French mother sauces

The original article I posted on Wikipedia on December 8th, 2020.
 

In French cuisine, a "Mother" sauce, also known as a a “Grand” or “Leading” sauce, is a sauce from which other sauces, often called “Daughter” sauces, are derived. Classifying sauces into either Mother or Daughter sauces has one purpose : To bring clarity and sense to how sauces are being made, and how they should be used.[1]

The first Mother/Daughter sauce classifications date back from the 19th century. Then, they have been slightly amended in the early 20th century, but haven’t changed ever since.[2]

Worth mentioning : because of when they were originally created, the Mother sauces selections and sauce classifications listed below have more value from an historical point of view than from a scientific or logical one today.

Mother Sauce List(s)

The most popular selection

The most popular and persistent Mother sauce selection is credited to Chef Auguste Escoffier and it includes 5 elements[3][4][5][6]:

  1. Espagnole Sauce : Brown sauce based on a brown stock reduction, and thickened with brown roux. Ingredients typically include : Roasted bones, Bacon, Tomato (purée and/or fresh)
  2. Velouté Sauce : Clear sauce, made by reducing clear stock (made from un-roasted bones) and thickened with a white roux. Velouté is french for “Velvety”
  3. Béchamel Sauce : White sauce, based on milk thickened with a white roux.
  4. Hollandaise Sauce : Egg sabayon, mounted with clarified butter and flavoured with lemon juice.
  5. Tomate (sometimes spelled "Tomat") Sauce : Red ‘Tomato’ sauce. Ingredients typically include : carrots, onion, garlic, butter, and flour, plus pork belly and veal broth.

This list is most of the time credited to Auguste Escoffier in his reference cookbook "Le Guide Culinaire". However, a closer analysis of Escoffier's books contradicts this selection of Mother sauces.

A more faithful selection

The list below is more faithful to Escoffier’s original selection[7][8][9] :

  1. Espagnole
  2. Velouté
  3. Béchamel
  4. Sauce Tomate
  5. Mayonnaise (more details below)

The main difference here is that Hollandaise sauce has been replaced with Mayonnaise sauce, following Escoffier's original classification. This is further developed in the Hollandaise and Mayonnaise sections below.

Daughter Sauce List

Mother sauces can be derived into many different smaller sauces, often referred to as Daughter sauces. Here are a few examples of daughter sauces and their respective mother sauces[10] (http://e-greta.ac-rouen.fr/RO76014002000/RO76A00002416/cours_sauces_derives.pdf) :

  • From Tomate Sauce :

History

First use

If chefs Auguste Escoffier and Antoine Carême both had massive influences on French cuisine, they did not however invent the terms “Sauces mères” (french for “Mother Sauces”), nor did they come up with the first French sauce classification.[11]

The first use of the terms “Mother Sauce” is hard to locate in time, but it is at least anterior to May 1844 ( 50 years before Escoffier Culinary Guide first publication ) when a French magazine called “Revue de Paris” published on page 380[12] :

“Oui ne savez-vous pas que la grande espagnole est une sauce-mère, dont toutes les autres préparations, telles que réductions, fonds de cuisson, jus, veloutés, essences, coulis, ne sont, à proprement parler, que des dérivés?”

“Don’t you know that Grand sauce Espagnole is a mother sauce, from which all other preparations, including reductions, stocks, jus, veloutés and essences, are only derivatives ?”

Mother / Daughter Sauce Classifications

Different classifications of French sauces into Mother and/or Daughter sauces have been established over the years by different chefs. They all aim at bringing clarity and sense to how sauces should be made, and how they should be used.  

Despite common held belief, there have not always been 5 mother sauces in French cuisine. In fact, their number and selection have varied greatly from one chef / author to the other. Below are listed the most important historical ones.

Sauce classification by Marie Antoine Carême

In 1833, Marie Antoine Carême published a classification of French sauces in his reference cookbook : “The Art of French Cuisine in the 19th Century”. ( Original title : L’art de la cuisine française au XIXe siècle ). Instead of mother sauces, he calls them “Grandes et Petites sauces” ( french for “Grand and Small sauces”).[13]

In this cookbook, Carême defined a sauce classification and listed 4 “Grand Sauces” :

  1. Espagnole
  2. Velouté
  3. Allemande
  4. Béchamel

In "The Art of French Cuisine in the 19th Century”, Carême mentioned that his versions of Allemande sauce and Béchamel sauce recipes both use the Velouté sauce recipe as a starting point. Since these recipes are quite different from the ones we know today, it seems logical to keep Carême’s list untouched.[14]


Worth mentioning, Carême classified as small sauces the following ones[15][16] :

