ces simplifications sont souvent au
grand detriment de la sauce. La bechamel maigre doit comporter une aromatisation de base, fournie par les elements maigres
(qu'on trouve egalement dans la bechamel grasse): soit oignon, carotte, queues de persil, et, si possible, epluchures de
champignons, quelquefois un rien de celeri; parfois du blanc de poireau, ne leger note de thym et laurier. Lorsque la bechame.
n'est pas destinee a un appret strictement maigre, on peut fair entrer, dans l'ensemble des ingredients enumeres ci-dessus, un peu de lard
maigre ou de jambon cru, qui augmente beaucoup sa saveur: a resume, une bonne mirepoix. La proportion de farine pour le roux et de 6 a 7
grammes par delicliter de sauce prete a employer. La proportion des aromates, leur opportunie pareillement, varient suivant la
destination de la sauce, ainsi qu'on le constatera au cours des recettes comporant l'emploi de bechamel."
---Le Livere de Cuisine, Mms. E. Saint-Ange [Library Larousse:Paris] 1927 (p. 95-96)
"Bechamel, Sauce a la
The name of one of the basic French sauces and one of the creamiest white sauces. It was named after, and believed to
have been introduced by, Louis de Bechameil, or Bechamel, Marquis de Nointel, Lord Steward of the Household at the Court of
Louis XIV. The flour and water, sticky and lumpy horror so often served under this name is a libellous imitation, but it is
not a Bechanel. To make a Bechamel in the old-fashioned and best manner, one should use butter and flour in equal quantities and the best
and creamiset milk, as follows: Melt the butter, but do not allow to sizzle, in a small saucepan over a rather low heat. When the
butter is melted, add the flour, stirring well into the butter. Have some cold boiled mlk. When the butter and flour mixture begins to bubble
gently, add the cold milk, very little at a time, stiring and beating well until the whole amount of milk has beeend added and the
sauce is thick and creamy. This is the Sauce Bechamelle. It may be used as a basis for other sauces by adding anything called for by the
recipe chosen: mushrooms, chopped parsley, chopped hard-boiled egg, oysters, or what not. If to be served plain, and if a chich sauce be required,
add the beaten yolk of an egg--after removing the pan from the fire--and a little lemon juice."
---A Concise Encyclopedia of Gastronomy, Andre L. Simon, complete and unabridged [Harcourt, Brace and Company:New
York] 1952 (p. 13)
Spreads tend to be a little thicker and are applied to bread or crackers
with a small, blunt knife designed for this purpose. Think: pate, compound butters and deviled ham.
Warm dips like fondue and
bagna cauda are generally served for as main course rather than
starter or hors d'oeuvre.
---The American Century Cookbook: The Most Popular Recipes of the 20th Century, Jean Anderson
[Clarkson Potter:New York] 1997 (p. 23)
[NOTES: (1) This book contains summary histories and recipes for several popular American dips. (2) James Beard's quote appears on
page 44 of his book.]
---Fashionable Food: Seven Decades of Food Fads, Sylvia Lovegren [Macmillan:New York]
1995 (p. 41-44)
"Dunking Trays.
When a sauce is to be served with hors d'oeuvres, hot or cold, a large platter or tray may be used to hold
an assortment of the hors d'oeuvres and a bowl or container of dunking sauce. Each guest helps himself
to the hors d'oeuvres and dips them into the sauce.
Hors d'Oeuvres: Codfish balls, hot sea-food hors d'oeuvres, tuna-fish cones, cocktail sausages and
frankfurters, corned-beef hash balls.
Sauces: For fish and sea-food hors d'oeuvres serve hot savory cocktail sauce or gourmet cocktail sauce
or tartar sauce; for meat hors d'oeuvres, mustard cream sauce or hot savory cocktail sauce.
Garnish the tray with crisp radish roses, carrot curls, celery curls, stuffed cucumbers, pickle fans, olives.
Hors d'Oeuvres: Raw oysters arranged on cracked ice, cold cooked shrimp and lobster, raw-vegetable
hors d'oeurvres, chicken rolls, dried-beef balls, gherkins in blankets, lettuce rolls, stuffed cucumbers, roast
beef rolls.
Sauces: Russian dressing or Thousand Island dressing, gourmet cocktail sauce or standard cocktail
sauce, or tartar sauce...
Fill a bowl with any soft savory cheese spread or with drained cottage cheese seasoned with salt, pepper
and onion juice. Sprinkle with finely chopped parsley and paprika. Surround with crisp potato chips. The
guests use the potato chips as scoops to dip into the spread. Crisp crackers may also be used."
---Woman's Home Companion Cook Book [P.F. Collier & Son:New York] 1942 (p. 266)
"Gone are the cook and the kitchen maid, the butler and the second man and the upstairs girl. Lacking the butler and the second
man, self-service is the word...First...there is the principle of dunk. Give a man a bit of something crisp, and a bowl of something
spicy to dip it in, and you don't need the services of the cook and the kitchen girl. Nothing is better to dunk than
raw vegetables. Try celery, raw carrot cut in thin strips or very thin long slices curled in ice water, cauliflower broken and
sliced into flowerets, turnips or kohlrabi cut paper-thin, zucchini, cucumber, water cress, asparagus tips, French endive. Don't
omit radishes, green onions, and cherry tomatoes...Every man his own dunker...With a big platter of vegetables give him a choice
of dunks, and let him play."
---The 60 Minute Chef, Lillian Bueno McCue and Carol Truax [Macmillan Company:New York] 1947 (p. 2-3)
[NOTE: Dunk recipes offered in this book are essentially (complete ingredients/recipe available for the asking): Pink Dunk (catusp & mayonnaise), Red Dunk (cocktail sauce & mayonnaise), Paprika
Dunk (French dressing & mayonnaise), Tomato Dunk (tomato soup & cream), White Cheese Dunk (cottage cheese & cream), French
Dunk (cottage cheese & mayonnaise), Curry Dunk (add curry powder to French recipe), Pink Cheese Dunk (cottage cheese, catchup,
cocktail sauce), Deep-Sea Dunk (cocktail sauce, sugar, mayonnaise). Spread recipes follow.]
"Dunks
Heap one or more dunks...in attractive bowls. Garnish with paprika, snipped chives or parsley, or a few
carrot, celery, or green-pepper strips. Serve dunks on tray, surrounded by 2 or more of these dippers.
Guest dunk their own.
---Good Housekeeping Cook Book, Dorothy B. Marsh [Good Housekeeping:New York] 1955 (p. 28)
[NOTE: This book also contains several suggestions for "spread your owns," which is similar in concept.]
"Dips--Cold and Hot
Cheese Whip, Creamy Avocado Dip, Vegetable Dip, Lazy-Suzan Dips (Lusty Italian, TunapCream, Deviled-Ham Dip Piquant, Snappy
Crab, Creamy Garlic-Cheese, Calico Relish), Melon Dip, Sea-Food Dips (Curry, Cocktail)"
---Gook Housekeeping's Perfect Parties [Consolidated Book Publishers:Chicago IL] 1967 (p. 20-21)
---The Enchanted Broccoli Forest, Mollie Katzen [Ten Speed Press:Berkeley CA] 1982 (p. 145)
[NOTE: This book offers recipes for Almond Orange Dip, Tofu Guacamole, Avocado-Tofu-Egg Dip, Orange Hummus, Mexican Bean Dip,
Avocado-Egg Dip, Avocado-Tahini Dip, Tofu-Sesame Dip, Pesto-Bean Dip, Peanut Dip, Tahini Dip, & Pureed Vegetable Dip.]
Tex-Mex style bean dip, like ancient middle eastern hummus, is flavor-packed and protein-intensive.
Bordering between dip and spread, these items, when paired with bread, can be considered a simple meal in itself.
[1958]
Bean dip
"Frijoles Para Sopear...Bean dip, put up in cans, has become very popular of late. Here is a much less
expensive, and I think. Thorougly mash 1 cup refried beans...and combine with 1 cup sour cream. Mix well and add as much salsa
Jalapena as desired. This makes a delightful dip for tostaditas."
---Elena's Secrets of Mexican Cooking, Elena Zelayeta [Prentice-Hall:Englewood Cliffs NJ] 1958 (p. 10)
Hummus, an appetizer primarily composed of ground chickpeas, has long been associated with Middle Eastern and
neighboring cuisines. Bean dip is the "New World" counterpart.
---A Book of Middle Eastern Food, Claudia Roden [Knopf:New York] 1972 (p. 44-5)
---An A-Z of Food & Drink, John Ayto [Oxford University Press:Oxford] 2002 (p. 166)
"Hummus Bi Tahina
An Egyptian version of an Arab dish. Tahina is a sesame paste...which is mixed with oil and garlic and thinned with water
to make a sauce which in Arab countries is eaten as a salad, withh bread dipped into it. For this hours d'oeuvre the
ingredients are 1/2 lb of chick peas, a teacupful each of tahina and water; a little lemon juice, mint, garlic, and
two tablespoons of olive oil. Cook the previously soaked chick peas in plenty of water, slowly, for 3 to 4 hours. They
should be very soft for this dish. Strain them, pound them to a fine paste, or if you prefer, put them through the food
mill. Pound two or three cloves of garlic into the puree, stir in the tahina, the olive oil, the lemon juice, and season
with salt and pepper. Add water until the mixture is about the consistency of a thick mayonnaise. Stir in about 2
tablespoons of dried or fresh mint. The mixture is poured either into a large shallow dish, or on to saucers, one for each
person, and sets fairly firmly when cold."
---Mediterranean Food, Elizabeth David [Penguin Books:Middlesex], 1965, second revised edition (p. 152-153)
"Chickpea...known as gabbanzo in Spanish, ceci in Italian, 'gram' in India, and often as just plain 'pulse' across the globe, the
chickpea (Cicer arietinum) is an ancient pulse that originated in western Asia and was domesticated there some 7,000 years ago. The tan,
hazelnut-sized seeds, with their wrinkled surfaces, nutty flavor, and crisp texture, soon became popular from the Mediterranean to
India...and today are practically universal. In the Near East, the chickpea is the basic ingredient for hummus and falafel and is frequently
incorporated in couscous. In India, as the country's most important legume, the chickpea is roasted, boiled, and fried, is made into
flour, and is part of a dhal. In the Mediterranean region, the chickpea features prominently in the 'poor cuisine'--as a staple in the diet of
poor people, as substitute for meat (and sometimes for coffee as well), and an ingredient in the boiled dinner (cocidos) of
Iberia. Exactly when the chickpea reached Spain and Portugal is unclear--perhaps with the Phoenicians, certainly with the Romans...
From Iberia, chickpeas traveled to the Americas, where they achieved fame in Cuban bean soup and menudo."
---Cambridge World History of Food, Kenneth F. Kiple & Kriemhild Conee Ornelas [Cambridge University Press:Cambridge]
2000, Volume Two (p. 1752)
---Food in the Ancient World From A to Z, Andrew Dalby [Routledge:London] 2003 (p. 84)
---Oxford Companion to Food, Alan Davidson [Oxford University Press:Oxford] 1999 (p. 167)
---A Historical Dictionary of Indian Food, K.T. Achaya [Oxford University Press:Delhi] 1998 (p. 28-29)
---Origin of Cultivated Plants, Alphonse de Candolle [Hafner Publishing:New York] 1964 (p.
325)
Seven Layer Taco Dip is known by many names. The number of layers range from 5 to 9. Food historian Jean Anderson lists this popular
appetizer as Tex-Mex (or Layered) Dip. Her notes here:
"According to Karen Haram, food editor of the San Antonio Express-News, "This dip is served
at NEARLY every party in Texas. I don't know the origin of it," she says, "but it started
becoming very popular in the early 80s, helped in large part by Jo Anne Vachule. She was food
editor at the Forth Worth Star-Telegram, and the recipe ran in one of the big women's magazines
[Family Circle, February 3, 1981] as her favorite recipe in a story on food editors' favorites. The
recipe was around before then, but it really took off at that time." Haram adds that when making
the dip, "make sure that you cover the avocado layer completely with the sour cream layer; if you
do, the avocado doesn't darken, even if made the day before." Family Circle editors thought so
highly of Tex-Mex Dip, they included it in their anthology, Recipes America Loves Best (1982)."
---The American Century Cookbook: The Most Popular Recipes of the 20th Century, Jean
Anderson [Clarkson Potter:New York] 1997 (p. 28)
[1982]
"Tex-Mex Dip
Makes 16 appetizer servings.
3 medium-size ripe avocados
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 cup (8 ounces) dairy sour cream
1/2 cup mayonnaise or salad dressing
1 pakcage (1 1/4 ounces) taco seasoning mix
2 cans (10 1/2 ounces each) plain or jalapeno bean dip
1 cup chopped green onions
2 medium-size tomatoes, cored, halved, seeded and coarsely chopped (2 cups)
2 cans (3 1/2 ounces each) pitted black olives, drained and coarely chopped
2 cups shredded sharp Cheddar cheese (8 ounces)
Large round tortilla chips.
1. Peel, pit and mash avaocaods in a medium-size bowl with lemon juice, salt and pepper. Combine sour cream, mayonnaise and
taco seasonong mix in a bowl.
2. To assemble: Spread bean dip on a large, shallow serving platter; top with seasoned avocado mixture; layer with sourcream taco
mixture. Sprinkle with chopped onions, tomatoes and olives; cover with shredded cheese. Serve chilled or at room temperature with round
tortilla chips.
---Family Circle Recipes America Loves Best, compiled by Nika Hazelton with the Food Editors of Family Circle Magazine
[Times Books:New York] 1982 (p. 14-15)
"Great Layered Taco Dip
3 ripe avocados
1 tomato, chopped
Salt and pepper to taste
1 1/2 teaspoons lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
2 tablespoons minced onion
Hot pepper sauce to taste
1 cup mayonnaise
1 cup sour cream
1 package (1 1/2 ounces) taco seasoning
1 can (32 ounces) refried beans
4 tomatoes, chopped
1 bunch green onions, chopped
4 tomatoes, chopped
1 bunch green onions, chopped
8 ounces Cheddar cheese, grated
1 can (4 1/4 ounces) chopped ripe olives
Tostados
Peel and mash avocados. Add 1 chopped tomato, salt, pepper, leomon juice, garlic powder, minced onion and hot pepper sauce and set
aside. Mix mayonnaise, sour cream and taco seasoning and set aside. On large platter spread refried beans as first layer of
dip. Next, spread the avocado mixture. Cover with sour cream and mayonnaise mixture. Sprinkle with 4 chopped tomatoes, green
onions and cheese; top with black olives. Serve with tostados. Serves 10.--Mrs. James Hurlbut (Marsha)"
---Lone Star Legacy II: A Texas Cookbook, Austin Junior Forum [Austin TX] 1985 (p. 131)
Our survey of newspaper and magazine articles reveals recipes for spinach dip were in popular in
the early 1980s. The oldest recipe we find for "Spinach dip" was published in Sunset [magazine],
July, 1983 (p. 160). It calls for frozen chopped spinach, green onion, packed parsely, lemon juice,
sour cream, pepper, garlic & salt.
---American Century Cookbook: The Most Popular Recipes of the 20th Century, Jean Anderson [Clarkson
Potter:new York] 1997 (p. 33)
---Oxford Companion to Food, Alan Davidson [Oxford University Press:Oxford] 1999 (p.
283)
[1651]
"Loin of Pork with a sauce Robert.
Lard it with great lard, then roast it, and baste it with verjuice and vinegar, and a bundle of sage.
