The 5 French Mother Sauces

The 5 French Mother Sauces

The 5 French Mother Sauces

1. Béchamel

This is roux whisked with milk or other dairy to make a white sauce. Ever made macaroni and cheese or chicken pot pie? The base of both these dishes is béchamel. By itself, béchamel is quite bland, which is why it is usually cooked with other ingredients and not used as a finishing sauce.

2. Velouté

A velouté is a light roux whisked with chicken, turkey, fish or any other clear stock. The resulting sauce takes on the flavor of the stock, and the name is derived from the French word for velvet, which aptly describes this smooth but light and delicate sauce. It is usually served over fish or poultry that has been delicately cooked, like by poaching or steaming.

3. Espagnole

Sauce espagnole is a basic brown sauce. It's made of brown beef or veal stock, tomato puree, and browned mirepoix, all thickened with a very dark brown roux. This sauce is sometimes used at the foundation for boeuf bourguinon and demi-glace.

4. Sauce Tomat

This is made by cooking tomatoes down into a thick sauce but used to also be thickened with roux. Unlike more modern-day tomato sauces, the classic French tomato sauce is flavored with pork and aromatic vegetables.

5. Hollandaise

This is the one mother sauce not thickened by a roux. Instead, it's thickened by an emulsion of egg yolk and melted butter, which means it's a stable mixture of two things that usually normally can't blend together. This is a very delicate sauce because the emulsion can easily break, and rich hollandaise is usually used as a dipping sauce for asparagus or a finishing sauce for dishes like eggs Benedict.

French Classical Menu

French Classical Menu

French Classical Menu

1)     Hors-d oeuvre / Appetizer

Are of spicy in nature in order to stimulate the appetite for the dishes that are to follow in the course.

In recent years, hors d’oeuvres have gained popularity, and now appear on most of the menus in modest eating places.

Served from a rotating trolley or a tray a small amount of each variety being placed on the plate to make up a portion.

Examples Of Hors d oeuvres are :

Salads: Beet root, Potato Salad, Tomato Salad, Fish Mayonnaise, Russian Salad

Caviar : Roe of sturgeon fish

Shellfish cocktail : Prawns or shrimps on a bed of shredded lettuce  covered  with tomato flavoured mayonnaise.

Melon Frappe : Chilled Melon

Saumon Fume : Smoked Salmon

Pate maison : Goose or chicken liver, cooked , sieved  and well seasoned.

2)     Potage / Soup

Soup also act as an appetizer for the further courses to come. Soups like clear soup(consommé) and the other a thick soup (crème, veloute, puree) are served during this course. Although it must be noted that the clear soup is always placed first on the menu.

Examples of Potage : 

Consommé julienne : - clear soup garnished with strips of root vegetables

Consommé celestine : - clear soup garnished with strips of savoury pancakes.

Bisque d homard :-  thick lobster- flavored soup 

Green Bean Soup : - cream of Green Beans

Soup a l oignon : - clear onion soup

3)      Oeuf / Egg

Oeufs are the dishes made from egg. There are many styles of cooking and preparation of eggs such as boiled, en cocotte, poached or scrambled. This course is not included in the dinner menu. 

Examples of egg dishes are:

Omelette espagnole – Flat omelette with onions, peppers and tomatoes

Omelette aux tomates : - tomato omelette

Omlette aux champignons : - mushroom omelette

Oeuf poche florentine : - poached egg on a bed of spinach coated with cheese sauce & gratinated 

Oeuf brouille au lard : - scrambled egg with bacon. 

4)     Farinaceous / Farineaux / Pasta or Rice

This is Italy's contribution to the courses of the menu. It includes different kinds of rice and pasta. Pasta dishes are spaghetti, lasagne and gnocchi. There are more than 200 varieties of pasta. The ingredients, size, shape and colour determine the type of pasta. 

Examples of farinaceous dishes are: 

Spaghetti napolitine – spaghetti in a tomato- and garlic- flavoured sauce.

