The Five mother sauces and some derivatives also.

[TeeDee]

Excellent instruction from Fallow on the Five mother Sauces and their children. Hope this helps someone

What are Mother Sauces

1) Bechamel ( Clove studded Onion for Infused flavour- Milk - Butter - Flour )
White Sauce ( Clove studded Onion for Infused flavour- Milk - Butter - Flour - Nutmeg )
Mornay ( Clove studded Onion for Infused flavour- Milk - Butter - Flour - Cheese )
Soubise ( Clove studded Onion for Infused flavour- Milk - Butter - Flour - Finely diced blanched Onions )

2) Veloute ( Butter - Flour - Stock )
Herb Veloute ( Butter - Flour - Stock - Blanched Herbs )

3) Espagnole ( Meat -Mirepoix/Sofritto ( " Meer-pwah"/" "Sof-rito" (( Finely diced Celery/Onion/Carrot )) Flour Butter )

Espagnole A L'Orange ( Meat -Mirepoix/Sofritto ( " Meer-pwah"/" "Sof-rito" (( Finely diced Celery/Onion/Carrot )) Flour - Butter ) Oranges )
Bordelaise
Chicken Chasseur
Sauce Diane
Demi-Glace sauce

4) Hollandaise ( Egg Yolk - Melted Butter - Acid ( Lemon Juice/White Wine/Vinegar Reduction )
Bearnaise ( Egg -Yolk - Melted Butter- Acid ( Lemon Juice/White Wine/Vinegar Reduction) Tarragon - Chervil - Shallots )

5) Tomat ( Olive Oil - Onion - Chopped Tomato - Garlic )
Romesco ( Olive Oil - Onion - Chopped Tomato - Garlic - Red Peppers - Ground Roasted Almonds )




Terminology :-

Fond - Fond is a French term that translates to “foundation” in English. In the culinary context, fond refers to the rich browned bits that adhere to the bottom of a pan when food is cooked over high heat.

Sabayon -
A sabayon is a light sauce traditionally made with egg yolks, sugar and wine, normally Marsala.
Also known by the Italian name Zabaglione , it is believed to have originated in Italy in the 1500s, although there is much speculation about its exact inception.

 

[British Red]

Excellent instruction from Fallow on the Five mother Sauces and their children. Hope this helps someone

I did find the five sauces really insightful when I first heard about them. Most cuisines do seem to have similar root flavours - certainly Chinese & Indian dishes that I make have half a dozen core ingredients and perhaps a dozen more that, when combined in different ways can produce a vast variety of dishes

 

[TeeDee]

I did find the five sauces really insightful when I first heard about them. Most cuisines do seem to have similar root flavours - certainly Chinese & Indian dishes that I make have half a dozen core ingredients and perhaps a dozen more that, when combined in different ways can produce a vast variety of dishes

Yes that would make absolute sense - I like the simplicity of learning via progressive steps , this is what I refer to as a Tech tree - as you progress from one basic step to the next other options open up to be pursued and reached and so building up learned experience and confidence.

Sauces.
Recipes.
Cocktails.

If I could find any easy to read Indian or Chinese texts or videos on culinary progressive steps I would explore them.

 

[Broch]

I always thought it should be 6 - with the addition of Greek bechamel, in Greece they add egg as well.

Mind you, in Yorkshire they just call Veloute gravy

Edit: sorry, should have been clear, add the Greek version with egg but I suppose that's just another variety - ignore everything I've said!

 

[TeeDee]

I always thought it should be 6 - with the addition of Greek bechamel, in Greece they add egg as well.

Mind you, in Yorkshire they just call Veloute gravy

Edit: sorry, should have been clear, add the Greek version with egg but I suppose that's just another variety - ignore everything I've said!

You did make me wonder if Nursey had given you your medicine yet.

Your edit makes more sense - I will try it.

 

[Broch]

You did make me wonder if Nursey had given you your medicine yet.

Your edit makes more sense - I will try it.

It's late, and I'm tired, and the medicine hasn't kicked in yet (maybe I need a drop more)!

 

[British Red]

If I could find any easy to read Indian or Chinese texts or videos on culinary progressive steps I would explore them.

Here you go, the absolute best book on making restaurant style Indian food. It's awesome & starts from common sauce roots

https://amzn.to/3D0Psgf

 

[Broch]

Or, Prashad-Cooking with Indian Masters - but the 80's version not the reprint.

​

 

[Broch]

A few months ago I asked ChatGPT to design me a structured self-learning course for one of the ecological subjects I was interested in using online and affordable resources; it came up with quite a decent study programme.