After the fat is fallen, take for to fry an onion with, which being fried, you shall put under the loin
with the sauce wherewith you have basted it. All being a little stoved together, lest it may harden,
serve. This sauce is called sauce Robert."
---The French Cook, Francois Pierre La Varenne [1651] Englished by I.D.G. 1653,
Introduced by Philip and Mary Hyman [Southover Press:East Sussex] 2001 (p. 55)
"To Dress Eel with Brown Sauce.
Skin and clean a large Eel very well, cut it in Pieces, put it into a Sauce-pan or Stew-pan, put to it
a quarter of a Pint of Water, a Bundle of Sweet Hergs, an Onion, some whope Pepper, a Blade of
Mace, and a little Salt. Cover it close, and when it begins to simmer, put in a Gill of Red Wine a
Spoonful of Mushroom-pickle, a Piece of Butter as big as a Wallnut rolled in Flour, cover it close
and let it stew till it is enough, which you will know by the Eel being very tender. Take up your
Eel, lay it in a Dish, strain your Sauce, give it a boil quick, and pour it over your Fish. You mist
make Sauce according to the Largeness of your Eel, or more less. Garnish with Lemon."
---The Art of Cookery Made Plain & Easy, Hannah Glasse, Facsimile of the First Edition
[Prospect Books:Devon] 1995 (p. 92)
No. 75--Salmi Sauce a l'Espagnole.
Cut four shalots, and a carrot into large dice, some parsley roots, a few bits of ham, a clove, two
or three leaves of mace, the quarter of a bay-leaf, a little thyme, and get a small bit of butter, with
a few mushrooms. Put the whole into a stew-pan over a gentle fire; let fry til you percieve the
stew-pan is coloured all round. The moisten with half a pint of Madiera wine, and a very small
lump of sugar. Let it reduced to one-half. Put in six spoonsful of Espagnole and the trimmings of
our partridges. Let them stew for an hour on the corner of the stove. Skim the fat off, taste
whether your sauce be seasoned enough; strain it over the members, make it hot without boiling;
dish the salmi, and reduced the sauce, which strain through a tammy. Then cover the salmi with
the sauce."
--The French Cook, Louis Eustache Ude, facsimile reprint 1828 book [Arco
Publishing:New York]1978 (p. 35-6)
"Espagnole Sauce.
The quantities in this recipe are calculated to make 4 quarts of Espagnole Sauce, which will
certainly not be too much when treating of high-class cooking operations. It must be bourne in
mind that Espagnole will keep perfectly good for three or four days; so that, in large
establishments, even double the quantity I indicate may safely be prepared.
---Royal Cookery Book , Jules Gouffe, translated and adapted for English by Alphonse
Gouffe [Sampson Low, Son & Marston:London] 1869 (p. 263-4)
[NOTE: recipe for Epagnole Sauce Maigre (without meat) follows.]
"Espagnole Sauce.--Boil one quart of strong consomme or rich, highly seasoned brown
stock, till reduced to one pint. Then use it as given under the rule for brown sauce, and flavor
with wine."
---Boston Cooking School Cook Book, Mrs. D. A. Lincoln [1884], facismile reprint
[Dover:Mineola NY] 1996 (p. 193)
"Sauce Espagnole.
To make 5 litres (8 3/4 pt or 1 3/8 U.S. gal)
625 (1 lb 6 oz) brown Roux--using: 285 g (10 oz) clarified butter and 340 g (12 oz) sifted
flour
12 litres (2 5/8 gal or 3 1/4 U.S. gal) brown stock
150 f (5 oz) roughly diced salt belly of pork
250 g (9 oz) roughly diced carrots
150 g. (5 oz) roughly diced onions
2 sprigs thyme
500 g (1 lb 2 oz) tomate puree or 2 kg (4 1.2 lb) fresh tomatoes
2 dl (7 fl oz or 7/8 U.S. cup) white sauce.
1. Place 8 litres (1 3/4 gal or 2/ 1/4 U.S. gal) of the stock in a heavy pan and bring to the boil; add
the Roux, previously softened in the oven. Mix well with a wooden spoon or whisk and bring to
the boil mixing continuously. Draw the pan to the side of the stove and allow to simmer slowly
and evenly.
2. Meanwhile, place the salt pork in a pan and fry to extract the fat, add the vegetables and
flavourings and fry until light brown in colour. Carefully drain off the fat and put the ingredients
into the sauce; deglaze the pan with the wine, reduce it by half and also add to the sauce. Allow to
simmer gently for 1 hour skimming frequently.
3. Pass the sauce through a conical strainer into another pan, pressing lightly. Add another 2 litres
( 3 1/2 pt or 9 U.S. cups) stock, bring to the boil and allow to simmer gently for a further 2 hours.
Pass the sauce through a fine strainer and stir occasionally until completely cold.
4. The next day, add the remainder of the stock and the tomato puree.; bring the sauce to the boil
stirring continuously with a wooden spatula or whisk, then allow to simmer gently and evenly for
1 hour skimming carefully.
Pass through a fine strainer or tammy cloth and stir occasionally until the suace is completely
cold.
1. The time required for the preparation and refining of this sauce cannot be indicated exactly as it
depends to a large extent on the quality of the stock used in its making. The refining of this sauce
will be quicker if the stock is of very good quality in which case an excellent Espagnole can be
prepared in five hours.
2. Before adding tomato puree to this sauce it is advisable to spread the required quantity on a
tray and to cook it in the oven until it turns a light brown colour. This will destroy most of the
excess acidity found in tomato purees, and when prepared in this way, the puree assists in
clarifying the sauce and at the same time dives it a smoother taste and a more agreeable
colour."
---The Complete Guide to the Art of Modern Cookery, Auguste Escoffier, [1903] The
frist translation into English by H.L. Cracknell and R.J. Kaufmann of Le Guide Culinaire in its
entirely, [John Wiley:New York] 1979 (p. 7)
"Brown sauce.
This sauce is the base of all brown sauces for meat and poultry.
1 cup butter or good fat
2/3 cup flour
6 cups boiling brown gravy or water
1 cup Tomato Sauce
2 or 3 tomatoes
1 teaspoon salt
10 peppercorns
2 bay leaves
1/2 teaspoon thyme
3 sprigs parsley
3 stalks celery
2 chopped onions and 2 chopped carrots, browned in butter
1 clove of garlic, crushed
Chicken, veal or beef bones
1 glass dry sherry or Madiera
Melt the butter in a saucepan and brown carrots and onions in it. Mix in the flour and let cook
until golden brown. Add the boiling brown gravy or water and mix well with a wire whip. Add the
Tomato Sauce, tomatoes, salt, peppercorns, bay leaves, thyme, parsley, celery and garlic. In order
to give the sauce a rich brown color, roast some chicken, veal or beef bones in the oven. The add
the bones to the sauce and let boil slowly over low heat for 2 or 3 hours. Skim from time to time.
Strain the sauce and correct the seasoning. When ready to serve, strain again through a fine
strainer and add a glass of dry sherry or Madiera. This sauce will keep for weeks in a refrigerator.
N.B. Whenever any good meat of poultry gravy is left over, set it aside as it will be very useful in
making all kinds of Brown Sauce."
---Cooking a la Ritz, Louis Diat [J.B. Lippincott Company:Philadelphia] 1941 (p. 87-8)
---Larousse Gastronomique, completely revised and updated [Clarkson Potter:New York] 2001 (p. 545)
[NOTE: This term does not show up in the 1961 USA or UK editions.]
---"60-Minute Gourmet, Pierre Franey, New York Times, October 17, 1984 (p. C3)
---Oxford Companion to Food, Alan Davidson [Oxford University Press:Oxford] 1999 (p.
383)
---The Horizon Cookbook and Illustrated History of Eating and Drinking Through the
Ages,
William Harlan Hale [American Heritage Publishing Co.:New York] 1968 (p. 625)
[1683]
"To Make a Sauce for a Boiled Sturgeon.
Take youg Onion cooked in Butter, Chervil, Parsley, Pepper, and Wine vinegar, let it cook
together. It is a good sauce." (P. 70)
Split the Eel open and wash clean. Take Sorrel, Chervil, and Parsley, some Rice, a little Mace,
tied close [and] boiled in water, some Salt in it. When the Eel floats thentake it out and place on
an earthenware collander and a sauce of Butter and Vinegar with an Egg is poured over it. Is
good." (P. 69)
---The Sensible Cook: Dutch Foodways in the Old and New World, Translated and Edited
by Peter G. Rose [Syracuse Univeristy Press:Syracuse NY] 1989
Original Dutch version [1669 edition] here.
"Peach Nectar Salad Dressing. 1/3 cup honey, 1/3 tsp. prepared mustard, few drops Tabasso sauce, 1/3 cup salad oil, 1/2 cup lemon juice, 1 1/2
cups chilled peach nectar. Combine honey, mustard, Tabasco sauce, salt and oil and beat. Add lemon juice slowly, beatuing continuously. Add
nectar and beat. Chill. Serve over fruit salad."---"Variations in Salads Aid Appetite Appeal," Marian Manners, Los Angles Times, July 6, 1942 (p. A8)
"In Madison, Wis., the board's culinary experts were served a honey-mustard sauce and warned to brush it on the chicken only five minutes before
it's one to avoid overbrowning. Golden Glow Sauce: One-half cup honey, one-half cup prepared mustard, two tablespoons lemon juice, two
teaspoons salt."---"Barbecue Sauce Depends on Geographical Location," Virginia Kachan, [Chicago] Daily Defender, May 31, 1956 (p. 19)
"Diet-conscious folks watch their menus just as carefully for too many calories as for the few vitamins. Into prominence with the calorie counter
has come the salad. Often neglected as an unnecessary part of the meal, the salad is a good way to back many vitamins but few calories into a
meal. New emphasis has been placed on the use of honey and lemon juice for fruit salads. This can be stored in the refrigerator and needs only to
be stirred for instant use. here are two choice dressings. A French Dressing and a honey Mustard Dressing which no one will turn down if you make
it...Honey Mustard Dressing: 1/2 cup whipping cream, chilled, 1 tablespoon prepared mustard, 2 tablespoons strained honey. Whip cream until
stiff; add other ingredients while whipping. Chill. Serve on fruit salads. Makes 1 cup."---"Honey Dressing Glamorizes Fruit Salads,"
Steubensville Herald Star, August 28, 1958 (p. 31) [NOTE: in the summer of 1958 this recipe circulated widely in USA newspapers.]
"Honey Glazed Chicken. 1 2 1/2 to 3-lb frying chicken, disjointed, or 3 lb. pieces, 1 tsp. seasoned salt, 1/4 cup butter, 6 tbsp. honey, 3 tbsp.
prepared mustard, 2 tsp. curry powder or more to taste, shredded lettuce. Season chicken with salt and set aside. Place butter in 9 X 13-in.
roasting pan on 375 deg. oven. Let stand until melted. Remove from oven. Add honey, mustard and curry powder. Stir until well blended. Turn
chicken in sauce and coat evenly. Arrange in one layer and return to oven. Bake 45 mins. or until tender. Baste and turn the pieces several times
while baking. Spread a thick bed of shredded lettuce on serving platter and arrange chicken on it. Makes 4 servings."---"Countdown Cooking Gets
Meals to the Table on Time," Los Angeles Times, November 13, 1969 (p. K28D) [NOTE: recipe was published in the Countdown Cookbook/Florence Kerr Hirschfeld. The 'countdown' was 60 minutes or less.]
"Honey-Mustard Baked Chicken. Broiler-fryer chicken 9 (cut up) or chicken parts (2 1/2 to 3 lbs), 1/2 cup honey, 1/3 cup prepared mustard, 2
tbsp. lemon juice, 1 1/2 tsp. salt, 1/4 cup butter, melted. Place chicken, skin side down, in a 3-qt. oblong glass baking dish (13 1/2 by 8 3/4 by
1 3/4 in.) or similar utensil. In a small mixing bowl mix together the honey, mustard, lemon juice and salt: spoon 1/2 cup of the mixture over
chicken. Cover and refrigerate at least 2 hours. or overnight. Pour butter over chicken. Bake in a preheated 350 deg. oven for 30 min,; turn skin
side up and bake until tender--another 30 min. Remove chicken from baking dish and keep warm. Stir remaining honey mixture into drippings in
baking dish; return to oven to heat--about 5 min. Return chicken to baking dish and spoon sauce over it. Makes 4 servings."---"Honey-Mustard
Sauce for Chicken--And Rice," Los Angeles Times, May 18, 1972 (p. L24) [NOTE: this recipe surfaced again, per reader request, in January 10, 1980 (p. I12)
"Fried Jumbo Gulf Shrimp, Honey Mustard Dip, $6.25."---Cattleman [restaurant] restaurant menu, New York Times, March 12, 1974 (p. 12)
"Another unusual and specialized mustard at [Crabtree and Eveyln] include honey mustard sauce from Texas ($4.95 for a 10-ounce preserving jar),
good with ham or barbecued meats..."---"100 Holiday Gifts for Food Lovers," Mimi Sheraton, New York Times, December 1, 1976 (p. 53)
"People are quick to tell you about their favorite salads. But frequently, what they really mean is the salad dressing they like...We went searching
for restaurants that make a salad dressing above and beyond the call of Roquefort, thousand island and oil and vinegar (or herb). We came up
with what we think are some of the Southland's best and most original dressings. All the eateries are understandably possessive about their
recipes, but we did get the chefs to at least divulge most ingredients...Orange Hill Restaurant--19912 E. Chapman Ave., Orange [CA]...
Spanish-flavored continental restaurant while enjoying its special honey-mustard dressing. A 'joint effort' blended this old French gourmet recipe
into its delectable current self. Oil, vinegar, honey and mustard are combined to create a texture similar to light creamy French. But don't get too
emotionally involved--you can't take it with you."---"Dressing in Public," Michele Willens & Wendy Hiller, Los Angeles Times, February 28, 1978 (p. G4)
The first dipping sauces were barbecue, sweet 'n' sour, hot mustard and honey (not honey-mustard): http://www.foodtimeline.org/foodmeats.html#nuggets
"Dear SOS: I would love the recipe for the house dressing that is used for salads at the Proud Bird restaurant in Los Angeles....Honey Mustard
Dressing. 3 cups mayonnaise, 1/2 cup sugar, 1/2 cup honey, 1/4 cup prepared mustard, 1/4 cup white vinegar, 1/4 onion, minced, 1/4 bunch
parsley, chopped, 1 cup oil. Combine mayonnaise, sugar, honey, mustard, vinegar, onion, and parsley. Blend in oil. Chill about 1 hour before
serving. Makes 4 cups dressing."---"Chef's Spicy and Unusual Chile Recipe for Those With Universal Taste," Rose Dosti, Los Angeles Times, November 12, 1981 (p. M9)
"Grilled chicken, grilled pineapple and peaches and grilled country bread spread with honey mustard: this recipe is an excuse to invest in the new
stovetop grill from Max Barton. Oblong rather than round, and twice the size of the original, it covers two burners and has enough space to cook
four, or to make a dish like this chicken sandwich that has four grilled components."---"Grill it All: Chicken, Fruit and Bread: Then Add Mustard,"
Marian Burros, New York Times, July 21, 1991 (p. 32)
"Not everyone sees red as the color of barbecue sauce. Just as barbecue is defined as pork in some states and beef in others, the liquid used for
basting and flavoring can vary from region to region. And ketchup is not at all as common as one may think. The vinegar-based sauces of North
Carolina and are well known. But in South Carolina and parts of Georgia, barbecue sauce is often yellow-brown, based on mustard, not ketchup...