Ravioli : - noodle type pasta filled with a variety of stuffing, such as chicken, beef, and spinach

Cannelloni : - rolls of ravioli paste filled with stuffing as for ravioli.

Gnocchi romaine – semolina based.

Spaghetti bolognaise – spaghetti blended with minced lean beef with rich brown sauce.

5)     Poisson / Fish

Poisson are the dishes made from fish. Fish, being soft-fibred,prepares the palate for the heavier meats that follow. Ideal fish for dinner menu compilation are: Sole, Salmon, Halibut, Escallops, etc. Rarely seen on a menu for the evening meal are: Cod, Bass, Haddock, Brill, Hake, and Plaice. 

Examples of fish dishes are:

Sole meuniere : - Sole shallow fried in butter.

Sole colbert : - Sole, flour, egg and bread crumbed and deep fried. (fillets).

Sole cubat : - fillet of sole poached, dressed on a mushrooms puree and coated with a cheese sauce. 

Darne de saumon grillee, sauce bearnaise – salmon cutlet grilled with an egg- and butter based sauce 

flavoured with tarragon.

Homard Newburg : - Lobster served with thickened sauce of fish stock and cream flavoured with brandy and finished with butter.

6)     Entrée / Entree

The First in the meat course Entrées are generally small, well garnished dishes which come from the kitchen ready for service. They are always accompanied by very rich gravy or sauce when releve follow entrée then potatoes and vegetables are not served with the latter; if, however a releve does not follow the entrée they would be served with the dish.

Examples of this type of dish are : 

Poulet saute chasseur : - saute chicken in a rich brown sauce flavoured with tomatoes and mushroom.

Supreme de volaille sur cloche – breast and wing of chicken cooked under a cover in oven.

Steak Daine : - minute steak shallow fried and flavoured with onions and mushrooms finished with red wine or cream.

Chateaubriand : - double fillet steak grilled. 

7)     Sorbet / Sorbet

Because of the length of the French classical menu, this course is considered to be the rest between courses . It counteracts the previous dishes, and rejuvenates the appetite for those that are to follow. It is water and crushed ice slush flavoured as a rule with champagne and served in a glass.  

Examples of sorbet :

Lemon Sorbet

Champagne Sorbet

Calvados Sorbet

Peach Sorbet

Raspberry Sorbet

8)     Releve  / Joints 

This is the main meat course on the menu, Releves are normally larger than entrees and take the form of butcher’s joints which have to be carved. These joints are normally roasted. A sauce or a roast gravy with potatoes and green vegetables are always served with this course.

The Dish may contain any of the following:

Lamb (Agneau) Chicken (Poulet)

Beef (Boeuf) Duckling (Caneton)

Veal (Veau) Fowl (Poulard)

Ham (Jambon) Tongue (Langue)

Pork (Porc)

Some Examples of Releve:

Contrefilet de boeuf roti a l anglaise : - boned and roasted sirloin of beef.

Carre d agneau roti : - roast best end of lamb

Cuissot de porc roti puree de pommes : - roast legg of pork with apple sauce.

Gigot d agneau roti sauce menthe : - roast leg of lamb with mint sauce 

9)     Roti / Roast

At this stage the balance of the courses is gradually returning from heavy to light. Roast always contain 

oast of game or poultry: - chicken, turkey, duck, pheasant, quail. Each dish is accompanied by its own particular sauce and gravy, with a green salad served separately  on a cresent shaped dish.

Example of Roti:

Roast chicken

Braised duck

Roast quail

10)   Legumes / Vegetables

We now have a vegetable dish served only with its accompanying sauce.  These are vegetable dishes that can be served separately as an individual course or may be included along - with the entrée, relevé or roast courses. 

Examples of Legumes:

Pommes au four: - baked jacket potato

Champignons grilles : - grilled mushrooms

Choufleur mornay: - cauliflower with a cheese sauce.

Haricots verts au beurre: - French beans tossed in butter

11)   Salades / Salad

Various types of salads which are served during this course.

Examples of salades are:

Salade francaise : - lettuce, tomato, egg, & vinaigrette dressings.