  • Poivrade sauce ( later upgraded as a mother sauce  by Jules Gouffé )
  • Suprême sauce ( later upgraded as a mother sauce by Auguste Escoffier )
  • Tomate sauce ( later upgraded as a mother sauce by Auguste Escoffier )
  • Hollandaise sauce
  • Mayonnaise sauce ( later upgraded as a mother sauce by Auguste Escoffier )

Sauce classification By Jules Gouffé

In 1867, Jules Gouffé, renowned French chef and pâtissier, published a cookbook called “The Cookbook Including Grand And Domestic Cooking” (Original title “Le livre de cuisine comprenant la grande cuisine et la cuisine de ménage”).[17]

In this cookbook, Gouffé established an updated sauce classification and listed 12 “Mother” sauces (Gouffé used the terms “Grand” or “Mother” sauces interchangeably)

  1. Espagnole Grasse ( Fattier Espagnole )
  2. Espagnole Maigre ( Leaner Espagnole )
  3. Velouté Gras ( Fattier Velouté )
  4. Velouté Maigre ( Leaner Velouté )
  5. Allemande ( Velouté thickened with eggs )
  6. Béchamel à l’ancienne ( Old Fashioned Béchamel)
  7. Béchamel de volaille (Poultry Béchamel)
  8. Béchamel maigre (Leaner Béchamel)
  9. Poivrade brune (Brown Poivrade)
  10. Poivrade Blanche (White Poivrade)
  11. Poivrade Maigre (Leaner Poivrade)
  12. Marinade

The list can safely be narrowed down to a selection of 6 sauces to avoid obvious redundancies[18] :

  1. Espagnole
  2. Velouté
  3. Allemande
  4. Béchamel
  5. Poivrade
  6. Marinade

Sauce classification by Auguste Escoffier

Auguste Escoffier is considered by many French and international chefs as a pioneer when it comes to Kitchen organisation. Called the “Chef of Kings and King of Chefs”, he brought cleanliness, quiet and discipline to professional kitchens. As a consequence, his sauce classification is considered by many, the most important historical contribution to sauces in general.

In 1903, he published what would become afterwards a reference cookbook : “Le Guide Culinaire” (french for “The Culinary Guide”)[19]. Four editions of this book have been published afterwards but they all listed the “Grandes” sauces as follows[20][21] :

  1. Espagnole
  2. Espagnole maigre (leaner Espagnole sauce)
  3. Demi Glace (reduced Espagnole sauce)
  4. Jus de veau lié (reduced and thickened Veal stock)
  5. Velouté
  6. Allemande (Velouté thickened with eggs)
  7. Sauce suprême (Velouté thickened with cream)
  8. Velouté de volaille (poultry velouté)
  9. Velouté de poisson (fish velouté)
  10. Béchamel
  11. Sauce Tomate
  12. Mayonnaise (see specific section below)


The list can safely be narrowed down to a selection of 9 sauces to avoid obvious redundancies :

  1. Espagnole
  2. Demi Glace (reduced Espagnole sauce)
  3. Jus de veau lié (reduced and thickened Veal stock)
  4. Velouté
  5. Allemande (Velouté thickened with eggs)
  6. Sauce suprême (Velouté thickened with cream)
  7. Béchamel
  8. Sauce Tomate
  9. Mayonnaise (see specific section below)


Worth mentioning :

  • Chef Escoffier never treated Hollandaise sauce as a Mother sauce. Instead, he specifically called it a daughter / small sauce in his reference book “Le Guide Culinaire” (french for “The Culinary Guide”)
  • Chef Escoffier considered Mayonnaise as a Mother sauce. Even though being placed in a “Daughter” sauce chapter in the book, mayonnaise sauce is introduced as a mother sauce. That’s why it has been reintegrated in the mother sauce list above.[22]

These special cases are further developed in the Hollandaise and Mayonnaise sections below.

The special case of Hollandaise sauce

Internet and the Hollandaise sauce

Over the internet, Hollandaise sauce is widely regarded as a Mother Sauce[23][24][25][26], which would have been established by Auguste Escoffier himself.

However, a closer look at Escoffier’s French cookbooks (not translations or adaptations) reveals that Hollandaise sauce never was considered a mother sauce. In fact, that sauce is located in a small sauces chapter called “Petites Sauces Blanches et sauces Composées.” ( French for “Small white sauces and derived sauces”)[27]. No extra mention or specific introduction have been made by the author about this sauce.