The mustard sauce found farther south--sweet and tangy-- can be varied infinitely. The basic ingredients are mustard (preferably that cheap
lurid yellow ball park variety, but sometimes two or three classier kinds), vinegar and some sort of sweetener, like honey, molasses, brown sugar or
cane syrup or a combination. Local cooks change the vinegar, sweetener and mustard to put their own imprint on the sauce...South Carolina-Style
Mustard Sauce. Time: 15 minutes. 3/4 cup distilled white vinegar, 1/2 cup beef or chicken stock, 1/2 cup finely chopped onion, 1/2 cup seeded
minced jalapeno chilies, 1/2 cup yellow mustard of Dijon-style mustard, 1/4 cup honey mustard or brown deli-style mustard, 1/4 cup light corn
syrup (or to taste), 2 tablespoons molasses, 1 teaspoon black pepper, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper. Combine all ingredients in
saucepan, and bring to boil. Reduce heat, and simmer until thick and richly flavored, about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Taste for seasoning,
adding additional salt or corn syrup as desired. This sauce goes great with just about anything. Yield: 3 cups."---"Have Barbecue, Will Travel:
Tracking Sauces Down South," Steven Raichlen, New York Times, June 30, 1999 (p. F5) [NOTE: our South Carolina cookbooks also contain several recipes for tomato/kethcup-based barbecue sauces.]
[1939]
"SUNDAY Dinner.
Radish Hors
d'Oeuvres,
Roast Saddle of
Lamb,
Whipped Potatoes,
Fruit Horseradish Sauce,
'Green Peas,
Fresh Pineapple
Sherbet..."
---"Appetizing Menus for the Week," Mary Lee Swan, San Antonio Light, May 21, 1939 (p. 80) [NOTE: no recipe or description provided.]
"Jezebel Sauce
1 cup apple jelly
1/2 cup pineapple preserves
1/4 cup mustard
1 to 2 tablespoons prepared horseradish
Salt and freshly ground pepper.
Blend first 4 ingredients. Add salt and pepper to taste. Serve with baked ham or meat loaf. Yield: about 2 cups sauce."
---"'Mrs. Kansas' is a Cooking Whiz," Clementine Paddleford, Los Angeles Times, October 26, 1958 (p. TW32) [NOTE: this recipe is
headed "Treats from the Sunflower State." The recipe's author was Mrs. Robert E Bogue of Wichita. She does not provide any
scope notes or historic context for this sauce. We do ]
"Fruit and Horseradish Sauce
1 small jar prepared horseradish
1 6-ounce jar horseradish mustard
1 10-ounce jar pineapple preserves
1 10-ounce jar apple jelly
Strain horseradish by mashing through small strainer until dry. Combine with remaining ingredients and mix thoroughly. Put in glass container and keep in
refrigerator. Use with warm or cold ham. Also good on cold cuts. -Mrs Taylor W. Hamilton."
---Huntsville Heritage Cookbook, Junior League of Huntsville
Alabama [Hicklin Printing Company:Huntsville AL] 1967 (p. 32)
"Sometimes it's fun to change the Christmas dinner. If your family is tired of turkey and would prefer ham, we have found an old
Southern recipe for the sauce (or glaze if you insist) that's genuinely superb...The sauce can be prepared anytime and refrigerated indefinitely. It
does not have to be cooked on the ham.
"Jezebel Sauce
1 jar pineapple preserves
1 jar apple jelly
1 jar Bahama or Coleman Mustard
1 bottle freshly horseradish (or less to taste)
Salt and pepper to taste
Mix well in electric mixer."
---"New Zest in Ham for the Holiday," Willie Steinfort, Carroll Daily Times Herald [IA], November 16, 1967 (p. 38) [NOTE: This article
was published in local newspapers, concentrating in the midwest, Nov.- & Dec. 1967.]
"Patty Leonards' Jezebel Sauce
10-oz jar pineapple preserves
10-oz jar apple jelly
6 oz jar horseradish
1 ½ oz dry mustard
1 tsp ground black pepper
Mix all ingredients. Let sit in refrigerator at least 1 hour. Serve on sliced ham, meats or as a sauce poured over a block of Philadelphia cream cheese and served with crackers. This recipe makes well over a quart
of sauce and keeps indefinitely. Men love this!"
---Jennings Daily News (LA), December 26, 1975 (p. 3)
"Jezebel Sauce.
1 jar (6 ounces) prepared mustard
1 jar (6 ounces) prepared horseradish
1 jar (8 or 10 ounces) apple jelly
1 jar (8 or 10 ounces) pineapple preserves
Combine all ingredients. Serve as sauce with ham or pour over cream cheese and serve with crackers. Also good as an egg roll
sauce.-Mrs. Jim Schultz (Mary Kay)"
---Lone Star Legacy: A Texas Cookbook, Austin Junior Forum [Austin Junior Forum Publications:Austin TX]
1981 (p. 331)
"Jezebel Sauce. This is an institution in South Louisiana. No respectable home would be without a supply in the refrigerator for
unexpected guests. Serve over cream cheese to be spread on crackers.
1 (10-oz.) jar pineapple preserves (1 cup)
1 (10-oz.) jar apple jelly (1 cup)
1/4 cup dry mustard
1/2 cup prepared horseradish
1 1/2 teaspoon finely ground pepper.
In a food processor fitted with a steel blade, process all ingredients until blended. Spoon into jars. Cover and refrigerate until
needed, up to 2 weeks. Makes about 2-1/2 cups."
---Cajun-Creole Cooking, Terry Thompson [HP Books:Tucson AZ] 1986 (p. 22)
"Jezebel Sauce and Cream Cheese.
You can fix this treat faster than Coach Darrell Royal snapped up three hundred-pound recruits for the University of Texas. Some
versions of this sauce--sometimes referred to as Jeff Davis Sauce--are more potent than this one, but you can increase the firepower easily by
adding an extra tablespoon of horseradish.
Sauce
1 cup orange marmalade or peach or apricot preserves, or a combination
2/3 cup apple jelly
5 tablespoons Creole mustard or prepared brown mustard
1/4 cup prepared horseradish
1 teaspoon coarse-ground black pepper
1 pound cream cheese.
Makes about 2 cups sauce.
Combine all the sauce ingredients in a bowl, and mix well. Refrigerate for a day or two for the best flavor, although the sauce is
tasty from the start. It keeps indefinitely. Serve the sauce over the cream cheese. We use about a cup with 8 ounces of cheese. Accompany
with crackers. Jezebel sauce enhances smoked meats, too. We especially like mini-sandwiches of turkey or ham with sharp cheddar
on split biscuits topped with a dollop of the sauce."
---
Texas Home Cooking, Cheryl Alters Jamison and Bill Jamison
[Harvard Common Press:Boston MA] 1993 (p. 468)
"When the term ketchup first entered the English language, at the end of the seventeenth century, it stood for
something very different from the bottled tomato sauce of today. At that time tomatoes were an expensive rarity, and
the ketchups were long-keeping, often vinegar-based sauces flavoured with mushrooms, anchovies, onions, lemons,
oysters, pickled walnuts, etc. They formed the essential ingredients of the proprietary sauces so popular with the
Victorians, of which Worcester sauce is virtually the only survival..."
---An A to Z of Food and Drink, John Ayto [Oxford University Press:Oxford] 2002 (p. 177)
"To make English catchup.
Take the largest flaps of mushrooms, wipe them dry, but don't peel them, break them to pieces, and salt them very well; let them
stand so in an earthen pan for nine days, stirring them once or twice a day, then put then into a jugg close stopp'd set into
water over a fire for three hours; then strain it through a sieve, and to every quart of the juice put a pint of strong stale
mummy beer, not bitter, a quarter of a pound of anchovies, a quarter of an ounce of mace, the same of cloves, half an ounce of
pepper, a race of ginger, half a pound of shalots; then boil them altogether over a slow fire till half the liquor is wastged, keeping
the pot close covered; then strain it through a flannel bag. If the anchovies don't make it salt enough, add a little
salt."
---First Catch Your Hare: The Art of Cookery Made Plain & Easy, Hannah Glasse, facsimile 1747 edition [Prospect Books:Devon]
1995 (p. 169)
"The word 'ketchup' conjures up an image of the thick, sweet, tomato-based condiment...Americans did not invent ketchup, which
was not thick, sweet, or made from tomatoes...British explorers, colonists, and traders came into contact with the sauce
in Southeast Asia, and upon their return to Europe they attempted to duplicate it. As soybeans were not grown in Europe, British
cooks used such substitutes as anchovies, mushrooms, walnuts, and oysters. British colonists brought ketchup to North Ameirca, and
Americans continued experimenting, using a variety of additional ingredients, including beans and apples. Tomato ketchup may
have originated in America. It was widely used throughout the United States in the early nineteenth century, and small
quantities of it were first bottled in the 1850s. After the Civil War commercial production of ketchup rapidly increased...tomato
ketchup became the most important version...In 1896 the New York Tribune reported that tomato ketchup was America's national
condiment...Up until 1900, ketchup was mainly used as an ingredient for savory pies and sauces, and to enhance the flavor of
meat, poultry, and fish. It then became famous as a condiment following the appearance of three major host foods: hamburgers,
hot dogs, and french fries."
---Oxford Encyclopedia of Food and Drink in America, Andrew F. Smith [Oxford University Press:New York] 2004, volume 2(p. 5-6)
[1824]
"Tomata Catsup.
Gather a peck of tomatas, pick out the stems, and wash them; put them in the fire without water, sprinkle on a few spoonsful of
salt, let them boil steadily an hour, stirring them frequently, strain them through a colander, and then through a sieve; put the liquid on the
fire with half a pint of chopped onions, a quarter of an ounce of mace broke into small pieces, and if not sufficiently salty, add a
little more, one tablespoonful of whole black pepper, boil all together until just enough to fill two bottles; cork it tight.--
Make it in August."
---The Virginia Housewife, Mary Randolph, facsimile 1824 edition with historical notes and commentaries by Karen Hess
[University of South Carolina Press:Columbia SC] 1984 (p. 201)
Tomato Catsup
Take enough ripe tomatoes to fill a jar, put them in a moderate oven, and bake them until they are thoroughly soft; then strain them through a coarse cloth or sieve,
and to every pint of juice put a pint of vinegar, half an ounce of garlic sliced, a quarter of an ounce of salt, and the same of white pepper finely ground. Boil it for one
hour, then rub it through a sieve, boil it again to the consistency of cream; when cold, bottle it, put a teaspoonful of sweet oil in each bottle; cork them tight, and
keep in a dry place."
---La Cuisine Creole, Lafcadio Hearn
"The etymological origin of the word ketchup is a matter of confusion. For almost two centuries speculation has raged regarding
the origin of the word and what it signifies...Elizabeth David suggests in her Spice, Salt and Aromatics in the English
Kitchen that the word 'derived form caveach, a form of spiced-vinegar pickle in which cooked fish was preserved.' She
announced that the word in different forms manifested itself throughout European cookery...E.N. Anderson believed that
ketchup was cognate with the French escaveche, 'meaning food in sauce.' Similarly, others have speculated that ketchup was
related to the Spanish and Portuguese words escabeche or escaveach, meaning 'a marinade or sauce for pickling.'...
American culinary historian reports, escabeche derived from the Arabic word iskeby and specifically referred to pickling with
vinegar. The term was Anglicized to caveach, and it appeared in print almost simultaneously with ketchup in English cookery
books. Still others have claimed that the word ketchup originated in East Asia. In 1877 Eneas Dallas speculated that the true
Japanese word was kitjap...However, if anything is clear in this etymological confustion, it is that the word kitjap is not of
Japanese origin. Concurring in this opinion, the editor of the Oxford English Dictionary suggested that 'Japanese' cited by
many was possibly an error for 'Javanese.' This speculation was based on the presumption that some observers believed that
ketchup derived form the Malay language...Culinary historian Alan Davidson...believed that the term specifically derived from
the Indonesian word kecap. Owen presumed that retired British colonial servants brought the word back home with them from
Malaya. However, ketchup was entrenched in Britain well before the British possessed a colony in Malaya...Indeed, Malay
dictionaries claim that ketchup is of Chinese origin...The editors of the Oxford English Dictionary, citing Douglas's Chinese
Dictionary, presented a different Chinese-origins theory, reporting that ketchup really derived from ke-tsiap, a word from the Amoy
dialect of Chinese meaning 'the brine of pickled fish.'"
---Pure Ketchup: A History of America's National Condiment, Andrew F. Smith [University of South Carolina Press:Columbia]
1996 (p. 4-5)
"...ketchup is among the few commonly eaten products with no agreed upon spelling. Ketchup, catchup, or catsup continue to be
used today, but other similar spellings have been employed for years...Over the past two centuries food commentators have
presented cases for particular 'correct' spellings of the word...In America, Isaac Riley, editor of the 1818 edition of
The Universal Receipt Book, believed that ketchup was the correct spelling. According to Riley, catchup was a vulgarization,
and catsup was simply an affectation...Until a few decades ago, catsup was the preferred spelling in many dictionaries. Today
ketchup clearly is in the ascendancy, and is the clear choice of lexicographers and manufacturers."
---Pure Ketchup: A History of America's National Condiment, Andrew F. Smith [University of South Carolina Press:Columbia] 1996
(p. 6)
---The Virginia Housewife, Mary Randolph, facsimile 1824 edition with historical notes and commentaries by Karen Hess
[University of South Carolina Press:Columbia SC] 1984 (p. 293)
"Tomata Soy.
Take a bushel of full ripe tomatoes, cut them in slices without skinning--sprinkle the bottom of a large tub with salt, strew in the tomatas,
and over each layer of about two inches thick, sprinkle half a pint of salt, and three onions sliced without taking off the skins.
When the bushel of tomatas is thus prepared, let them remain for three days, then put them into a large iron pot, in which they must
boil from early in the morning 'till night, constantly stirring to prevent their sticking and mashing them. The next morning, pass
the mixture through a sieve, pressing it to obtain all the liquor you can; and add to it one ounce of cloves, quarter of a pound of allspice,
quarter of a pound of whole black pepper, and a small wine glass of Cayenne; let it boil slowly and constantly during the whole of the
day--in the evening, put it into a suitable vessel to cool, and the day after bottle and cork it well: place it in a cool situation
during warm weather, and it will keep for many years, provided it has been boiled very slowly and sufficiently in the prepraration.
Should it ferment, it must be boiled a second time."
---The Virginia Housewife, Mary Randolph, facsimile 1824 edition with historical notes and commentaries by Karen Hess
[University of South Carolina Press:Columbia SC] 1984 (p. 241)
"TOMATA SOY. --For this purpose you must have the best and ripest tomatas, and they must be gathered on a dry day. Do
not peel them, but merely cut them into slices. Having strewed some salt over the bottom of a tub, put in the tomatas in
layers; sprinkling between each layer (which should be about two inches in thickness) a half a pint of salt. Repeat this
till you have put in eight quarts or one peck of tomatas. Cover the tub and let it set fot three days. Then early in the
morning, put the tomatas into a large porcelain kettle, and boil it slowly and steadily till ten at night, frequently
mashing and stirring the tomatas. Then put it out to cool. Next morning strain and press it through a sieve, and when no
more liquid will pass through, put it into a clean kettle with two ounces of cloves, one ounce of mace, two ounces of
black pepper, and two table-spoonfuls of cayenne, all powdered.
