Every cuisine in the world has its own national sauce, and sometimes even several. Sauce is not just an addition or accompaniment to a dish, it is a delicate balance of flavors and a way to make a dish unbeatable. At the same time, the sauce should not be brighter than the main ingredient, but at the same time, it needs to have an unforgettable taste and stand out among its “brothers”.
The main connoisseurs and creators of sauces, the French believe that the word comes from “salire” – “to season food with salt.” But even in ancient Rome, salsa sauces were used, which exist in modern times. Then this word meant salty or pickled food, now these are mixtures of finely chopped vegetables that are served with a dish, sometimes salsa is ground through a fine sieve and it becomes more similar in consistency to traditional sauces.
But the French have appropriated the title of inventors of sauces for a reason. And although every country has always existed and exists its own unique sauce, the French have in their arsenal thousands of recipes for sauces, developed by local masters. And this country is not going to stop there.
According to the tradition of French cuisine, sauces were named after their author or some famous person. So there is a sauce named after the Minister Colbert, the writer Chateaubriand, the composer Aubert.
The world famous bechamel sauce is named after Louis de Bechamel, the author of this dish, the son of the famous French diplomat and ethnographer Charles Marie François de Nointel. Subiz onion sauce was invented by Princess Soubise, and mayonnaise is named after the commander Louis of Crillon, the first duke of Mahon, who in honor of his victory held a feast where all dishes were served with a sauce made from the products of the conquered island – vegetable oil, eggs and lemon juice. Maoisky sauce in the French manner came to be called mayonnaise.
Also, the names of sauces were given in honor of countries or peoples – Dutch, Italian, Portuguese, English, Bavarian, Polish, Tatar, Russian sauces. There is, of course, nothing national in these sauces, they were named by the French on the basis of misconceptions about nutrition in these countries. For example, the sauce with capers and pickles was called Tatar, since the French believe that Tatars eat such products every day. Russian sauce, which is cooked on the basis of mayonnaise and lobster broth, was named so because a little caviar is added to the sauce – as the French believe, which the Russian people eat with spoons.
Unlike the confusion with world capitals and countries, the French will not confuse their sauces prepared in different parts of the country either in name or in taste. Breton, Norman, Gascon, Provencal, Lyons – they are all unique and inimitable and are prepared on the basis of those products that are characteristic of a given province or region.
In addition to geographical names, sauces were also assigned professions, the properties of fabrics (according to the structure of the sauce) and the processes that were involved in their preparation. For example, diplomat, financier, silk, velvet sauces. Or the famous remoulade sauce – from the verb remoulade (to renew, ignite, add a stream of acid).
Another category of names is in honor of the main ingredient of the sauce: pepper, chives, parsley, mustard, orange, vanilla and others.
Mustard
Mustard is a spicy sauce, which is customary not only to accompany dishes, but also to include in recipes of traditional medicine. European mustard varieties have a milder, sweet taste. The most popular mustard is Dijon, the recipe for which was invented by the chef Jean Nejon from Dijon, who improved the taste by replacing vinegar with sour grape juice.
Mustard is not a new seasoning; it has been used in Indian cuisine even before our era. The main producers and consumers of ancient mustard are monks who used mustard as their main source of income.
In Bavaria, caramel syrup is added to mustard, the British prefer to make it on the basis of apple juice, and in Italy – on the basis of pieces of various fruits.
Ketchup
Ketchup is one of the most popular sauces on our table. And if now ketchup is prepared on the basis of tomatoes, then its first recipes included anchovies, walnuts, mushrooms, beans, fish or shellfish pickle, garlic, wine and spices.
The homeland of ketchup is China, and its appearance dates back to the 17th century. Ketchup was made from tomatoes in America. With the development of the food industry and the appearance of preservatives on the market, ketchup has become a sauce that can be stored for a long time, because its popularity has increased dramatically.
The most popular producer of ketchup is Henry Heinz, his company is still the largest producer of this sauce in the world.
Soy sauce
Soy sauce is quite inexpensive to manufacture, and therefore quickly gained popularity among buyers. And the spread of sushi played an important role in this, although the Japanese themselves are not fond of eating this sauce.
Soy sauce was first made in China in the 8th century BC. e., then it spread throughout Asia. The sauce recipe includes soybeans, which are poured with liquid for special fermentation. The first soy sauce was based on fermented fish and soy. King Louis XIV himself loved this sauce and called it “black gold”.
Tabasco
The sauce was first prepared after the American Civil War – the Macalenni family began to grow cayenne pepper in unusable dried-up fields in New Orleans. Tabasco sauce is made with cayenne pepper, vinegar and salt. The fruits of the peppers are processed in mashed potatoes, they are well salted, and then this mixture is sealed in oak barrels and the sauce is kept there for at least three years. Then it is mixed with vinegar and consumed. Tabasco is so spicy that a few drops are enough to season the dish.
There are at least 7 varieties of sauce, differing in varying degrees of pungency.