Salade vert: - Lettuce, watercress, cucumber and green pepper.

12)   Buffet Froid / Cold Buffet 

In this course Chilled meat(small) pieces are served. 

Examples of cold buffet items are: 

Poulet roti : - Roast chicken

Ham in Parsley Aspic (Jambon Persillé)

Caneton Roti: - Roast Duck

Mayonnaise d hommard: - lobster mayonnaise

13)   Entremets / Sweets

Entremets on a menu refers to desserts. This could include hot or cold sweets, gateaux, soufflés or ice-cream. 

Examples of Entrements:

Crepe suzette : - pancakes in a rich fresh orange juice and  flamed with brandy.

Ananas Flambes au kirsch: - Pineapple flamed with cherry flavoured liquor.

Peche Melba: - Vanilla Ice cream topped with a peach coated with a raspberry jam sauce and decorated with cream.

Bombes : - various Ice cream sweets.

14)   Savoureux / Savory 

A dish of pungent taste, such as anchovies on toast orpickled fruit. They are seved hot on toast or as savoury soufflé.Welsh rarebit, Scotch woodcock, Canape diane are some of the examples. 

Welsh rarebit: - Cheese sauce Flavoured with ale on toast gratinated.

Canape Daine :- Chicken livers rolled in bacon and grilled, placed on a warm toast.

Champignons sur croute: - mushrooms on toast.

15)   Fromage / Cheese

Fromage is an alternative to the outdated savoury course, and may be served before or after the sweet course. It is usually served with butter, crackers and occasionally celery.Gouda, Camembert and Cheddar are some examples of cheese.All type of cheese may be offered together with appropriate accompaniments, the ideal cheese board will combine hard, semi-hard, soft or cream, blue and fresh cheese.

Cheese	Type	County
Cheddar	Hard	England
Edam	Hard	Holland
Brie	Soft	France
Demi-Sel	Soft	France
Ricotta	Fresh	Italy

16)   Dessert / Cut Fruits & Nuts

Dessert is a course that typically comes at the end of a meal. All forms of fresh fruit and nuts may be served in this course. Common desserts include cakes, cookies, fruits, pastries and candies.

All forms of Fresh Fruits Platter

All forms of Dry Fruits  nuts may be served accompanied by castor sugar and salt

17)   Boissons / Beverage

All types of hot or cold beverage,Tea,Coffee etc. are served. Always remember that while compiling menus beverages are not counted as a course.

Examples are:

Coffee: Cafetiere, Iced, Filter, Speciality, Decaffeinated.

Tea: Indian, Ceylon, Earl Grey, Darjeeling, Orange Pekoe

Front of the House: vs Back of House:

Front of the House: vs Back of House:

Front of the House:

The term, “front of the house,” refers to all actions and areas that a customer will be exposed to during their stay at a restaurant.

Entry- The most critical moment toward creating a great first impression for your customers is when they first walk through your front door. The entryway should capture the theme and feel of your restaurant and create a natural flow leading to other areas. Don’t forget about the outdoor appearance as well! Outdoor restaurant signs will help capture attention and increase traffic

Waiting Area- Having too many customers at one time can sometimes lead to negative experiences for customers. In order to alleviate this, waiting areas should provide as much comfort as possible to customers while they wait to be seated. Chairs andbenches can be placed to give patrons somewhere to sit, as well as extra menus nearby so customers have something to do while waiting. It’s also smart to display boards or flyers within the waiting area to promote specials or events, such as happy hours, unique menu items, or tastings.

Restrooms- Most guests who visit a restaurant will end up using the bathroom at one point during their visit, especially if they have children, which is why it’s important to not overlook this small area. Cleanliness should always be the most important priority here, but modern fixtures and tile can dramatically dress these small spaces up with just a few touches.

Bar- If your restaurant plans to serve alcohol, make sure your bar is as inviting as your main dining area. It should feel welcoming, and be functional enough for customers to eat at, but also allow waiters to pick up their drink orders.

