postrevolutionary cuisine. The parent sauces
could be prepared in advance, with the novel
butminormodificationsandseasoningstobe
doneatthelastminuteonthedayofthemeal.
As Raymond Sokolov puts it in his guide to
the classic sauces,The Saucier’s Apprentice,
these sauces were conceived as “convenience
foodsatthehighestlevel.”
LessthanacenturyafterCarême,thegreat
compilationofclassicFrenchcuisine,
AugusteEscoffier’sGuideCulinaire(1902),
listsnearly200differentsauces,notincluding
dessertsauces.AndEscoffierattributedthe
eminenceofFrenchcookingdirectlytoits
sauces.“Thesaucesrepresentthepartie
capitaleofthecuisine.Itistheywhichhave
createdandmaintainedtothisdaythe
universalpreponderanceofFrenchcuisine.”
Ofcoursethisflavoringsystemwasthe
creationofthelineofprofessionalcooks
goingbacktomedievaltimes.Alongsideit
theredevelopedamoremodestdomestic


tradition,whichisaccomplishedinitsown
way.Disinclinedtothelaborandexpenseof
long-simmeredstocksandsauces,middleclasshomecooksrefinedothermethods:for
example,makingabrothfromthetrimmings
ofaroast,usingthebrothtodissolvethe
flavorfulcrustfromtheroastingpan,and
boilingthisrelativelysmallamountofliquid

toreduceandthickenit,orbindingitwith
creamorflour.
SaucesinItalyandEngland

PureesandMeatJuicesFromtheMiddle
Agesthroughthe16thcentury,Italiancourt
cookingwasasinnovativeasFrenchcooking,
andsometimesmoreso.Yetitstagnatedin
the17thcentury,accordingtohistorian
ClaudioBenporat,aspartofageneral
politicalandculturaldeclinecausedbyan
absenceofstrongItalianleadersandthe
influenceofotherEuropeanpowersonthe