Again let it boil slowly and steadily all day, and put it to cool in the evening in a large pan. Cover it, and let it set all night. Next day put it into small bottles, securing the corks by dipping them in melted rosin, and tying leathers over them.
If made exactly to these directions, and slowly
and thoroughly boiled, it will keep for years in a cool dry place, and may be used for many purposes when fresh tomatas
are not to be had."
---
Directions for Cookery, Eliza Leslie
"Tomato Soy
To a peck of green tomatoes put a tea-cup of fine salt and a
dozen green peppers. Chop tomatoes and peppers fine, work the salt well through the whole. Let stand twenty-four hours; then drain the brine off, spice to taste
with cinnamon and cloves, pack down in a jar, and just cover with vinegar, in which the spice has been boiled, while it is
hot."
---
Jennie June's American Cookery Book, Jennie June
"Green Tomato Soy, or Sauce
Slice a peck of green tomatoes thin, salt them thoroughly, using a pint of salt. Let them stay in this all night, and in the morning drain them from the salt, wash them in cold water, and put them in a kettle with a dozen cut-up raw onions, two tablespoonfuls of black pepper, same of allspice, a quarter of a spoonful of ground mustard, half a pound of white mustard seed, and a tablespoonful of red pepper. Cover all with strong vinegar, and boil it until it becomes like jam. Stir it frequently while it is boiling or it will scorch.
Superior Tomato Catsup
Get a bushel of ripe tomatoes, scald them until they are soft enough to squeeze through a sieve. When strained, add to the pulp a pint and a half of salt, four tablespoonfuls of ground cloves, same of cayenne pepper, a quarter of a pound of allspice and a tablespoonful of black pepper, a head of garlic skinned and
separated, and a half gallon of vinegar. Boil until it is reduced one-half, then bottle."
---La Cuisine Creole, Lafcadio Hearn
---Oxford Companion to Food, Alan Davidson [Oxford University Press:Oxford] 2nd edition, 2007 (p. 488)
---An A-Z of Food & Drink, John Ayto [Oxford University Press:Oxford] 2002 (p. 208)
---The Saucier's Apprentice, Raymond Sokolov [Alfred A. Knopf:New York] 1976 (p. 6-7)
[1828]
"NO. 60.--Mayonnaise.
Take three spoonsful of Allemande, six of aspic, and two of oil. Add a little tarragon vinegar that has not boiled, some pepper
and salt, and chopped ravigotte, or some chopped parsley only. Set the whole over some ice, and when the mayonnaise begins to
freeze, then put in the members of fowl, or fillets of soles, &c. The mayonnaise must be put into ice: but the members must not
be put into the sauce till it begins to freeze. Dish up the meat or fish, cover it with the sauce before it be quite frozen,
and garnish the dish with whatever you think proper, as beet-root, jelly, naturtiums, &c."
---The French Cook, Louis Eustache Ude, facsimile Englished edition of book originally published in French, 1828
[Arco Publishing:New York] 1978 (p. 20)
"White Mayonnaise Sauce
Put, in a small basin: the yolk of 1 egg, well freed from white; 1 pinch of salt; and a small pinch of pepper; stir with a
wooden spoon, and pour in, by drops at first, then by teaspoonfuls, about 4 oz. of oil,--being careful to mix the oil well before
adding any more; at every eighth teapsoonful of oil, add 1 teaspoonful of vinegar, till all the oil is used; taste the seasoning;
and serve. Mayonnaise should, as a rule, be of rather high seasoning."
Prepare a white mayonnaise, as just indicated; Cop 3 tablespoonfuls of ravigote, i.e. a mixture of chervil, tarragon, cress,
and burnet;--if tarragon is scarce, chervil alone, with a tablespoonful of tarragon vinegar added to the sauce, will do as well.
Mix the herbs, in the sauce; and serve."
---The Royal Cookery Book, Jules Gouffe, translated by Alphonse Gouffe [Sampson Low, Son, and Marson:London] 1869
"Sauce Mayonnaise
Many composed cold sauces are derived from Mayonnaise and it is therefore classified as a basic sauce in the same way as Espagnole and
Veloute. Its preparation is very simple provided note is take of the principles outlined in the following recipe:
Ingredients
6 egg yolks (these must be unblemished)
1 litre (1 3/4pt or 4 1/2 U.S. cups) oil
10 g (1/3 oz) fine salt
pinch of ground white pepper
1 1/2 tbls vinegar (or its equivalent in lemon juice if the cause is required to be very white
Method
1. Whisk the yolks of egg in a basin with the salt, pepper and a little of the vinegar or a few drops of lemon juice.
2. Add and whisk in the oil, drop by drop to begin with, then faster in a thread as the sauce begins to thicken.
---The Complete Guide to the Art of Modern Cookery, A. Escoffier, originally published in 1907, translated by H.L. Cracknell and R. J. Kaufmann [John Wiley & Sons:New YOrk] 1997 (p. 30)
[NOTE: Escoffier also includes recipes for: Sauce Mayonnaise Collee (Jellied Mayonnaise), Sauce Mayonnaise Fouette a la
Russe (Whipped Mayonnaise, Russian Style), and Various Mayonnaise Sauces (generally including creamy parts of large shellfish).
---Larousse Gastronomique, completely revised and updated [Clarkson Potter:New York]
2001 (p. 751)
---An A to Z of Food and Drink, John Ayto [Oxford University Press:Oxford] 2002 (p.
215)
---Oxford Companion to Food, Alan Davidson [Oxford University Press:Oxford] 1999 (p.
509)
[1869] Gouffe
"Mirepoix, or Essence of Meat and Vegetables.
Observation.--Mirepoix is such a common term in cookery that I cannot help using it, although I
have thought it well to indicate its composition in the title itself. It is an extract of meat and
vegetables;--the word mirepoix alone would certainly not make this fact as clear as desirable. To
make mirepoix: Cut 2 lbs of fillet of veal, 1 lb. Of fat bacon, and 2 lbs. Of raw ham, half lean, half
fat, in 1 1/2 inch pieces, and put these into a stewpan with: 4 sliced carrots, 4 middle-sized onions,
4 bay leaves, 1 sprig of thyme, 4 shallots; Fry till the meat is of a light brown colour, and pour in 2
bottles of Madeira, and 5 quarts of General Stock; add 1/2 oz. Of mignonnette pepper; boil; then
simmer gently for two hours; strain through a broth napkin; and put by for use, --without taking
off the fat."
---The Royal Cookery Book, Jules Gouffe, translated from the French and adapted for
English use by Alphonse Gouffe [Sampson Low, Son, and Marston:London] 1869 (p. 269)
"322. Mirepoix
The ingredients are the same as those for Matignon with the following differences: the vegetables
are cut into large or small Bruinoise according to how the Mirepoix is to be used and the raw ham
is replaced by lean salt belly of pork cut in dice and blanched. Lightly brown all the ingredients in
a little butter.
Cut 125 g (4 1/2 oz) red of carrot, 125 g (. 1/2 ox) onion, 50 g (2 oz) celery and 100 g (3 1/2 oz)
raw ham all into thin Paysanne; add 1 bayleaf and a sprig of thyme. Stew together in a little butter
and deglaze with a little white wine."
---Escoffier: The Complete Guide to the Art of Modern Cookery, Escoffier [1903], the
first translation into English by H.L. Cracknell and R.J. Kaufmann of Le Guide Culinaire
in its entirety [John Wiley:New York] 1979 (p. 50)
"Mirepoix
Yield: 1 pound (450 grams)
Onions, chopped, 8 ounces (225 grams)
Carrots, chopped, 4 ounces (115 grams)
Celery, chopped, 4 ounces (115 grams)
1. Cut the vegetables into an appropriate size based on the cooking time of the dish.
2. Add mirepoix to the recipe as directed.
Yield: 1 pound (450 grams)
Onions, chopped, 4 ounces (115 grams)
Leeks, chopped, 4 ounces (115 grams)
Celery, chopped, 4 ounces (115 grams)
Parsnips, chopped, 4 ounces (115 grams)
Mushroom trimmings (optional), 2 to 3 ounces (60 to 85 grams)
1. Cut the vegetables into an appropriate size, based on the cooking time of the dish.
2. Add mirepoix to the recipe as directed."
---The Professional Chef, Culinary Institute of America, 6th edition, 1996 (p. 420)
Easier asked than answered. There is no single definative list of "Mother Sauces." Candidates vary according to period and culinary perspective. Most often listed are:
espagnole, mayonnaise, tomato, bechamel, veloute, & hollandaise (similar to allemande).
---A Concise Encyclopedia of Gastronomy, Andre L. Simon [Harcourt, Brace and Company:New York] 1952 (p. 4-5)
"Fundamental sauces...Espagnole...Veloute...Allemande...Bechamel..."
---Royal Cookery Book, Jules Gouffe, translated by Alphonse Gouffe [Sampson, Low, Son and Marston:London] 1869 (p. 262-266)
"The Mother Sauce Matrix: As formulated by August Escoffier in his Guide Culinaire (1902): Espagnole, Veloute, Bechamel, Hollandaise, Tomate."
---The Sauce Bible: Guide to the Saucier's Craft, David Paul Larousse [John Wiley & Sons:New York] 1993 (p. 58)
"As numerous and diverse as French sauces are, they all originate from the same basic sauces: espagnole and demi-glace, which, in good home cooking are
replaced by what are known as 'boureois sauces' and which we call 'brown sauce' ...or whaite sauces such as veoulte...parisienne; and bechamel. The primary
function of these sauces is to provide--in strictly anonymous fashion...the fundamental elements of any sauce: concentrated flavors from extracts of meat, fish, or
similar; liquid; and liaison. In other words...starting from a basic sauce, any number of ingredients can be added to give to each a particular sauce its own distinctive
flavor...The difference between the basic sauces of haute cuisine and those of the home cook is not necessarily in the ingredients used. For all intents and purposes,
they are about the same. The difference is in the quantity of these ingredients, and, more important, in the time and care taken for the preparation..."
---La Bonne Cuisine, Madame E. Saint-Ange, originally published in 1927, translated with an introduction by Paul Aratow [Ten Speed Press:Berkely CA]
2005 (p. 49) [NOTE: We own the original French text, if you question the translation.]
"Sauces are the splendor and glory of French cooking...For while the roster of French sauces is stupendous, the individual sauces divide themselves into a half a
dozen definite groups and each one in a particular group is amde in the same general way...
The French Family of Sauces
White Sauces: These stem from the two cousins, bechamel and veloute. Both use a flour and butter roux as thickening agent. Bechamel is moistened with
milk; veloute, with white stock is made from poultry, veal, or fish.
Brown Sauces: For the brown sauces, the butter and flour roux is cooked slowly untilit turns a nut brown. Then a brown stock is added.
Tomato Sauce
Egg Yolk and Butter Sauces: Hollaindaise is the mother of this family.
Egg Yolk and Oil Sauces: These are all variations of mayonnaise.
Oil and Vinegar Sauces: Vinaigrette--French dressing--heads this family.
Flavored Butters: These include the hot butter sauces, and butters creamed with various herbs, seasonings or purees."
---Mastering the Art of French Cooking, Simone Beck, Louisette Bertholle, Julia Child [Alfred A. Knopf:New York] 1963 (p. 54-55)
"As it is now practised in present-day cookery...Sauce demi-glace, Sauce veloute, Sauce bechamel, Sauces aux beurre, Sauce Hollandaise, Sauce blanc, Sauce
Tomate."
---The Sauce Bible: Guide to the Saucier's Craft, David Paul Larousse [John Wiley & Sons:New York] 1993 (p. 58)
Careme's original scheme contained five foundation sauces: veloute, bechamel, espagnol, mayonnaise
and allemande. Escoffier is generally credited for elevating tomato sauce to this lofty position.
---Larousse Gastonomique, Completely revised and updated edition [Clarkson Potter:New
York] 2001 (p. 1042)
--- Haute Cusine: How the French Invented the Culinary Profession, Amy B. Trubek
[University of Pennsylvania Press:Philadelphia PA] 2000 (p. 18)
---The Saucier's Apprentice, Raymond Sokolov, [Alfred A
Knopf:New York] 1976 (p. xiv-xv)
[NOTE: Mr. Sokolov's book serves an excellent course in the contributions La Varenne, Massaliot, Careme,
Ude and others. If you are a culinary student this book is in your school's library. If not? Your
public librarian can help you find a copy. Use this book to trace connection between demi glace
(Espagnole in its most refined stage) and sauce Robert, Duxelles, Poivrade, Piquante, Chasseur,
Perigoudine, etc.
---A Concise Encyclopedia of Gastronomy, Andre L. Simon [Harcourt, Brace and Company:New York] 1952 (p. 4-5)
Nantua sauce
---An A-Z of Food and Drink, John Ayto [Oxford University Press:Oxford] 2002 (p. 224)
---Larousse Gastronomique, Completely revised and updated [Clarkson Potter:New York] 2001
(p. 784)
?
Jules Gouffe's Royal Cookery Book [Englished in 1869 by Jules Gouffe] does not contain a
recipe for Sauce Nantua. It does, however, contain recipes for Bechamel Sauce a L'Ancienne,
Chicken Bechamel Sauce, and Bechamel Sauce Maigre (without meat) on pages 265-6. None of
these list crayfish as an ingredient. Mr. Gouffre is aware of crayfish, providing recipes for
Crayfish a la Bordelaise (which uses Espagnole sauce), crayfish butter, crayfish for garnish,
crayfish tails canapes and crayfish en coquilles.
[1897]
"294. Sauce ecrevisses (Dit Nantua).
[NOTE: (1) "Ecrevisse" means crawfish. "Crevettes" are shrimp. The preceding recipes are for "Sauce Crevettes." Happy to scan
send if you like.]
"135. Sauce Nantua.
Add 2 dl (7 fl oz or 7/8 U.S. cup) cream to 1 litre (1 3/4 pt or 4 1/2 U.S. cups) Sauce Bechamel
and reduce by one-third. Pass through a fine strainer and add 1 1/2 dl (5 fl oz or 5/8 U.S. cup)
cream to bring the sauce back to its normal consistency. Finish it with 125 g (4 1/2 oz) very fine
Crayfish Butter and the addition of 20 small cooked crayfish tails."
---Escoffier: The Comlete Guie to the Art of Modern Cookery, reprint of 1907 edition, the first
translation in English by H.L. Cracknell and R.J. Kaufmann [Wiley:New York] 1997 (p. 22)
"Crayfish Sauce (Sauce Nantua)
One of the best and most desired sauces, to serve as an accompaniment to tubot, brill, salmon, or trout, cooked in a court
bouillon. This preparation, a little more complicated than most sauces served with fish, can be described as follows: a bechamel
sauce base, reduced with creme fraiche, and to which crayfish butter and crayfish tails are added at the last moment. Time: A
good hour. Serves 10.
For the bechamel: 30 grams (1 ounce, 2 tablespoons) of butter and 35 grams (1 1/4 ounces) of flour for the roux blanc; 3/4
litre (generous 3 cups) of boiled milk; a half onion, finely minced; a bunch of parsley sprigs and a sprig of thyme tied
together with kitchen string; 8 grams (1/3 ounce) of salt; pinch of pepper, a hint of grated nutmeg; 2 decilitres (6 3/4 fluid
ounces, 7/8 cup) of very fresh thick cream.
