Sauces by James Peterson

Sauces: Classical and Contemporary Sauce Making by James Peterson

I purchased this book brand new back when this second edition came out in 1998. Sauces was a 1991 James Beard Foundation Cookbook of the Year. It was a favorite then and is still used now. With the book laying out on the kitchen counter, I’m reminded of my first experiences of saucemaking and showpiece work in culinary school with recipes ranging from the classical demi-glace to the choid-froid (yes, it even goes into detail about jellies).

What makes this a mini saucemaking class at home is the wide range of sauces included, with tips, terminoligy, equipment, ingredients, and everything else needed for any sauce. James Peterson did a great job explaining things well. Chapters include: A Short History of Sauce Making (Ancient Greeks to the Twentieth Century); Equipment; Ingredients; Stocks, Glaces, and Essences; Liaisons: An Overview; White Sauces for Meat and Vegetables; Brown Sauces: Stock-Based and Nonintegral Fish Sauces; Integral Meat Sauces; Integral Fish and Shellfish Sauces; Crustacean Sauces; Jellies and Chauds-Froids; Hot Emulsified Egg-Yolk Sauces; Mayonnaise-Based Sauces; Butter Sauces; Salad Sauces, Vinaigrettes, Salsas, and Relishes; Purees and Puree-Thickened Sauces; Pasta Sauces; Asian Sauces; Dessert Sauces; The Relative Thickening Power of Liasons; and A Few Thoughts About Wine.

I’ve been to many, many used book stores in my life and have never seen this one on the shelves for a second or third owner. It’s probably because the books are still in use inside homes or even residing next to the kitchen stove. My edition is a thick, black and white text book with nearly 600 pages. It’s hardback and heavy, and has a section of color pictures of how to make various sauces. If you’ve ever wanted to make a sauce, a true, classical sauce to serve with dinner, or even try your hand at glace de viande, this would be a great reference to go to for instruction.

• Sauces: Classical and Contemporary Sauce Making by James Peterson
• Van Nostrand Reinhold; 1998, Second Edition
• ISBN: 0442026153
• Hardcover, 598 pages

Enjoy,
Renee Shelton
The Cookbook Papers
🙂