Possible origin of the problem

Over the years, several translations of Escoffier’s cookbooks have been made. One translation in particular could be at the origin of this dilemma :  “A guide to Modern Cookery by Escoffier, London, William Heinemann, 1907”[28]. This cookbook is not presented as an original cookbook, but as a translation of Escoffier’s culinary guide.

In there, the “Leading Sauces” chapter includes 10 mother sauces. Below they are listed using their original english titles :

  1. Brown Sauce or Espagnole
  2. Half Glaze
  3. Lenten Espagnole
  4. Ordinary Velouté Sauce
  5. Velouté de volaille
  6. Fish velouté
  7. Allemande sauce or thickened velouté
  8. Béchamel sauce
  9. Tomato Sauce
  10. Hollandaise Sauce

Compared to Escoffier’s original list, “Jus de veau lié” and “Demi Glace” have been removed and “Mayonnaise” has been replaced with “Hollandaise” sauce, without any mention or clarification from the translator himself.

This list has then been narrowed down to 5 elements ( Espagnole, Velouté, Béchamel, Tomate and Hollandaise) and then extensively advertised online.

Since Hollandaise was absent from Auguste Escoffier's, Jules Gouffé’s, Antoine Carême’s or even Prosper Montagné’s cookbooks, one can assume that including it here is more of a free interpretation than a faithful translation.

In conclusion, Hollandaise Sauce is not a Mother Sauce based on Escoffier’s work.

The special case of Mayonnaise sauce

Mayonnaise from an historical point of view

From an historical point of view Mayonnaise always was considered by Escoffier himself a true mother sauce. The following extract comes from Escoffier reference cookbook “Le guide culinaire”, and is used to introduce Mayonnaise recipe[29] :

FR : “La plupart des sauces froides dérivés de la mayonnaise qui pour cette raison est considérée comme une sauce mère au même titre que l’Espagnole et le Velouté.”

ENG : “Most cold sauces derive from Mayonnaise sauce, and that is why it should be considered a mother sauce just like Espagnole and Velouté”


Worth mentioning, that introduction paragraph has been discarded in the first english translation of this cookbook :  “A Guide to Modern Cookery by Escoffier” London, by William Heinemann, 1907.[30]

In conclusion, Mayonnaise sauce is a Mother Sauce based on Escoffier’s work.

Mayonnaise from a science point of view

From a science point of view, Mayonnaise sauce can be considered as Mother sauce : It is a true emulsion[31], and many daughter sauces derive from it or from its concept.

Hollandaise sauce is more of a warm emulsified suspension[32], than a true emulsion, and so feels a bit less legitimate to be considered a Mother sauce.

