One reason why even moderate sauces are looked at
v/ith suspicion is, that the cooks who make them will
prepare such a large quantity at a time. They will not
be content with making enough and no more. I went to
dine with a friend the other day, and four of us sat down
to dinner. Amongst other good things we had roast
fowls, bread sauce, and the ubiquitous melted butter.
I am speaking within the mark when I say there was not
less than a pint of bread sauce and a pint and a quarter
of melted butter. What a waste this was both of time
and material. Not a quarter of a pint of either sauce was
used ; but 1 could not help wondering what became of
that which was sent downstairs. I have very little doubt
that if we could have ascertained its ultimate destination,
we should have discovered tlaat it was thrown away. One
or two experiences of this kind are enough to make any
housekeeper avoid sauce.
It was so unnecessary too. An ounce of butter, three-
quarters of an ounce of flour, and half a pint of water✪ Melted Butter
would have made melted butter for twice the number of
people, while three ounces of butter for the same measure
of water would have been an ample allowance.
Then as to the method of making that melted butter.
Now, 1 can fancy some one saying, “Surely you are not
going to tell us how to make melted buttter? We all
know that.” If you do, I apologize ; but I beg to assure
you that your knowledge is not universal. It is a very
unusual thing to see well-made melted butter. It is our
one English sauce, yet it is rarely properly prepared.
One would think that there was no room for variety of
procedure with simple ingredients like those required
here ; yet I am merely stating a fact when I say that
Sauces, and ITow to Make T]tem.
99
melted butter is seldom well-made. At the risk, therefore,
of saying what may be regarded as unnecessary, I must
ask to be allowed to describe how I should make melted
butter, if I were asked to do so.
I should take a small saucepan (not an iron one, for
iron is not suited to the purpose), melt an ounce of butter
in it, draw the pan to one side, and stir in three-quarters
of an ounce of flour (remembering always that in making
sauce we must take more butter than we do flour). I
should beat the mi.xture with the back of a wooden spoon
until it is quite smooth. Sauce with lumps in it is ob-
jectionable, and now is the time to dispose of the lumps.
I should then pour in, gradually, half a pint of cold water,
stirring the sauce all the time, and keep stirring it till it
boiled, add a little salt and pepper, or a grate of nutmeg
if liked, let the sauce boil for three minutes, and it would
be ready. The liquid should coat the spoon.
Sauce thus made is fairly good as it is. It would,
however, be very considerably improved if a little cold
butter were stirred into it off the fire just before it was
served. The quantity of butter thus added at the last
moment might vary according to the degree of richness
required. It must be remembered, however, that the
sauce should not boil after the cold butter is added, and
that it should be put in at the last minute. Many cooks
break up the butter into small pieces in order to make it
melt quickly.
Page 64 · 2 recipe records on this page
Presented as published in 1882. Historical recipes may not meet modern food-safety standards. Cook from the modern interpretation, not the original instructions.
AI-modernized reading of the original text
One reason why even moderate sauces are looked at with suspicion is, that the cooks who make them will prepare such a large quantity at a time. They will not be content with making enough and no more. I went to dine with a friend the other day, and four of us sat down to dinner. Amongst other good things we had roast fowls, bread sauce, and the ubiquitous melted butter. I am speaking within the mark when I say there was not less than a pint of bread sauce and a pint and a quarter of melted butter. What a waste this was both of time and material. Not a quarter of a pint of either sauce was used ; but 1 could not help wondering what became of that which was sent downstairs. I have very little doubt that if we could have ascertained its ultimate destination, we should have discovered that it was thrown away. One or two experiences of this kind are enough to make any housekeeper avoid sauce.
It was so unnecessary too. An ounce of butter, threequarters of an ounce of flour, and half a pint of water would have made melted butter for twice the number of people, while three ounces of butter for the same measure of water would have been an ample allowance.
Then as to the method of making that melted butter. Now, 1 can fancy some one saying, “Surely you are not going to tell us how to make melted butter? We all know that.” If you do, I apologize ; but I beg to assure you that your knowledge is not universal. It is a very unusual thing to see well-made melted butter. It is our one English sauce, yet it is rarely properly prepared.
One would think that there was no room for variety of procedure with simple ingredients like those required here ; yet I am merely stating a fact when I say that
Sauces, and ITow to Make Them.
melted butter is seldom well-made. At the risk, therefore, of saying what may be regarded as unnecessary, I must ask to be allowed to describe how I should make melted butter, if I were asked to do so.
I should take a small saucepan (not an iron one, for iron is not suited to the purpose), melt an ounce of butter in it, draw the pan to one side, and stir in three-quarters of an ounce of flour (remembering always that in making sauce we must take more butter than we do flour). I should beat the mixture with the back of a wooden spoon until it is quite smooth. Sauce with lumps in it is objectionable, and now is the time to dispose of the lumps. I should then pour in, gradually, half a pint of cold water, stirring the sauce all the time, and keep stirring it till it boiled, add a little salt and pepper, or a grate of nutmeg if liked, let the sauce boil for three minutes, and it would be ready. The liquid should coat the spoon.
Sauce thus made is fairly good as it is. It would, however, be very considerably improved if a little cold butter were stirred into it off the fire just before it was served. The quantity of butter thus added at the last moment might vary according to the degree of richness required. It must be remembered, however, that the sauce should not boil after the cold butter is added, and that it should be put in at the last minute. Many cooks break up the butter into small pieces in order to make it melt quickly.
Records on this page
Melted ButterMelted Butter