8-10 medium crayfish or 15 smaller ones; 100 grams (3 1/3 ounces, 7 tablespoons) of butter; a few drops of red food coloring.
Procedure. The bechame sauce: Prepare it in a 1 1/4-litre (5-cup) capacity, heavy-bottomed pot. First, color the onion in the butter
for 2 minutes, before adding the flour; follow the directions already given for preparing this sauce...
The crayfish: For the quantity of crayfish suggested, put in a saute pan: 30 grams (1 ounce), 2 tablespoons) of butter; 30 grams
(1 ounce) of finely minced onion; 2 parsley stems, rougly chopped; a sprig of thyme; a portion of bay leaf almost the size of a
fingernail; a deciliter (3 1/3 fluid ounces, scant 1/2 cup) of white wine; a pinch of salt and pepper. Heat without boiling, then add
the crayfish, properly trimmed as directed in their section...Saute over high heat; cover; cook over low heat for a good 10
minutes.
Next, remove the carapaces one by one. Put them on a plate. On another plate, gather all the debris, the shells, and heads. With
a knife, remove the 'string' in the tail. Cut them in half lenghtwise. Put them in a small pan or other utensil that can withstand high
heat, because the tails must be reheated before being added to the sauce, although they must absolutely not boil. Pour over the
liquid from cooking though a fine linen cloth to strain; add a teaspoon of fine champagne (cognac) and a tablespoon of mushroom
cooking liquid, if possible, or add some water. Cover. Set aside. With the remaining 70 grams (2 1/2 ounces, 1/3 cup) of butter, prepare
the crayfish butter...as directed, straining through the sieve into a double boiler. Set aside at room temperature.
To finish the sauce: Strain the bechamel sauce thorugh a chinois into a small saute pan. Add some cream, but reserve 4 good
tablespoons. Put the pan over high heat and redce the suace, stirring constantly, until it has thickened and is no more than about
4 1/2 deciliters (scant 2 cups).
Remove the sauce from the heat. Mix in the reserved cream, which thus retains its flavor. Again, strain through a chinois into a double
boiler. Gradually, add the crayfish butter, in pieces about the size of a walnut, mixing with a whisk. Next, add the food coloring, drop by
drop, until the sauce becomes a good pink color. Set the pan over the double boiler pan. Just before serving, add the crayfish
tails."
---La Bonne Cuisine, Madame E. Saint-Ange, translated and with an introduction by Paul Aratow [Ten Speed Press:Berkely CA]
2005 (p. 67-68)
[NOTE: We have an original 1927 French edition of this book. Recipe appeares on page 122; measurements are in grammes. Happy to scan/send recipe if you like.]
"Nantua Sauce
To each cup Hot Bechamel Sauce (No. 259) add 1/4 cup of scalded heavy cream; blend well, then strian through a fine sieve. When ready to
serve, taste fo seasoning and stir in 2 tablespoons fo Crayfish Butter (No. 985) and 2 tablespoons of finely chopped, cooked
crayfish. Appropriate for any kind of fish, crustacean, or shellfish cooked in any style."
---The Gold Book Book, Louis P. De Gouy [Galahad Books:New York] 1948 (p. 578)
"Sauce Nantua
12-15 cooked crawfish or 1 small lobster
1/2 cup butter
1 pint milk
Beurre manie (2 tabeslpoons flour and 3 tablespoons butter)
Salt, pepper and cayenne
2 ounces Cognac
Remove the meat from the tails of the crawfish (or the lobster) and pound the shells and bodies in a mortar or crush them with a
rolling pin. Place in a saucepan with the butter and heat over a low flame until the butter is melted. Add the milk and let it come to the boiling
point. Strain and return to the stove. Thicken, stirring constantly, with beurre manie. Season with salt, pepper and a few garins of
cayenne. Add the Cognac and the crawfish tails or lobster meat. Pour over the quenelles."
---Paris Cuisine, James A. Beard and Alexander Watt [Little, Brown and Company:Boston] 1952 (p. 128)
[NOTE: The preceding recipe is for Quenelles de Brochet a la Nantua. These recipes were supplied by Nos Provinces, 129, Boulevard
Montparnasse, Paris.]
"Nantua sauce I (for eggs, fish, crustaceans). Sauce Nantua--Boil down by half 1/2 cup (1 decilitre) of Bechamel sauce to which the
cooking liquor of crayfish and 1/2 cup (1 decilitre) of cream have been added. Finish off with 3 tablespoons (50 grams) of crayfish butter
...a few drops of brandy and a pinch of cayenne; strain.
Nantua sauce II ..Heat 3/4 cup (1 1/2 declitres) of crayfish puree and dilute to the desired consistency with 4 tablespoons
(60 grams) of butter and a few tablespoons of cream. Heighten the seasoning with a pinch of cayenne; strain."
---Larousse Gastronomique [Crown Publishers:New York] 1961 (p. 857)
"Sauce Nantua
(White Wine Shrimp Sauce with Shrimp Butter)
For 1 1/2 cups
The shrimp shell debris
The shrimp-cooking stock
Fish stock, chicken broth, or milk
A small saucepan
1 Tb butter
1 Tb flour
A 2-quart emanmeled or stainless-steel saucepan
1 egg yolk
1/3 to 1/2 cup heavy cream
The cooked, peeled shrimp (about 2 cups)
Salt, pepper, and lemon juice
3 or more Tb shrimp butter
Scrape the shrimp peelings into the cooking stock, simmer 5 minutes, then strain into a measure. Add fish stock, chicken broth, or milk to make
1 cup; pour into a small saucepan and heat to simmer. Melt the butter in a large saucepan, blend in the flour, and stir over
moderate heat for 2 minutes without browning. Remove form heat, let cool a moment, then beat in the hot cooking stock with a wire whip.
Boil, stirring, for 1 minutes; remove from heat. You now have a thick seuce veloute. Blend the egg yolk and 1/3 cup of cream in
a bowl with your wire whip; beat in the hot sauce by driblets. Stir over moderately high heat until sauce comes to a boil; simmer for a moment, adding
more cream by spoonfuls to thin out sauce--it should coat a spoon nicely. Taste carefully for seasoning, adding salt, pepper, and drops of lemon juice
as you feel it necessary. This is now a sauce parisienne. Fold in the cooked shrimp. If you are not serving immediately,
float a spoonful of cream over top to prevent crusting, and refrigerate. Just before serving, bring to the simmer for a
minute or two, to warm the shrimp and blend flavors. Immediately before serving, remove from heat and fold in as much shrimp
butter as you wish, added by spoonfuls. With the addition of the butter you now have shrimp in sauce Nantua; do not bring near the simmer
again or sauce will thin out. Serve in a rign of boiled rice, in a vol-au-vent, in patty shells, or in the following toast
cases."
---"The Eighty-fourth Show: The Shrimp Show," The French Chef Cookbook, Julia Child [Alfred A. Knopf:New York] 1972 (p. 230-231)
[NOTE: This recipe echoes Reboul's 1897 formula.]
Pesto
"Basil., aromatic plant. Basil was already being eaten by slugs in ancient Greek gardens, but why
it was grown there is uncertain. In the modern Near East basil is grown for its aroma by not
traditionally used in food. In the ancient world it was controversial whether basil should be taken
as fod, though according to Galen some ate it as a salad, dressed with olive oil and garum. Its
medicial qualities are recorded from the Hippocratic Regimen onwards. The basil of the
Mediterranean is Ocimum americanum. The ancient name was okimon in Greek, ocimum in
Latin; the now-familiar name basilikon appears first in early medieval texts, and the two are
equated in Byzantine sources such as the manuscripts of Simeon Seth's dietary manual, but some
scholars, including Laufer, have doubted that the ancient okimon is realy basil."
---Food in the Ancient World from A to Z, Andrew Dalby [Routledge:London] 2003 (p. 48)
---A Mediterranean Feast, Clifford A. Wright [William Morris:New York] 1999 (p. 351)
---The Top One Hundred Pasta Sauces, Diane Seed [Ten Speed Press:Berkeley CA] 1987 (p.
9-10)
---The American Century Cookbook: The Most Popular Recipes of the 20th Century, Jean
Anderson [Clarkson Potter:New York] 1997 (p. 214)
[1893]
"Salsa Verde (Green sauce)
To prepare green sauce, squeeze the brin out of some capers and then, using a mezzaluna, finely chop them together wtih an anchovy,
a little onion, and very little garlic. Mash the mixture with a knife blade and make it into a fine paste which you will place in
a gravy dish. Add a fair amount of parsley chopped with a few basil leaves. Blend everything in fine olive oil and lemon juice.
This sauce goes well with boiled chicken, cold fish, hard-boiled or poached eggs. if you have no capers, brine-cured pepper may
be used instead."
---Science in the Kitchen and the Art of Eating Well, Pellegrino Artusi, Translated by Murtha Baca and Stephoen Sartalli
[Marsilio Publshers:New York] 1997 (p. 117-118)
"In Liguria you must try the minestrone col pesto, a soup in which oil, cheese, garlic and basil are used."
---"Italy Richly Endowed with Foods Renowned," Darrell Preston Aub, The Washington Post, September 8, 1935 (p. F1)
"Italian Spaghetti Paste. Those who are fond of spaghetti may be interested in learning of an Italian paste which, though not new, is relatively little
known. Called Pesto Genovese, it is dark green in color and is made of finely chopped parsley, anise, basil, garlic, cheese, olive
oil and seasoning. it needs only to be added to oil or margarine to make a delicious sauce. The kind we have in mind is
Poggiolo brand. The paste, which is especially popular with Italians, has a pungent anise flavor, in which a trace of basil is
also apparent. For this reason, a linking for anise is a prerequisite to its use. Although the directions on the tin call for
two tablespoons of the paste to be mixed with oil as desired, those with conservative tastes will find one tablespoon sufficient
for each serving of spaghetti. Mix it with one tablespoon of oil, or with one and a half tablespoons of fortified margarine.
The sauce should then be heated, added to the spaghetti and sprinkled generously with an Italian-type grated cheese. One six-ounce tin
of the paste will serve twelve persons. If all of the package is not used at once, the remainder may be kept in a glass jar in the
refrigerator. Pesto Genovese, which is often referred to simply as green paste, may be found at most Italian grocery stores, and,
specifically at Manganato's, 488 Ninth Avenue, where it sells for 28 cents."
---"News of Food," Jane Holt, New York Times, October 24, 1944 (p. 20)
"Pasta al Pesto (pesto means "pounded," and refers to the mode of preparation) is the distinctive contribution of the Northern
Italians to the culinary art. Into a mortar placed generous quantiteis of fresh basil--the dry will not do--and a few cloves of
garlic. Pound vigorously with a pestle, adding small quantities of olive oil from time to time, until garlic and basi merge
into a fine paste. Complete the process as described for pasta al burro, adding this paste and butter to the pasta. Pestle and
mortar are stock kitchen equipment in many Italian homes; if they are not avialable, the ingredients may be minced on a cutting
board with a heavy, straight-edges knife. If a knife is used, the mincing must be continued until garlic and basil are
thoroughly fused. This seasonal dish--it can be prepared only when fresh basil is available--is an extraordinary pleasant
experience both for the nostrils and the palate. Its only disadvantage is that it may unduly whet the appetite. I once knew
a man in Florence who wagered that he could eat two pounds of pasta al pesto--six ounces in a generous portion for the average
man --after a normal dinner. The prize was a barrel of Chianti. He won the wager and lived to drink the wine!"
---"Spaghetti: The fine points of preparing it in the native manner," Sunset, January 1946 (p. 30-31)
"Pesto Sauce, Genoise Style.
1 large bunch fresh sweet basil
Parsely, about a s much as basil
4 cloves garlic
1/2 teaspoon salt
Freshly ground pepper
4 tablespoon Romana cheese.
1. Chop to a paste basil, parsley and garlic, using a chopping bowl or mortar and pestle. Do not prepare this sauce too far ahead
of serving time or the green color will be lost.
2. Add salt and pepper. Add oil about drop by drop, beating and rubbing continuously until mixture is of sauce consistency. Stir in
cheese. Serve by mixing about one-half the sauce with cooked fine spaghetti or noodles and use the remaining sauce as garnish
on top. The sauce also may be added to minestrone soup, a spoonful to each serving. Yield: four servings."
---"News of Food," New York Times, May 10, 1952 (p. 24)
"Basil--once called the herb of kings--is becoming more common in American cookery. The sweet, fragrant plant is well known to
European epicureans, who use it for flavoring soups, meats and sauces...Lucky Americans returning from an Italian vacation will
speak fondly of having eaten a fresh-basil spaghetti sauce called "pesto." This delicacy may be prepared as follows:
Chop very fine one large buch fresh sweet basil with an equal amount of parsley and four cloves of garlic. Better still, mash all
all together in a mortar with a pestle. Add olive oil drop by drop until mixture is of sauce consistency. Season to taste. Stir in four
tablespoons grated Romano cheese. Mix about one-half the sauce with cooked fine spaghetti or noodles and use remaining portion as
garnish."
---"Basil Brings Soupor Meat a Novel Tang," New York Times, August 24, 1955 (p. 30)
Ada Boni's Talisman Italian Cook Book, sponsored by Ronzoni Macaroni [Crown Publishers:New York] defines pesto but does
not offer a recipe for it. "Pesto (PAT-stoe)--'mashed.' A Genoese green sauce for macaroni, made with oil, garlic, herbs, anchovies, etc." (p. 266)
"Noodles with Pesto Sauce.
Noodles
3 cups unsifted all-purpose flour
Salt
2 eggs
2 tablespoon lukewarm water
1 tablespoon olive or salad oil
1/4 cup butter or margarine, softened
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup finely chopped parsley
1 clove garlic, crushed
1 teaspoon dried basil leaves
or 1 tablespoon dried marjoram leaves
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup chopped pine nuts or walnuts.
---"McCall's Cooking School: The Perfect Pasta Dish," McCall's, May 1981(p. 159-160)
"Pesto If you never had a cause to be glad ou have a nose, pesto might lift you to new realms of nasal appreciation. One of the most
aromatic of human concoctions, pesto is to your kitchen as the first hyacinth of spring is to your garden. Pesto is a powerful
mash of fresh basil and garlic, moistened with olive oil, sparked by sharp cheese, and subtly textured by pulverized nuts. It is
commonly used as a sauce for pasta, yet its thick, pastelike consistency makes it readily usable as a seasoning in the preparation of
other dishes...It stores well in the refrigerator or freezer, so you can keep it on hand for a quick pasta dinner--or for whatever
other special dish you might want it for. Thsi recipe makes about 2 1/2-3 cup--plenty for 6-8 servings of pasta.
3-4 healthy cloves of garlic
1/4-1/2 tsp. salt
3/4 cup freshly-grated parmean cheese
1/4 cup pulverized nots
1/2 cup olive oil
Optional: 1/2 cup (packed) fresh parsley, 1/4 cup melted butter, freshly-ground black pepper.
1. Puree everything together in a blender or a food processor fitted with the steel blade-until it becomes a uniform paste, OR
2. Use a mortar and psetle, and coarse salt to pound the basil and garlic together. Stir in remaining ingredients.
FOR PASTA: Toss room temperature pesto wtih hot, drained pasta (about 1/4 cup pesto per serving--more or less, to taste).
Store in a tightly-lidded jar."