Dining Room- The main part of a restaurant where the customer will spend the most time is the dining room, and also where many front of house employees will work during their shifts. Dining rooms can be laid out and organized however you’d like to suit your restaurant’s concept, but there should be a natural flow from room to room. Servers should be able to maneuver freely, and customers should be able to access their seats and table with enough space to feel comfortable.

Outdoor Seating- Deck and patio tables and seating should also flow seamlessly from the dining area to the outdoors, giving guests a different atmosphere to take advantage of while visiting your business.

Back of House:

The term, “back of the house,” encompasses all the behind-the-scenes areas that customers will not see. This acts as the central command center in a restaurant because it’s where the food is prepared, cooked, and plated before making its way to the customer’s table. The back of house also serves as a place for employees and managers to do administrative work.

Kitchen- The kitchen is usually the largest part of any back of house and can be divided into smaller sections, such as areas for food storage, food preparation, cooking lines, holding areas, and dish washing and sanitation areas.

Employee Area- Break rooms and employee bathrooms give employees somewhere to place their belongings, take breaks while on shifts, and look over work schedules and notes from managers.

Office- Managers should have a small area in which they can do administrative work that is away from the hustle-and-bustle of the kitchen or dining room.

Roles in a Restaurant

Both Front and Back of House:

These roles are responsible for overlooking the entire restaurant, not just the front or back of house.

Restaurant Owner- Person(s) who legally own the business. There can be multiple owners, silent partners, and unique business arrangements dividing up ownership of the restaurant. In most circumstances the owner is responsible for maintaining and running the restaurant’s finances, public relations, advertising and marketing strategies. They usually are the ones who need to smooth out any big conflicts that arise since they are the head of command. Owners also develop ways to reach new customers and maintain current ones

General Manager- The eyes and ears of a restaurant. This person usually manages the business for the owner, and organizes the finances, payroll, human resources, inventory, and ordering.

Assistant Manager/Supervisors- Hires and trains employees, creates schedules, and is responsible for all opening and closing procedures of the restaurant.

Front of House:

Providing a customer with a great experience and making them want to come back is the main goal for front of the house employees. They act as liaisons between guests and the kitchen, and have many job titles and functions.

Host/Hostess- Works directly near the entry way and greets customers as they enter and leave. They also take reservations, answer phones, show customers to their seats, and provide menus to guests.

Headwaiter/Captain- Manages wait staff and the overall management of service, is usually responsible for multiple servers in a particular section of the restaurant.

Server- Takes customers’ orders, is knowledgeable of the menu and makes suggestions to customers, interacts with kitchen staff, prepares checks, and collects payment.

Food Runners- Delivers food to the guests’ tables from the kitchen

Bartender - Responsible for making all drink orders taken from servers or directly from guests. They pour beer and wine, create mixed drinks, and serve other beverages like soft drinks.

Bar-Backs- Assistant to the bartender, stocks inventory and helps make drinks

Sommeliers - In more formal restaurants, Sommeliers are wine specialists who are knowledgeable in all aspects of wine.

Busser- Fills customers’ water glasses, takes away any dirty dishes remaining, brings bread and butter to the table, and prepares table for new customers

Back of House:

Roles for employees in the back of house usually have a strict hierarchy in which each person has a specific job to fill and chain of command to follow.

Executive Chef/Head Chef- The most senior member of the kitchen staff, makes the big decisions, does hiring and firing, supervises kitchen staff, creates menu and specials, orders food, determines costs, and takes care of administrative tasks.

Sous Chef- Receives orders directly from the Head Chef, oversees everything so plates come out perfect, often works in opposite shifts of the Head Chef, and supervises line cooks.

Line Cooks- Employees who have specific responsibilities and focus on one area where they have expertise. Line cooks work at different stations along the kitchen line and can be divided up by cooking type or food type, such as fry cook, grill cook, salad cook, pastry chef, etc.

Expeditor- Non-cooking role, person in charge of organizing orders by table so everyone sitting at a particular table is served at the same time. They should know what dishes need to look like before they are served.

