White or Cream Sauce Recipes

White or Cream Sauce Recipes

Have you ever heard of the five "mother" sauces? These are the four basic types of savory sauces that are the foundation for all others. Béchamel is one of the four, and white or cream sauces are basically variations of this mother sauce. Béchamel (or white or cream) sauce is a smooth and white made from milk and thickened with a roux of flour and butter.

Thus, any white sauce has its roots in this French Béchamel sauce. If you add herbs, cheese, or anything else to the mix, it's still a béchamel with a twist, if you will. Béchamel is named after a French cook, but food historians aren't really sure if he invented it or not. At the time, only the wealthy could afford to indulge in this rich sauce because they were the only ones who could afford to purchase and store the milk or cream that is its foundation.

Saucy Tips

• The thickness depends on the amount of butter and flour used in proportion to the milk. More milk makes it thinner, while less milk (or cream) makes it thicker and richer.
• Don't be afraid of roux! It's just a mixture of flour and butter. Don't overcook it, and stir it constantly as you mix and then cook the flour with the butter and your roux should turn out perfectly every time.
• Wait to stir in the flour until the butter is melted, and don't cook the roux over too high a heat.

Related Sauce and Main Dish Links

• Meat Recipes
• Main Dish Recipes
• Vegetable Recipes