---The Enchanted Broccoli Forest, Mollie Katzen [Ten Speed Press:Berkeley CA] 1982 (p. 161)
"Pistou
The pistou can be used to enhance other types of soups in addition to this one and is also very good tossed with steamed
vegetables, sauteed potatoes or cooked pasta.
1 cup basil leaves or parsley leaves, or a mxiture or both
4 cloves garlic, peeled
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup olive oil or vegetable oil
1. Puree all the ingredeints in the bowl of a food processor until smooth.
2. Stir the pistou into the soup and bring to a boil. Serve with corn dumplings."
---Everyday Cooking With Jacques Pepin, Jacques Pepin [Harper & Row:New York] 1982 (p. 23)
Roux
---Oxford Companion to Food, Alan Davidson [Oxford Univeristy Press:Oxford] 1999 (p.
674)
"Thickening of flowre
Melt some lard, take out the mammocks; put your flowre into your melted lard, seeth it well, but
have a care
it stick not to the pan, mix some onion with it proportionably. When it is enough, put all with
good broth,
mushrums and a drop of vinegar. Then after it hath boiled with its seasoning, pass all through the
strainer
and put it in a pot. When you will use it, you shall set it upon warm embers for to thicken or allay
your
sauces."
---The French Cook, Francois Pierre La Varenne, Englished by I.D.G. 1653, Introduced
by Philip and
Mary Hyman [Southover Press:East Sussex] 2001 (p. 105)
---The Picayune Creole Cook Book, facsimile 1901 2nd edition [Dover Publications:New
York] 1971
(p. 158)
"Brown roux.
Related sauce? Allemande.
1 Tablespoonful Butter. 1 Tablespoonful Flour.
In making the roux, which is the foundation of fancy sauce, melt the tablespoonful of butter
slowly, and add
gradually the flour, sprinking it in and stirring constantly, till every portion is a nice, delicate
brown. Never
make it too brown, because it must continue browning as the other ingredients are added in the
order given
in every recipe in this book. It is a great mistake to pile all ingredients, one after another,
pell-mell, into a
dish, in the course of preparation. The secret of good cooking lies in following implicity the
gradual
introduction of the component parts in the order specified.
---(p. 159)
1 tablespoonful Butter. 1 Tablespoonful Flour.
The White Roux is made exactly like the Brown Roux, only that the butter and flour are put
simultaneously
into the saucepan, and not allowed to brown. It is then moistened with a little broth or boiling
water, and
allowed to boil a few minutes, till thick. The White Roux is the foundation of all white sauces, or
those
containing milk and cream. It is also used in nearly all purees. In the Sauce Veloute it should be
colored."
---(p. 159)
---Oxford Companion to Food, Alan Davidson [Oxford University Press:Oxford] 1999 (p. 736)
----Cooking with Yogurt, Cultured Cream and Soft Cheese, Bee Nilson [Hippocrene Books:New
York] 1973 (p. 69)
---An A-Z of Food and Drink, John Ayto [Oxford University Press:Oxford] 2002 (p. 314)
---Larousse Gastronomique, Completely Revised and Updated [Clarkson Potter:New York] 2001
(p. 1096)
Food historians confirm traditional Central American recipes do not include sour cream. Cheesemaking was introduced by European settlers. They were not
immediately co-mingled with native fare. Which begs the question: why is sour cream a 'staple' of contemporary Mexican-American cuisine?
---"Joe Valdez Caballero, Inventor of Hard Taco Shell, Dead at 81," The Associated Press, May
13, 1989
[NOTE: There is a large German population in Texas; influence on local cuisine was inevitable.]
---Oxford Companion to Food, Alan Davidson [Oxford University Press:Oxford] 1999 (p.
740)
Food of China, E. N. Anderson
Cambridge World History of Food, Kiple & Ornelas
Tapenade
---La Cuisiniere Provencale, J.-B. Reboul, facsimile 27th edition, 3rd printing, Ruat et Tacussel:Marseille, in French [Tacussel:Paris] 2000 (p. 75)
[NOTES: (1) My very rough translation: "The tapenade is a creation of our friend Meynier at the Maison (food establishment? literally "house") Doree in Marseille, under the
direction of Peyrard. This establishment no longer exists today." (2) Recipe transcribed below.)
---French Provincial Cooking, Elizabeth David [Grub Street:London] 1960, 2007 (p. 142)
---Larousse Gastronomique, completely revised and updated [Clarkson Potter:New York]
2001 (p. 1190)
[NOTE: 1938 and 1961 editions do not contain entries for Tapenade.]
[1897]
Related sauce" Aioli.
"52. Demis Oeufs Durs Garnis de Tapenade...
La compostion de ce dondiment est cell-ci:
200 g. de pulpe d'olives noires piles au mortier avec 100 g de filets d'anchois et qautant de thon marine, une cuilleree de moutarde
anglais et 200 g de capres. Ce sont ces derniers qui se nomment tapeno en provencal qui donnent leur nom a la composition. Le
tout bien broye, passez-le au tamis et cinproproex-lui en travaillant avc le fouet 2 decilitres d'huile d'olive fine, une pincee d'epices,
pas mal de poivre et un ou deux petits verres de cognac. Cette composition se conserve en vase clos. Les oeufes durs sont rafrachis, ecales et
coupes en deux longitudinalement. Le jaune est enleve et broye au mortier avec la tapenade necessaire et l'adjonction d'un peu d'huile fine
pour mettre l'appareil a point, pour le rendre onctueux. Garnissez les moities d'oeufs avec cet appareil, soit avec une poche ou en
lissant en dome avec la lame d'une petit couteau."
---La Cuisiniere Provencale, (p. 75-76)
[NOTE: This recipe is offered in Chapitre II: Hors-D'oeuvre]
"Oeufs Durs en Tapenade
An interesting Provencal hors-d'oeuvre.
To make tapenade, called after the capers (tapeno in Provencal) which go into it, the ingredients are 24 stoned black olives,
8 anchovy fillets, 2 heaped tablespoons of capers, 2 oz. of tunny fish, olive oil, lemon juice. Pound all the solid ingredients
together into a thick puree. Add the olive oil (about a coffee-cupful, after-dinner size) gradually, as for a mayonnaise, then squeeze in a
little lemon juice. It is an improvement also to add a few drops of cognac or other spirit, and sometimes a little mustard is included
in the seasoning. No salt, of course. Spread the prepared sauce in a little flat hors-d'oeuvre dish, and put 6 to 7 hard-boiled eggs, sliced
in half lengthways, on the top."
---French Provincial Cooking, Elizabeth David [Grub Street:London] 1960, 2007 (p. 142)
"Tapenade
1/4 cup capers
3 two-ounce cans flat anchovy fillets
1 seven-ounce an tuna fish
1 clove garlic, or more to taste
18 black olives (preferably Greek or Italian), pitted
Juice of two lemons
1/2 cup olive oil
2 tablespoons cognac
Pepper to taste
(Traditionally in Provence this sauce is made by pounding the ingredients in a large mortar and pestle. An electric blender is more
effective, producing a smoother but other wise similar sauce.]
1. Place the capers, anchovies and tuna fish, with the oil in which they were packed, and the garlic, olives and lemon juice in the
container of an electric blender.
2. Blend on medium speed, stopping the motor to stir down occasionally with a rubber spatula. (It may be stirred with the motor
running, but care must be taken not to touch the blades).
3. Gradually add the olive oil. When all the oil is blended, the sauce should be like medium-thick mayonnaise.
4. Blend in the cognac and pepper. Serve at room temperature over hard-cooked eggs, cold poached fish or cold boiled beef.
Yield: About two and one-half cups of sauce."
---"Mediterranean Flavor," Craig Claiborne, New York Times, March 18, 1962 (p. 261)
"Tapenade
1 cup bland mayonnaise (made with 1 egg and 1 cup oil, no seasonings
1/2 cup finely chopped capers
Juice and finely chopped rind of 1 lemon
1 clove garlic, crushed
Chopped parsley
6 anchovy fillets, chopped.
Blend all together thoroughly and chill in the refrigerator."
---James Beard's Menus for Entertaining, James Beard [Dell Trade Paperback:New York] 1965, 1986 (p. 277-278)
[NOTE: Mr. Bears suggests this tapenade to accompany a raw vegetable plate. Think: crudites & dip.]
---Mediterranean Food, Elizabeth David, second revised edition [Penguin Books:New York] 1965 (p. 189)
"Another Provencal specialty is a unique sauce cum dip condiment called tapenade, a mixture of tuna, anchovies, capers, olives and
cognac either blended or pounded to a paste in a mortar. It is served with raw vegetables as a dip, spooned over hard-boiled e
eggs as a first course, or put on cold fish...
Tapenade is most easily made in a blender or food processor. Put in the container 24 to 30 soft black olives
(not the California ripe olives, but the soft wrinkled black Italian or Greek olives sold in foreign markets. They must be
pitted first). Add 3 or 4 garlic cloves, according to taste, 1 1/2 tablespoons capers and enough olive oil (about 1/4 cup or more)
to make a paste. Blend until smooth and remove to a bowl. Put some more olive oil in the blender with 14 to 16 anchovy fillets and
a 4-ounce can of tuna packed in olive oil (if you can't get a small can, use 1/2 to 2/3 of 7-ounce can). Blend these ingredients
to a paste, then blend in the olive-garlic-caper mixture. I also like to add 1 to 2 tablespoons cognac and sometimes a tablespoon of
Dijon mustard. Blend everything together well until you have a thick puree. Taste for seasoning. It will not need any salt, I can
assure you, because of the anchovies, but it may need more cognac, a gew grinds of black pepper, a dash or two of Tabasco, or you
may want to add a touch of thyme or summer savory. This delicious sauce for vegetables, eggs or fish will keep for quite a
long time."
---"Tuna Straight From the Sea," James Beard, Los Angeles Times, February 20, 1975 (p. J12)
Tartar sauce
"Sauce for hens or Pullets to prepare them to roast...Then for the sauce take the yolks of six hard
eggs minced small, put to them white-wine, or wine vinegar, butter, and the gravy the of the hen,
juice of orange, pepper, salt, and if you please add thereto mustard."
--- Accomplist Cook, Robert May [1685] (p. 149)
[1845] "Tartar Sauce.
Add to the preceding remoulade, or to any other sauce of the same nature, a teaspoonful or more
of made mustard, one of finely-minced shalots, one of parsley or tarragon, and one of capers or of
pickled gherkins, with a rather high seasoning of cayenne, and some salt if needed. The
tartar-mustard of the previous chapter, or good French mustard, is to be preferred to English for
this
sauce, which is usually made very pungent, and for which any ingredients can be used to the taste
which will serve to render it so. Tarragon vinegar, minced tarragon and eschalots, and plenty of
oil, are used for it in France, in conjunction with the yolks of one or two eggs, and chopped
capers, or gherkins, to which olives are sometimes added."
---Modern Cookery for Private Families, Eliza Acton, originally printed in 1845, with an
introduction by Elizabeth Ray [Southover Press:East Sussex] 1993 (p. 137)
Yolk of one raw egg, sweet-oil added very slowly, until the quantity is made that is desired; thin
with a little vinegar. Take two small cucumber pickles, two full teaspoonfuls of capers, three small
sprigs parsley, and one small shalot or leek. Chop all fine, and stir into the sauce about an hour
before serving. If very thick, add a tablespoonful cold water. This quantity will serve eight
persons--is good with trout, veal cutlets, and oysters."
---Housekeeping in Old Virginia, Marion Cabell Tyree [1879] (p. 303)
Boston Cooking School Cook Book, Mrs. D. A. Lincoln [1884]
Place a round-bottomed basin in a deep sauta-pan containing some pounded ice, put two raw
yelks [yolks] of eggs into the basin with a little pepper and salt, and with a wooden spoon
proceed, with the back part of the bowl, to work the yelk of eggs, dropping in, at intervals, very
small quantities of salad-oil, and a little tarragon-vinegar, until a sufficient quantity of sauce is
produced; bearing in mind, that the relative quantity of oil to be used in proportion to the vinegar
is as five to one. When the sauce is finished, add some chopped tarragon and chervil, and half a
shalot. In making this sauce, should it decompose through inattention, it may instantly be restored
to its proper consistency by mixing in it a good spoonful of cold white sauce."
---Francatelli's Modern Cook, C. E. Francatelli, 26th London Edition [1890?] (recipe 96,
p. 55)
"To Keep Tomatoes for Winter use
Take ripe Tomatas, peel them, and cut them in four and put them into a stew pan, strew over them a great quantity of Pepper and
Salt; cover it up close and let it stand an Hour, then put it on there fire and let it stew quick till the liquor is entirely
boild sawy; then take them up and put into pint Potts, and when cold pour melted butter over them about an inch thick. They
commonly take a whole day to stew. Each pot will make two Soups. N.B. if you do them before the month of October they will
not keep."...This could well be the earliest reference to tomatoes in any American cookbook...this is among the recipes that were
almost certainly placed by Harriott in the book in 1770."
---The Receipt Book of Harriott Pinckney Horry, 1770, edited with an introduction by Richard J. Hooker [University of
South Carolina Press:Columbia] 1984 (p. 89)
---A Mediterranean Feast, Clifford A. Wright [William Morrow:New York] 1999 (p.
32)
---Pomodoro: A History of the Tomato in Italy, David Gentilcore [Columbia University Press:New York] 2010 (p. 89-90)
[1692]
Related foods? Ragu, sugo, tomato gravy
& tomato juice.
Latini's 1692 recipe would have produced something quite similar modern
salsa:
"Spanish Tomato Sauce.
Take a half dozen tomatoes that are mature and put them over the coals and turn them until they
are
charred, then carefully peel off the skin. Cut them up finely with a knife, and add onions finely cut
up, at
your discretion, finely chopped peppers, a small quantity of thyme or pepperwort. Mix everything
together
and add a bit of salt, oil and vinegar. It will be a very tasty sauce for boiled meats or
whatever."
---Food in Early Modern Europe, Ken Albala [Greenwood Press:Westport CT] 2003 (p.
138)
"Tomato Sauce
Roll a pound of fresh butter in flour, break it up, and put it in a sauce-pan, with eight table-spoonfuls of vinegar. Take fine
ripe tomatoes, peel them, chop them small, season them with salt and pepper, and stir enough of them into the butter to make it
as thick as you desire it. Just let it boil up, and serve it in a boat. It will be found very fine for beef, veal or mutton."
---The Kentucky Housewife, Lettice Bryan, facsimile 1939 edition stereotyped by Shepard & Stearns [Image Graphics:Paducah
KY] (p. 168)
[NOTE: a "boat" is a gravy boat, special china serving piece made to pour sauces.]
"253. Tomato Sauce, for present Use
Pour boiling water on the tomatoes, take the skin off, cut them up in pieces, and cover them all over with loaf sugar. No more
should be prepared than you wish to use at once, as they will not keep good."
---The New England Economical Housekeeper and Family Receipt Book, Mrs. E. A. Howland [E.P. Walton and Sons:Montpelier VT]
1845 (p. 66)
Although ragu variations are enjoyed in many regions of Italy, our research indicates the orignal recipe belongs to Bologna. Notes here:
---The Dictionary of Italian Food and Drink, John Mariani [Broadway Books:New York] 1998 (p. 211)
---The Cooking of Italy, Waverley Root [Time-Life Books:New York] revised 1972 (p. 86)
---Oxford Companion to Italian Food, Gillian Riley, with a forward by Mario Batali [Oxford Univeristy Press:New York] 2007 (p. 433)
---The Dictionary of Italian Food and Drink, John Mariani [Broadway Books:New York] 1998 (p. 249-250)
---A Mediterranean Feast, Clifford A. Wright [William Morrow:New York] 1995 (p. 280)
"6. Sugo Di Pomodoro [Tomato Sauce]
Later, I shall speak about another kind of tomato sauce that we call "salsa," as opposed to "sugo." Sugo must be simple and therefore compoased only of cooked,
pureed tomatoes. At the most you can add a few chunks of celery or some parsley or basil leaves, when you think these flavors will suit your needs."