So, I just did the same for 'Chef quality cooking' (I probably could have used better terminology, I'll try again tomorrow ) - anyway, just for interest, this is what it came up with:

Phase 1: Foundation (1-2 months)​

Focus on basic cooking techniques, knife skills, and understanding ingredients.

1. Knife Skills
   
   • Watch: Free YouTube tutorials (e.g., by "ChefSteps" or "The Culinary Institute of America").
   • Practice cutting vegetables uniformly.
2. Basic Techniques
   
   • Learn to sauté, roast, boil, and grill.
   • Book: Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat by Samin Nosrat (explains the principles behind great cooking).
3. Ingredient Knowledge
   
   • Explore online resources (e.g., Serious Eats or BBC Good Food).
   • Practice identifying seasonal produce and basic pantry staples.

---

Phase 2: Essential Recipes & Techniques (2-3 months)​

Master classic recipes to build confidence.

1. Soups & Stocks
   
   • Learn chicken stock, vegetable broth, and a classic soup like French Onion.
   • Watch: Gordon Ramsay's YouTube series on basics.
2. Egg Cookery
   
   • Perfect scrambled eggs, poached eggs, and omelets.
   • Book: Eggs by Michel Roux (affordable and comprehensive).
3. Sauces
   
   • Learn béchamel, velouté, hollandaise, and tomato sauce.
   • Online guide: "5 Mother Sauces" by Serious Eats.

---

Phase 3: Intermediate Cuisine (3-4 months)​

Explore different cuisines and more advanced techniques.

1. International Dishes
   
   • Choose a cuisine to focus on each month (e.g., Italian, French, Japanese).
   • Resource: The Food Lab by J. Kenji López-Alt (for science-driven recipes).
2. Advanced Techniques
   
   • Practice braising, fermenting, and sous vide (if possible).
   • Affordable equipment: Sous vide wand or slow cooker.
3. Bread & Baking
   
   • Master a basic bread recipe and expand to pastries.
   • Book: Flour Water Salt Yeast by Ken Forkish.

---

Phase 4: Advanced Practice & Plating (2-3 months)​

Develop presentation skills and experiment with your style.

1. Plating Techniques
   
   • Watch: Free plating tutorials on YouTube.
   • Practice color balance, texture, and height in dishes.
2. Signature Dishes
   
   • Modify existing recipes to add your twist.
   • Share your dishes on social media or with friends for feedback.
3. Affordable Online Courses
   
   • Platforms: Udemy, Skillshare, or MasterClass (look for promotions).

---

Ongoing Resources​

• Join cooking forums or subreddits like r/Cooking.
• Follow chefs on Instagram or YouTube for inspiration (e.g., Joshua Weissman, Bon Appétit).
• Use free apps like Tasty or Yummly for ideas.

 

[TeeDee]

A few months ago I asked ChatGPT to design me a structured self-learning course for one of the ecological subjects I was interested in using online and affordable resources; it came up with quite a decent study programme.

So, I just did the same for 'Chef quality cooking' (I probably could have used better terminology, I'll try again tomorrow ) - anyway, just for interest, this is what it came up with:

Phase 1: Foundation (1-2 months)​

Focus on basic cooking techniques, knife skills, and understanding ingredients.

1. 
   
2. • Book: Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat by Samin Nosrat (explains the principles

Just picked that one up.

 

[Moondog55]

A cooking apprenticeship is 4 years; but really learning how to cook takes a lifetime and it doesn't work if you don't love [ really LOVE] food. 60 years on and I'm still learning as well as teaching the next generations

 

[grainweevil]

Yes that would make absolute sense - I like the simplicity of learning via progressive steps , this is what I refer to as a Tech tree - as you progress from one basic step to the next other options open up to be pursued and reached and so building up learned experience and confidence.

If you're not already familiar with it, you might enjoy Lateral Cooking.

 

[TeeDee]

If you're not already familiar with it, you might enjoy Lateral Cooking.

Thanks - I shall pick that up - I feel I have a reasonable grip and deftness with food but it does surprise me when meeting adults that proclaim to not cook and not be interested or able to learn , just relying upon a basic beige food intake.

We all tend to eat one substantial meal per day even if we cruise through a packaged breakfast & uninspiring lunch. Over the course of the human lifetime thats a lot of opportunities for learning something new and mastering a skillset.

Thats my thinking anyway.

 

[TeeDee]

A cooking apprenticeship is 4 years; but really learning how to cook takes a lifetime and it doesn't work if you don't love [ really LOVE] food. 60 years on and I'm still learning as well as teaching the next generations

Do you mean teaching in a fraternal sense or professional teaching - culinary cottage etc.

 

[Moondog55]

Grandkids now but I've taught many apprentices over the decades