Béchamel sauce

Béchamel sauce (pronEng|beɪʃəˈmɛl in English, IPA2|beʃaˈmɛl in French, IPA2|beʃaˈmɛlla in Italian), also known as white sauce, is a basic sauce that is used as the base for other sauces, such as Mornay sauce, which is Béchamel and cheese. This basic sauce, one of the mother sauces of French cuisine, is usually made today by whisking scalded milk gradually into a white flour-butter "roux" (equal part butter and flour), though it can also be made by whisking a kneaded flour-butter beurre manié into scalded milk. The thickness of the final sauce depends on the proportions of milk and flour.

Origin

The origin of Béchamel sauce is disputed and includes the following claims:

* The Italian version is that it was invented by Catherine de Medici's Tuscan cooks who brought it to France from Italy in the 17th Century, "Sauce Béchamel" was a slow simmering of milk, veal stock and seasonings, strained, with an enrichment of cream.

* It was created by Philippe de Mornay, who also is reputed to have invented Mornay sauce, Lyonnaise sauce, and Porto sauce.

* It was invented by Marquis Louis de Béchamel (1603–1703), a 17th century financier who held the honorary post of chief steward to Louis XIV (1643-1715).

* It was created by François Pierre de la Varenne (1615-1678) who was chef to the court of Louis XIV (1643-1715) , during the time that Louis de Béchamel was there. It is believed that La Varenne named the sauce in his honour. [ [http://whatscookingamerica.net/History/SauceHistory.htm History of Sauces] ]

The sauce under its familiar name first appeared in "Le Cuisinier François", (published in 1651), by François Pierre La Varenne (1615 – 1678), "chef de cuisine" to Nicolas Chalon du Blé, marquis d'Uxelles. The foundation of French cuisine, the "Cuisinier François" ran through some thirty editions in seventy-five years. The sauce was named to flatter a courtier, Louis de Béchameil, marquis de Nointel (1630 – 1703), a financier, sometime "intendant" of Brittany, who is sometimes mistakenly credited with having invented it. Many chefs would now regard as authoritative the recipe of Auguste Escoffier presented in Saulnier's "Répertoire": "White roux moistened with milk, salt, onion stuck with clove, cook for 20 minutes".

The sauce called "velouté", in which a blond roux is whisked into a white stock, is a full hundred years older, having appeared in the cookbook of Sabina Welserin in 1553.

Uses

Béchamel sauce is the base for a number of other classic sauces including:
*Mornay sauce (cheese)
*Nantua sauce (shrimp, butter and cream)
*Crème sauce (heavy cream)
*Mustard sauce (prepared mustard)
*Soubise sauce (finely diced onions that have been sweated in butter)
*Cheddar cheese sauce (cheddar cheese, dry mustard, Worcestershire sauce)

External links

* [http://whatscookingamerica.net/History/SauceHistory.htm History and legends of Bechamel sauce]
* [http://www.stratsplace.com/rogov/bechamel.html "Bechamel - "A Most Insignificant Sauce""]
* [http://www.annamariavolpi.com/page48.html "Balsamella" (Bechamel) white sauce, step-by-step instruction]