Dishwasher- Responsible for all dishwashing equipment, cleaning tablewares, and maintaining dishes and other supplies in the kitchen.

Common Terminology from the Front and Back of House:

1.  86- When the kitchen runs out of ingredients to make a specific dish and can no longer serve it, the dish is “86”.
2.  In the weeds- When the kitchen is extremely busy and are having a hard time keeping up with orders
3.  On the Fly- When something has to be cooked last minute
4.  Sections- Restaurant dining rooms are divided into sections, and each section is maintained by a certain server
5.  Turnover Rate- The rate of how often a table is filled during a shift. High turnover rates are desired since it means more people have been served and gone, and are not waiting long periods of time to be served.
6.  Rollup- Silverware that is placed into a napkin and is rolled up
7.  Window- A shelf , heated by food lamps that keep plates warm while waiting to be delivered to tables.
8.  Sidework- Tasks performed by front of house staff including rolling up silverware , refilling condiments, cleaning off menus, and cleaning restrooms .
9.  Campers- Customers that do not leave their tables, even after being served and paying their check
10.  Brigade System- Kitchen hierarchy organization system that was created so each staff position has a station of specific responsibilities .
11.  Comp- To give something for free as a way to smooth over problems.
12.  Word of Mouth- The best form of publicity and can occur when customers tell other people about their experiences at a restaurant, whether they may be good or bad

Table d’hote Menu

Table d’hote Menu

Table d’hote Menu

Table d’hote or set price: This is a menu forming a meal usually of two

or three courses at a set price. A choice of dishes may be offered at all

courses. This type of menu requires good knowledge in planning. It is a

popular menu in many restaurants because of it’s advantaged over a’la

carte menu. It has the following characteristics:

1. It has specific and limited numbers of courses; hence customers’

choice is restricted.

2. It is easy to plan, prepare and serve than a’la carte.

3. The menu has fixed prices for all the available courses.

4. Customers have to pay full amounts whether or not all the

courses on the menu are consumed.

5. It is very suitable for transit customers, those who are in hurry

e.g. to catch up a flight, and with minors. The main course can be

quickly requested for and taken while leaving the first and last

courses.

6. All the available courses are already prepared and kept in a

warmer in readiness for service at a set time.

7. The menu, though can be planned on a weekly basis, is written

out daily. There is no waste of stationery materials.

A’la carte Menu

This is a menu with all the dishes individually priced. The customers can

therefore compile their own menu, which may be one or two or more

courses. A true a’ la carte dish should be cooked to order and the

customers should be prepared to wait. This menu contains varieties of

dishes that can be prepared in the kitchen. The ingredients for these

dishes are usually prepared in readiness for cooking and serving in the

restaurant to prevent a waste of time since the dishes are ordered first

before cooking. Good organisational skill demands that a’ la carte dishes

are cooked and served on time so that the customers are not bored at the

table. Other characteristics of the menu are:

1. It has different types of courses and therefore, it provides greater

opportunity for many choices.

2.Each dish is individually priced because of the skill, experience,

the cost of ingredients and availability of the recipe.

3. A customer waits until his order is prepared or he can place an

order for the dish and come back later, if he has urgent things to

do.

4. It is more expensive than table d’hote menu and it also provides

more profit if there is a high turn-over.

5. There is an effective control of waste, food portioning and

costing.

6. It is not suitable for transit customers, and those who are terribly

hungry and cannot afford to hold on. It is not suitable fit minors

who may not have adult-type patience in the restaurant. Some

dishes take 20 – 30 minutes to prepare depending in the choice.

7. The ingredients are usually seasonal. Hence, customers may be

denied their choice during certain periods of the year.

8. Once the menu is properly compiled and planned on the menu

card, it can remain for a period provided there is no change of

price. Secondly, the card can be laminated to give it protection

and prevent easy destruction, unlike the table d’hote menu which

is written daily (and is therefore not economical).

9. The length of time required to prepare each dish is stated on the

card.

10. The menu is suitable for any type of meal – breakfast, lunch or

dinner