Editor's NB: "As Artusi points out, there is an important difference between "sugo di pomodoro" (which is described here) and "salsa di pomodoro" (which will be
described in recipe 125). Unfortunately, English does not allow for this distinction and both dishes are therefore called tomato sauce. To avoid confusion, whenever
the 'sugo" (rather than the "salsa") appars in a recipe the text will include a parenthetical reference to this recipe."
---Science in the Kitchen and the Art of Eating Well, Pellegrino Artusi, orginally published in Italian, 1891, translated by Murtha Baca and Stephen
Sartarelli [Marsilio Publishers:New York] 1997 (p. 35)
[NOTE: Artusi's book also contains recipes for (4) Sugo di Carne (Brown Stock) and (5) Sugo di Carne Che I Francesi Chiamano Salsa Spagnuola (The Meat sauce The French Call Spanish Sauce)
Pomodoro: A History of the Tomato in Europe, David Gentilcore
The Tomato in America, Andrew F. Smith
Technically, tomato sauce can't be a gravy. Why? Because gravies (by traditional culinary definition) are meat-based:
"gravy A sauce made from meat juices, usually combined with a liquid such as chicken or beef broth, wine or milk and thickened with flour, cornstarch or
some other thickening agent. A gravy may also be the simple juices left in the pan after meat, poultry or fish has been
cooked."
"sauce n. In the most basic terms, a sauce is a thickened, flavored liquid designed to accompany food in order to enhance and bring out its flavor.
---Food Lover's Companion
A. That is indeed an interesting question in semantics. But let it first be said that the word "sauce" has a lot more class than does
the word "gravy." Where hot, savory sauces are concerned--those that accompany meat or poultry, for example--the words are
generally interchangeable. Gravies, for the most part, have been thickened, generally with flour. But that is not invariably
true. I have known many first, second and third generation families of Italian origin who invariable referred to their
tomato sauces as tomato gravies, although they were unthickened with any any form of starch."
---"Q&A," New York Times, January 18, 1978 (p. C6)
---"Sauces and Gravies: There's a Difference," Craig Claiborne, New York Times, November 12, 1979 (p. D10
According to
I Grandi Dizionari Sansoni (1979), the Italian word sugo has two definitions: (1) sauce (salsa) and (2) gravy (sauce with
meat). Indeed, Italian-American cookbooks confirm meat-based tomato sauces are sometimes referred to as "gravy." In
Southern and Appalachian regions, milk-based tomato gravies sometimes accompanies biscuits.
Food companies introduced the term to mainstream America:
"15-Minute Meat Loaf...When Hunt's home economist developed this recipe she said, "Busy homemakers and career girls will appreciate this one!" And you will! Because,
besides being a "quickie"--just fifteen minutes cooking item--it is truly delicious with its savoury tomato gravy!"
---"Quick Stunts with Hunts Tomato Sauce," New York Times, May 22, 1955 (p. 265)
"Generals and colonels became mess sergeants--but only very temporarily--yesterday at Governors Island. They were particiapting in the first semi-public demonstration
of new combat rations that are pre-cooked and dehydrated. The officers took turns adding either hot or cold water to produce such G.I. delicacies-of-the-future as chili con
carne with apple sauce, beef loaf with tomato gravy, instant mashed potatoes, macaroni and cheese, hot tea, coffee and lumpy cocoa."
---"New Dehydrated G.I. Rations Prove Satisfactory (to Officers)," John C. Devlin, New York Times, November 9, 1962 (p. 37)
"I grew up in the Italian section of South Philadelphia, and there were set dishes in that neighborhood--four blocks in every direction families cooked the same things. On
Monday there was soup, pasta on Tuesday, veal or beef on Wednesday, pasta on Thursday, fish on Friday, pot luck on Saturday and an elaborate feast on Sunday.
Everybody made tomato gravy once a week." (Like what would seem to be a majority of first, second or third generation Italians in America, Mr. Paone speaks of tomato
sauce as gravy.)"
---"When His Painting Goes Badly, He Turns to the Art of Cooking," Craig Claiborne, New York Times, March 18, 1971 (p. 34)
"There are many different opinons on what to call Italian red tomato sauce. When Italians make a meatless tomato sauce, we
call it sauce or marinara sauce. When we make tomato sauce with pork, beef, sausage, and meatballs, or with any meat,
we call it gravy. Our mothers and millions of other Italians called in gravy and it was probably because there was meat
in it."
---Cooked to Perfection, Andrew Corella and Phyllis Petito Corella [iUniverse] 2002 ISBN 0-595-26122-1 (p. 23)
"Stories of Italian grandmothers simmering their tomato sauces for hours are familiar but probably untrue. Tomatoes that are cooked
for too long lose their sweetness, and the resulting sauce tastes old and tired. Most likely those beloved none were actually
cooking a ragu or sugo, that is, a meat sauce, which may or may not have included tomatoes. Meat sauces generally call for beef,
veal, pork, or a combination...The term sugo is used for a sauce, a gravy, pan juices..."
---Italian Slow and Savory: A Cookbook, Joyce Esersky Goldstein [Chronicle Books:San Francisco] 2004 (p. 48)
Biscuits & gravy is a popular traditional combination
in Southern and Appalachian cuisine. Most gravies are based on milk, butter, fat & flour. Combinations are endless.
One of these combinations is Tomato Gravy. This is a very different recipe and application from the Italian-inspired
Tomato Gravies destined for macaroni, pizza & meat. This particular gravy is paired with
biscuits.
---The Southern Foodways Alliance Community Cookbook, Sara Roahen & John T. Edge editors [University of Georgia Press:
Athens GA] 2010(p. 19)[NOTE: recipe for Tomato Gravy is included in this book. We can send if you like.]
[1892]
"Tomato Gravy.--Heat to boiling one pint of strained stewed tomatoes, either canned or fresh, and thicken with a tablespoonful of flour rubbed smooth in a
little water; add salt and when thickened, if desired, a half cup of hot cream. Boil together for a minute or two and serve at once."
---Science in the Kitchen, Ella Eaton Kellogg [Modern Medicine Publishing Company:Battle Creek MI] 1892 (p. 261)
"Tomato Gravy (Alabama)
2 tablespoons bacon drippings
3 tomatoes, peeled and chopped
2 tablespoons flour
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
2 cups milk
1. Heat the bacon drippings in a skillet and cook the tomatoes in it until tender. Sprinkle with the flour, sugar, salt and pepper and stir to mix well. Cook two
minutes.
2. Add the baking soda to the milk and stir in the tomato mixture. Bring to a boil, stirring. Spoon over hot biscuits or grits.
Yield: Three cups."
---New York Times Southern Heritage Cookbook, Jean Hewitt [G.P. Putnam Sons:New York] 1976
[1998]
"Tomato Gravy (Tennessee) Tomato gravy is a hill country favorite.. This particular recipe adaptation comes from...The Spirit of Tennessee Cookbook. The tomato gravy can be cooked after frying salt pork, bacon, pork chops or ham.
Tennessee Tomato Gravy
1/4 finely chopped onion
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 cups tomatoes, peeled, seeded, and chopped
Chicken stock and water as required
1/2 teaspoon powdered thyme
1 1/4 teaspoons sugar
Salt and pepper to taste
In a fry pan containing around 2 tablespoons of drippings, saute onion until tender. Mix in flour and cook several minutes. Add tomatoes; stir well. Water or chicken
stock may be required here, depending on the liquid available from the tomatoes. Season with the thyme, sugar, and salt and pepper. Cook over low heat, stirring
periodically until gravy thickens. Yields 2 cups of gravy."
---Smokehouse Ham, Spoon Bread, & Scuppernong Wine: The Folklore and Art of Southern
Appalachian Cooking, Joseph E. Dabney [Cumberland House:Nashville TN] 1998 (p. 209)
---An A-Z of Food and Drink, John Ayto [Oxford University Press:Oxford] 2002 (p. 357)
---Oxford Companion to Food, Alan Davidson [Oxford University Press:Oxford] 1999 (p.
842)
---Fashionable Food: Seven Decades of Food Fads, Sylvia Lovegren [MacMillan:New
York] 1995 (p. 401)
---"Diner's Choice," Bryan Miller, New York Times, October 7, 1983 (p. C18)
---"Two American Diplomat's Wives Tackle Italy's Nuova Cucina'," Jean Lesem, United
Press International, November 29, 1983
---"Flavored Vodka Toasts This Pasta Primavera With a Twist," Pierre Franey, St. Petersburg
Times, July 7, 1988 (p. 15D)
---An A-Z of Food & Drink, John Ayto [Oxford University Press:Oxford] 2002 (p. 217)
[1882]
"Cheese Soup
One and a half cupfuls of flour, one pint of rich cream, four table-spoonfuls of butter, four of grated Parmesan cheese, a
speck of cayenne, two eggs, three quarts of clear soup stock. Mix flour, cream, butter, cheese and pepper together. Place
the basin in another of hot water and stir until the mixture becomes a smooth, firm paste. Break into it the two eggs,
and mix quickly and thoroughly. Cook two minutes longer, and set away to cool. When cold, roll into little balls about
the size of an American walnut. When the balls are all formed drop them into boiling water and cook gently five minutes;
then put them in the soup tureen and pour the boiling stock on them. Pass a plate of finely grated Parmesan cheese with
the soup."
---Miss Parloa's New Cook Book, Maria Parloa =90
"Cauliflowers, With Cheese.
Add plenty of grated cheese (say a cupful to a pint of sauce) to the usual white sauce made for cauliflowers. Heat the sauce well, to melt
the cheese thoroughly, and pour it over the cauliflowers."
---Practical Cooking and Dinner Giving, Mrs. Mary F. Henderson [Harper & Brothers:
New York] 1883(p. 198)
"Cheese Sauce.--Required: a tablespoonful of any good dry English cheese, twice that measure of grated Parmesan cheese; half a pint each of milk and medium
white stock, a dash of cayenne, white pepper, and salt; a few drops of lemon-juice, the yolk of an egg, two ounces of flour, and one
ounce of butter. Melt the butter, stir in the flour, add the stock and milk, and boil up; put in the seasoning and cheese, and beat well. Beat up the
egg with a tablespoonful of warm stock very thoroughly; add the hot sauce gradually, and continue the beating for aa minute or two;
serve at once, without reheating. For a rich sauce, add another ounce of butter and a half gill of cream. This is very delicious with
plainly boiled macaroni or rice, or with various white vegetables."
---Cassell's New Universal Cookery Book, Lizzie Heritage
[Cassell and Company:London] 1984 (p.93-94)
"Cheese sauce.--Mix two tablespoonfuls of butter, and one tabelspoonful of flour, add one cup of cream, and stir over
the fire until all begins to thicken. Stir in three tablespoonfuls of Swiss cheese, a little white pepper and salt."
---"In the Kitchen," Chicago Daily Tribune, May 6, 1906 (p. 16)
"131. Sauce Mornay--Mornay Sauce.
"Cheese Sauce
Ingredients.--3/4 pint of milk, 3/4 oz. of butter, 3/4 oz. of flour, 1 tablespoonful of finely-grated cheese, salt and pepper.
Method.--Melt the butter in a stewpan, add the flour, stir and cook the mixture for 5 minutes without browning, and add the milk. Season to taste, simmer gently for 10 minutes,
then stir in the cheese, and use as required. Time.--20 minutes. Average Cost, 5d. or 6d."
---Mrs. Beeton's Every-Day Cookery, new edition [Ward, Lock & Co.:London]
1909 (p. 262-263)
Heat, but not boil, in a double boiler, one full quart of milk, one blade of mace, one teaspoon of minced onion, one tablespoon of carrot. Blend together one-fourth
cup of butter and two level tablespoons of flour. To this add the hot milk, half a cup at a time, stirring constantly and cooking between each addition. Strain back
into the double boiler, add three-fourths cup of grated cheese and stir till melted. Season with salt and white pepper and pour over the beaten yolks of two eggs.
Cook a moment, remove from the bath and beat with an egg beater till covered with a fine froth. Serve at once in hot cups."
--Anne Warner."
---
Good Housekeeping Woman's Home Cook Book, Isabel Gordon Curtis (p. 276)
"Fried Halibut, Cheese Sauce. --Roll fish in flour before frying, put in basket and fry until done, which will be a short time. Cheese Sauce: One-half cup of water,
one-half cup of milk, dash of red pepper. Stir over fire until hot, and then add one-half cup of American cheeses which has been run through the meat grinder or
mashed up with a fork. Stir until creamy and the cheese is entirely dissolved. Serve in gravy boat."
---"Economical Housekeeping: Fish Sauces," Jane Eddingon, Chicago Daily Tribune, March 23, 1911 (p. 6)
---"Economical Housekeeping: Cheese Things," Jane Eddington, Chicago Daily Tribune, March 31, 1911 (p. 8)
"Mornay Sauce.--Make a sauce of three tablespoonfuls each of butter and flour, scant half a tablespoonful each of salt and pepper and one cup and a half of
consomme, chicken, or veal broth. Add one-fourth cup each of grated Gruyere and Parmesan cheese and stir until melted."
---"Economical Housekeeping: Eggs
with Sauces," Jane Eddington, Chicago Daily Tribune, February 25, 1914 (p. 11)
"Cheese Sauce. This sauce has many names, but is simply a white sauce made by cooking together a large tablespoon of butter with one of flour, and then adding to
it, stirring all the time, a cup of hot milk. When this is well blended, cooked, and seasoned, add a half a cup to a cup of grated cheese. Too strong a cheese taste
with fish is not liked by some people. If the sauce should happen to be lumpy, by any accident, put it through a strainer
before adding the cheese."
---"The Tribune Cook Book," Jane
Eddington, Chicago Daily Tribune, January 10, 1915 (p. C4)
"Cheese Sauce (Sauce Mornay)
This has a lean bechamel as the base. When you add grated cheese, it becomes sauce Mornay. This sauce is not served in a sauceboat. Unctuous and very much thicker than an ordinary sauce, it
must completely coat the food over which it is spread. It is used for fish in particular. But it is also appropriate for some white meats, as well as certain vegetables: cauliflower, Chinese artichokes (chirogi),
endive, cardoons, celery,e tc. Depending on how it is used, several modifications are made. Time: About 1 hour, 15 minutes. Makes 1/2 liter (generous 2 cups) of sauce Mornay.
4 tablespoons of lean bechamel sauce; 60 grams (2 1/4 ounces) of grated Gruyere and Parmesan, half of each (in other words, 3 medium tablespoons); 50 grams ( 1/3/4 tablespoons) of butter to finish the sauce.
