The Mother Sauces

This class is essential for anyone learning to cook, or learning to cook better. Our Chef will walk you through the five sauces that built classic French cooking: Béchamel, Velouté, Espagnole, Hollandaise, and Tomato. You'll learn roux and other thickeners, how sauces are built from the ground up, and how each "mother" gives rise to a whole family of smaller sauces. We'll also demonstrate a rich Beef Stock from scratch, the backbone of a proper Espagnole. Then comes the payoff, because every sauce gets its own plate. Béchamel crowns a golden Croque Madame, a French grilled ham-and-cheese sandwich topped with our Béchamel and melted Gruyère, broiled until bubbly, and finished with a fried egg on top. Espagnole becomes a tangy, mustard-kissed Sauce Robert spooned over Lamb Chops. Velouté dresses a Chicken Suprême with Mushrooms. Silky Hollandaise blankets Steamed Broccoli. Finally, the Tomato sauce becomes a Bocca Pasta Sauce, finished with a splash of cream and tossed with Pasta. Come hungry, because that's five full dishes in one night. Once you've mastered these five sauces, you can riff on them at home for years. That's how you move beyond recipes and take your cooking repertoire to the next level!