  1. ^ "An Introduction to the 5 French Mother Sauces". Escoffier Online. 2020-09-01. Retrieved 2020-12-08.
  2. ^ Carême, M. A. (Marie Antonin); Fayot, Charles Frédéric Alfred; Plumery, Armand; University of Leeds. Library (1833). L'art de la cuisine française au dix-neuviême siêcle : traité élémentaire et pratique ... University of Leeds Library. Paris : L'auteur [etc.]
  3. ^ "The 5 Mother Sauces of French Cuisine". MICHELIN Guide. Retrieved 2020-12-08.
  4. ^ "Auguste Escoffier Left A Culinary Legacy: The Five "Mother Sauces."". Escoffier Online. 2020-03-03. Retrieved 2020-12-08.
  5. ^ "Do You Know Your French Mother Sauces?". Kitchn. Retrieved 2020-12-08.
  6. ^ "What are the mother sauces in French cuisine?". www.cordonbleu.edu. Retrieved 2020-12-08.
  7. ^ Escoffier, A. (Auguste); Gilbert, Philéas; Fetu, Emile; University of Leeds. Library (1907). Le Guide culinaire, aide-mémoire de cuisine pratique. University of Leeds Library. Paris : Colin.
  8. ^ Escoffier, A. (Auguste); Gilbert, Philéas; University of Leeds. Library (1903). Le Guide culinaire, aide-mémoire de cuisine pratique. University of Leeds Library. Paris : [s.n.]
  9. ^ Escoffier, Auguste (1846-1935) Auteur du texte (1912). Le guide culinaire : aide-mémoire de cuisine pratique (3e édition) / par A. Escoffier ; avec la collaboration de MM. Philéas Gilbert et Émile Fétu.
  10. ^ "Mother and Daughter: the Extended Family of Sauces". www.finedininglovers.com. Retrieved 2020-12-08.
  11. ^ Gouffé, Jules (1807-1877) Auteur du texte (1867). Le livre de cuisine : comprenant la cuisine de ménage et la grande cuisine / par Jules Gouffé ; pl... dessinées... par E. Ronjat.
  12. ^ "Revue de Paris". Gallica. 1844-05. Retrieved 2020-12-08. Check date values in: |date= (help)
  13. ^ Carême, M. A. (Marie Antonin); Fayot, Charles Frédéric Alfred; Plumery, Armand; University of Leeds. Library (1833). L'art de la cuisine française au dix-neuviême siêcle : traité élémentaire et pratique ... University of Leeds Library. Paris : L'auteur [etc.]
  14. ^ Carême, M. A. (Marie Antonin); Fayot, Charles Frédéric Alfred; Plumery, Armand; University of Leeds. Library (1833). L'art de la cuisine française au dix-neuviême siêcle : traité élémentaire et pratique ... University of Leeds Library. Paris : L'auteur [etc.]
  15. ^ Carême, M. A. (Marie Antonin); Fayot, Charles Frédéric Alfred; Plumery, Armand; University of Leeds. Library (1833). L'art de la cuisine française au dix-neuviême siêcle : traité élémentaire et pratique ... University of Leeds Library. Paris : L'auteur [etc.]
  16. ^ Carême, M. A. (Marie Antonin); Fayot, Charles Frédéric Alfred; Plumery, Armand; University of Leeds. Library (1833). L'art de la cuisine française au dix-neuviême siêcle : traité élémentaire et pratique ... University of Leeds Library. Paris : L'auteur [etc.]
  17. ^ Gouffé, Jules (1807-1877) Auteur du texte (1867). Le livre de cuisine : comprenant la cuisine de ménage et la grande cuisine / par Jules Gouffé ; pl... dessinées... par E. Ronjat.
  18. ^ Gouffé, Jules (1807-1877) Auteur du texte (1867). Le livre de cuisine : comprenant la cuisine de ménage et la grande cuisine / par Jules Gouffé ; pl... dessinées... par E. Ronjat.
  19. ^ Escoffier, A. (Auguste); Gilbert, Philéas; Fetu, Emile; University of Leeds. Library (1907). Le Guide culinaire, aide-mémoire de cuisine pratique. University of Leeds Library. Paris : Colin.
  20. ^ Escoffier, A. (Auguste); Gilbert, Philéas; University of Leeds. Library (1903). Le Guide culinaire, aide-mémoire de cuisine pratique. University of Leeds Library. Paris : [s.n.]
  21. ^ Escoffier, Auguste (1846-1935) Auteur du texte (1912). Le guide culinaire : aide-mémoire de cuisine pratique (3e édition) / par A. Escoffier ; avec la collaboration de MM. Philéas Gilbert et Émile Fétu.
  22. ^ Escoffier, A. (Auguste); Gilbert, Philéas; Fetu, Emile; University of Leeds. Library (1907). Le Guide culinaire, aide-mémoire de cuisine pratique. University of Leeds Library. Paris : Colin.
  23. ^ "An Introduction to the 5 French Mother Sauces". Escoffier Online. 2020-09-01. Retrieved 2020-12-08.
  24. ^ "Hollandaise Recipe | Sauced". www.seriouseats.com. Retrieved 2020-12-08.
  25. ^ "What Are the 5 Mother Sauces of Classical Cuisine?". The Spruce Eats. Retrieved 2020-12-08.
  26. ^ "The 5 French Mother Sauces Every Cook Should Know". Food52. 2019-06-25. Retrieved 2020-12-08.
  27. ^ Escoffier, A. (Auguste); Gilbert, Philéas; Fetu, Emile; University of Leeds. Library (1907). Le Guide culinaire, aide-mémoire de cuisine pratique. University of Leeds Library. Paris : Colin.
  28. ^ Escoffier, A. (Auguste); Escoffier, A. (Auguste); Herndon, James B.; Herndon/Vehling Collection. fmo (1907). A guide to modern cookery. Cornell University Library. London : W. Heinemann.
  29. ^ Escoffier, Auguste (1846-1935) Auteur du texte (1912). Le guide culinaire : aide-mémoire de cuisine pratique (3e édition) / par A. Escoffier ; avec la collaboration de MM. Philéas Gilbert et Émile Fétu.
  30. ^ Escoffier, A. (Auguste); Escoffier, A. (Auguste); Herndon, James B.; Herndon/Vehling Collection. fmo (1907). A guide to modern cookery. Cornell University Library. London : W. Heinemann.
  31. ^ Kientza, Herve This Vo (2018-01-21). "Hervé This vo Kientza: Les sauces "émulsionnées chaudes"". Hervé This vo Kientza. Retrieved 2020-12-08.
  32. ^ "How to make the perfect hollandaise sauce". Physics World. 2014-09-11. Retrieved 2020-12-08.