Procedure. The Gruyere must be a bit dry, because if it is too fresh it will make the sauce stringy. Make sure the Parmesan does not have too strong a flavor, which would overpower the
sauce. It would be better, if that is the case, to replace it with the same quantity of Gruyere. If the sauce is intended for fish, add the cooking liquid from the fish. A fish served with Mornay sauce
should be cooked in only a small amount of liquid--in other words, poached, depending on the case, with a little fish bouillon, white wine, or water mixed with lemon juice. Using this cooking
liquid in the sauce will give it a stronger fish flavor. If the sauce is intended for use with white meat, poultry, or sweetbreads, do the same with the cooking juices from these dishes. When you add the
cooking liquid from the fish or from the white meat, allow 1 deciliter (3 1/3 fluid ounces, scant 1 cup) of liquid for the above proportions...For vegetables, the sauce is simply finished with
butter, added off the heat. For other dishes, you can add mushroom cooking liquid. And, no matter how the sauce is used, you can always refine it by adding a bit of creme fraiche and then continuing to
reduce it until it reaches the correct consistency. In fact, the creme graiche addition enhances the basic bechamel sauce. Do not forget that the seasoning of sauce Mornay, whether it be for
fish, meat, or vegetables, is most important. It must be verified very carefully, mainly due to the saltiness of the cheese itself. So, at the very last moment, when the butter has been added, taste the
sauce to check if a little more salt is needed. You can spice it up with a point of cayenne (as much as can be held on the tip of a knife.)/
Procedure. Prepare the necessary quantity of bechamel sauce...Strain it into a small pan. If using cream, or any cooking liquid, this is the moment to add it, as directed below, before any other
ingredient. Otherwise, simply bring the sauce to a boil for a few seconds. Add the cheese. Cook, stirring, until it is completely melted. Remove from the heat; it will not be returned again in the course
of this dish. Finish with the butter, mixed in as pieces about the size of a walnut. The sauce is now ready for use, and
is equally good for vegetable dishes."
---La Bonne Cuisine de Madame E. Saint-Ange: The Original Companion for French Cooking, originally published in French/France 1927, translated and with an introduction by Paul.
Aratow [Ten Speed Press:Berkeley CA] 2005 (p. 64)
[NOTE: FoodTimeline library owns original French edition; happy to scan/share text upon request]
"Asparagus Supreme.
1/2 lb Kraft Velveeta
1/3 cup milk
Salt, Pepper
Cooked Fresh Asparagus
Toast
Slowly heat the Velveeta and the milk in the top of a double boiler. Stir occasionally until Velveeta is melted. Season to taste. For each serving, place several stalks of hot cooked asparagus on fresh
toast, and pour over it a generous amount of the hot cheese sauce. For the main dish of a substantial meal, serve the asparagus (or hot cooked broccoli as a variation) on slices of hot
baked or boiled ham."
---Favorite Recipes form Marye Dahnke's File [Kraft-Phenix Cheese Corporation:Chicago IL] 1938 (p. 14)
"Cheese Sauce for Vegetables
1 tablespoon butter
1 1/2 tablespoons flour
1 cup milk
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/2 cup grated or thinly sliced American cheese
Melt butter, add flour, and blend. Add milk and seasonings and cook over hot water until thickened and smooth, stirring
constantly. Add cheese and stir until melted. Heat cooked or canned vegetables. This sauce also may be poured over a
casserole of vegetables, or meat and vegetables, which are to be baked for a short time in a moderate oven."
---
Cheddar Leads in Popularity Among Cheese," Mary Meade, Chicago Daily Tribune, February 14, 1939 (p. 17)
"Melt Pabst-ette slowly in double boiler, stirring constantly until mixture is smooth. Serve on each slice of apple pie...
But adding a little milk to the mixture, you can make a delicious cheese sauce for vegetables and fish."
---display ad, Pabst-ett canned cheese product, Chicago Daily Tribune, October 31, 1940 (p. 21)
[NOTE: This product was made by the Pabst Brewing Company. During prohibition the company diverisfied into dairy products
in order to survive.]
"Cheese; in fondue and souffle, as stuffing for frankfurters, in macaroni and cheese, in rarebit, in noodle ring, in baked
rise with cheese, in baked eggs with cheese, baked onions with cheese and bread stuffing, scalloped cabbage with cheese,
cheese sauce for vegetables, topping for baked dishes."
---"Try Those Tasty Dishes 2nd Day in Left-Overs: Ration Roundup," Mary Meade, Chicago Daily Tribune, December 8, 1944 (p. 23)
"Cheese Sauce for Vegetables.
Mornay sauce, Continental version of cheese sauce, lends elegance to hot vegetable platter. Snippets of fresh parsley
fleck sauce at left for color and flavor accent. Almond slivers, bits of green onion or diced pimiento may bare cheese
sauces. Try cheese sauce on fish, hot sandwiches, too...
Parsley Mornay Sauce
2 tablespoons butter or margarine
2 tablespoons flour
1 cup chicken broth (may use half white table wine)
2/3 cup light cream or milk
2 eggs, beaten
1 cup grated Cheddar or Swiss cheese
3 tablespoons finely chopped parsley
Melt butter. Add flour and blend well. Gradually stir in broth and cream. Cook, stirring constantly until smooth and
thickened. Turn heat low. Pour a small amount of mixture into beaten eggs, then gradually add egg mixture to sauce. Add
grated cheese and parsley. Stir just until cheese is melted. Serve hot over cooked vegetables, baked or broiled fish or
on grilled ham sandwiches. makes 2 cups, 4 to 6 servings."
---"Slice of History: Don't Overcook-The Rule in Cheese Cookery," Marian Manners, Los Angeles Times, October 4, 1962 (p. D1)
---Oxford Encyclopedia of Food and Drink in America, Andrew F. Smith editor [Oxford
University Press:New York] 2004, Volume 1 (p. 699)
---Smokehouse Ham, Spoon Bread, & Scuppernong Wine: The Folklore and Art of Southern
Appalachian Cooking, Joseph E. Dabney [Cumberland House:Nashville] 1998 (p. 210)
Mid-19th American century cookbooks contain recipes for hot chocolate drinks (shaved from
unsweetened block chocolate), cocoa and chocolate puddings. Late 19th century American
cookbooks also contain recipes for chocolate cakes, frostings, candy, and fudge. This coincides
with the mass-marketing of chocolate to the American people (the Hershey company was founded
around this time). Creamy chocolate products (puddings, especially) were promoted in the late
19th century by food companies and domestic scientists as healthful foods for their milk content.
Typical early thickeners included corn starch, arrowroot, and gelatine.
The taste for breakfast chocolate is hundreds of years old. Modern recipes for chocolate gravy
may have evolved from popular 19th century combinations of cocoa and pudding. Many of the
articles we find (1980-present) referencing chocolate gravy attribute it to "grandmother's recipe"
without noting dates or author's ages. None of the standard American cook books we have
suggest combining chocolate with biscuits. Presumably this combination can be found in
community cookbooks published by churches, women's clubs etc. Up "North," chocolate chip
pancakes are consumed with gusto. Same basic idea; different presentation.
[1863]
If you have an old family recipe for chocolate gravy we'd love to hear from you!
"Cocoa.
Put in a tea or coffee cup, one or two tablespoonfuls of ground cocoa, pour boiling water or
boiling milk on it while stirring with a spoon, and sweeten it to your liking. A few drops of
essence of vanilla may be added, according to taste."
---What to Eat and How to Cook It, Pierre Blot [D. Appleton and Company:New York]
1863 (p. 17)
"Cocoa.
To one pint milk and one pint cold water add three tablespoonfuls grated
cocoa. Boil fifteen or twenty minutes, milling or whipping as directed in foregoing recipe.
Sweeten to taste, at the table. Some persons like a piece of orange-peel boiled with it."
---Housekeeping in Old Virginia, Marion Cabell Tyree [John P. Morton and
Company:Louisville] 1879 (p. 6)
"Chocolate sauce.
1 cup milk
2 egg yolks
1/4 cup sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon butter
2 ounces Lowney's Premium Chocolate or 1/4 cup Lowney's Cocoa.
Cook all ingredients in double boiler, stirring constantly until the spoon in coated. Serve hot or
cold."
---Lowney's Cook Book Illustrated, revised edition, Maria Willett Howard [Walter M.
Lowney Co.:Boston] 1912 (p. 207)
"Cocoa Fudge Sauce.
1/4 cupful Hershey's Cocoa...3/4 cupful granulated sugar...1/2 teaspoonful salt...1 tablespoonful
cornstarch...1/2 cupful light corn syrup...1/2 cupful milk...2 tablespoonfuls butter...2 teaspoonfuls
vanilla.
Combine dry ingredients in saucepan. Add corn syrup and milk, and blend thoroughly. Bring to a
boil, boil 5 minutes. Remove from heat; stir in butter and vanilla. Cool, without stiring, until pan
feels warm to hand. Serve. Yield: 1 1/2 cupfuls sauce."
---Hershey's 1934 Cookbook, revised and expanded with chocolate recipes brought up to
date for use in today's kitchen, Hershey Chocolate Company [Hershey PA] 1971 (p. 38)
[NOTE: this would produce something similar to the the recipes for chocolate gravy found on the
Internet. Cornstarch would produce the same thickening properties as flour. This book does not
offer written serving suggestions but it does have a picture showing this sauce on plain (pound?)
cake.]
Steps In a medium saucepan, combine the dry ingredients: sugar, flour, and cocoa. Mix fully. Mix until the lumps of flour
and cocoa are gone. Gradually mix in the milk. Bring the mixture to a boil, simmer 1 minute, and stir in the vanilla. Remove from
the heat."
---Mountain Country Cooking (p. 11)
Kentucky Chocolate Gravy
1 cup European-style cocoa
3/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 cups milk
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
In a saucepan, combine the dry ingredients: cocoa, flour, and sugar. Stir until well mixed and flour
and cocoa lumps disappear. Pour in the milk gradually. Turn the heat up to bring mixture to
boiling, simmer 1 minutes, and stir in the vanilla. Remove from the heat. The yield is 6
servings."
---Smokehouse Ham...(p. 210)
Food historians generally agree the ancestors of the fruits we now call tomatoes originated in the Andes.
---Oxford Companion to Food, Alan Davidson [Oxford University Press:Oxford] 2nd edition, 2007 (p. 802)
---Cambridge World History of Food, Kenneth F. Kiple & Kriemhild Conee Ornelas [Cambridge University Press:Cambridge] 2000, Volume Two
(p. 1870) [NOTE: This book contains far more information than can be paraphrased here. Check with your university to see if they can supply you with pages.]
Tomatoes were introduced to Europe from the New World by explorers in the 16th century.
They were not immediately embraced because they were considered poisonous. Tomatoes were
grown as "botanical curiosities," not as food. Tomatoes grew easily in the Spain and Italy and
were widely used in Southern European dishes by the 17th century. Tomatoes slowly spread
throughout Northern Europe, then back to the American colonies.
---A Mediterranean Feast, Clifford A. Wright [William Morrow:New York] 1999 (p.
213)
---Italian Cuisine: A Cultural History, Alberto Capatti & Massimo Montanari [Columbia University Press:New York] 1999 (p. 42-3)
---Food in Early Modern Europe, Ken Albala [Greenwood Press:Westport CT] 2003 (p.
32)
---The Tomato in America: Early History, Culture, and Cookery, Andrew F. Smith [University of South Carolina Press:Columbia]
1994(p. 25-32)
"Solanaceous fruits are in part a natural group in Chinese. Eggplant...has the most respectable antiquity, introduced from
India at some obscure time in the past...Tomatoes...were introduced from the West in the 1500s and promptly
named fan chieh (barbarian eggplant), their similarity to eggplants noted from the start. At first tomatoes were grown only for
Westerners near the coastal enclaves where they stayed, but its taste and ease of growth achieved popularity for the tomato
eventually, and it continues to spread and become more widely accepted in cooking. At present, however, it is still primarily
a part of urbanized Cantonese cuisine--the area that has been longest and most intimately in contact with foreigners."
---Food in China, E.N. Anderson [Yale University Press:New Haven CT] 1988 (p. 160)
Grape tomatoes were introduced to the American market in the late 1990s. The "Santa" variety is
most popular. Grape tomatoes are popular because (unlike the cherry tomato)
they are truly "bite sized." This convenience appeals to efficient salad makers.
The brand name "Grape tomato" is generally attributed to Andrew Chu, Chu Farms, Wimauma Florida. Origin accounts differ
slightly:
---"From a Tiny Tomato A Giant Success," Janet Zink, St. Petersburg Times [FL], November 7, 2003 (p. 6)
---"Attack of the Grape Tomatoes," Carole Sugarman, Washington Post, September 12, 2001 (p. F1)
---"Growers Sour Over Grape Tomatoes," Associated Press, Daily News-Record [Hrrisonburg VA] July 29, 2004 (p. 20)
---"Grape shape; Tiny tomatoes take center stage in salads," Louise Durman, News-Sentinel [Knoxville TN], May 17, 2000 (p. C1)
"Word Mark GRAPE TOMATOES Goods and Services IC 031. US 001 046. G & S: Small
fresh red cherry tomatoes shaped like grapes. FIRST USE: 19971115. FIRST USE IN
COMMERCE: 19971115 Mark Drawing Code (3) DESIGN PLUS WORDS, LETTERS,
AND/OR NUMBERS Design Search Code 050902 051104 200310 261121 Serial Number
75425179 Filing Date January 29, 1998 Supplemental Register Date October 26, 1999
Registration Number 2336840 Registration Date March 28, 2000 Owner (REGISTRANT)
Chu Farms, Inc. CORPORATION FLORIDA 4770 Saffold Road Wimmauma FLORIDA 33598"
"Before long commercial growers such as Six L's and Procacci Bros. got a taste of the fruit and realized Chu was on to something. "I've been in business 53 years and I recognized their potential," says Joe Procacci, chief executive officer of Procacci Bros., who first saw the sweet tomatoes at Chu's initial three-acre plot. He and other growers imported the seeds -- a variety called Santa -- and started planting.
In 1998, Chu applied for a federal trademark for the name "grape tomatoes." He says he figured that if his product gained name recognition, it would be harder for other growers to enter the market: They'd be at a disadvantage if they had to call the tomatoes something else.
Procacci says he applied for a trademark for the term even before Chu -- and that both of them were rejected by the Patent and Trademark Office. Chu then
applied and received what's called a "supplemental registration" for the name, meaning that he acquired some limited trademark rights and got a leg up on getting full
trademark protection. But it did not prevent other companies from using the term; in fact, by that time, it was being used on at least 25 labels in the United States,
according to the Packer, a trade industry newspaper that covered the controversy."
---"Attack of the Grape Tomatoes," Carole Sugarman, Washington Post, September 12, 2001 (p. F1)
Bite sized, sweet, convenient and delicious. Welcome relief to the awkward "tomato squirt" associated with cherry tomatoes.
---dispay ad, Frederick News Post [MD], July 8, 1998 (p. 44)
---"Growing Trendy Tomatoes," Consumer Reports, May 2000 (p. 9)
"Size and shape are a distinct advantage for Australia's first grape tomatoes, The Original grape tomatoes, which live up to their fresh eating credentials to stand out
from the tomato pack. Specially bred to resemble a grape in both size and shape, The Original grape tomatoes weigh between 12g and 20g each and are perfect
for popping whole, one delicious, fun mouthful at a time. The Original grape tomatoes' low water content means these tiny fruits retain their juicy flesh when halved
either across or lengthways. A cross between roma and cherry tomatoes, The Original grape tomatoes feature the best flavor attributes of both. In 1999,
Perfection Fresh Australia's The Original grape tomatoes were the first grape tomatoes to appear on Australian supermarket shelves."
---"The Original grape toamtoes--fabulous finger food," Retail World, September 6, 2011 (p. 38)
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