The girl's own cookery book

The flavour of this brown sauce may be varied in accordance with not only the taste of the maker, but the contents of the store-closet, care being taken always to make it suited to the meat it is to accompany. Thus, a little celery may be substituted for the mushrooms, and a slice of turnip may be added, or lemon-peel, parsley, or a bunch of sweet herbs may be introduced. A slice of lean ham is a valuable flavouring ingredient. Some cooks think that good brown sauce cannot be made without ham ; and there is a story told of a cook who, having to prepare a little supper for a prince, ordered fifty hams, only one of which was to go to table, — the rest were to be used in making sauces. Chopped pickle or chopped oysters will also give piquancy to a sauce. Essence of anchovy, too, is a valuable flavourer. A very small quantity, not enough to suggest its own taste, may be put into other than fish sauces, because anchovy possesses the property of bringing out other flavours. Wine and made sauces, such as Harvey, ketchup, or Worcester sauce, are also frequently added ; but these should be introduced very judiciously, because a really good sauce should taste of something else than ketchup. Sometimes the sauce looks very well, but it is not sufficiently brown. Drab brown sauce should never be sent to table : it is enough to spoil anyone’s appetite. There are various ways of supplying colour to brown sauce. Roux, or a mixture of flour and butter browned together over the fire, is employed, as are also burnt onions, browning, and even burnt sugar. To my mind the most convenient preparation which can be procured is the “ Pastilles Carpentier.” It is sold in tins, to be bought of any grocer, and will keep any length of time. A tin costing fivepence will supply colour for a great many dishes. It will be understood, therefore, that what is called Espagnol (Spanish), or brown sauce is merely good stock well-flavoured with vegetables, and made thick and brown. White sauce is another celebrated French sauce; indeed brown sauce and white sauce, or, in other words, 102 The Girl's Own Cookery Book. Espagnol and Veloutde, may be said to be to the French what melted butter is to the English — the foundation of many others. Béchamel, Allemand or German, Dutch or Hollandaise, poulette, oyster, celery, and many other sauces are made from white sauce. It consists of rich white stock delicately flavoured and mixed with cream, eggs, or whatever else is its distinctive ingredient. White sauce is less frequently well-made than brown sauce, but the following recipe will, I think, be found excellent. White Sauce. — Prepare and chop small two ounces of lean ham ; melt two ounces of butter in a stewpan, throw in the ham, and let it fry gently, not discolour. Sprinkle an ounce and a half of flour over, and beat till smooth. Add gradually a pint of white stock, two small carrots, and six button mushrooms, stir the sauce till it boils ; draw the pan back, and simmer gently till thick. Remove the fat from the sauce as it rises, strain it through a tammy, and add last of all a gill of cream and a few drops of lemon-juice.