Cooking Lessons Cooking Lessons Classic Sauce Making Questions and Answers 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which technique is used to thicken a pan sauce by reducing its liquid volume through evaporation?
- Reduction (Correct answer)
- Emulsification
- Tempering
- Blanching
Correct answer: Reduction
Reduction concentrates flavors and thickens a sauce by simmering it until liquid evaporates.
Question 2: What is the primary function of a liaison (mixture of egg yolks and cream) in sauce making?
- To enrich and thicken the sauce without boiling it again (Correct answer)
- To add acidity and brightness
- To deglaze the pan
- To create an emulsion with oil
Correct answer: To enrich and thicken the sauce without boiling it again
A liaison adds richness and body to a sauce and must be added off heat to prevent the eggs from scrambling.
Question 3: Which mother sauce is the base for Newburg sauce and Mornay sauce?
- BĂ©chamel (Correct answer)
- Velouté
- Espagnole
- Hollandaise
Correct answer: BĂ©chamel
BĂ©chamel, a milk-based white sauce, forms the foundation for both Mornay and Newburg sauces.
Question 4: What does it mean to 'mount' a sauce with butter (monter au beurre)?
- Whisk cold butter into a finished sauce to add gloss and richness (Correct answer)
- Strain the sauce through a fine-mesh sieve
- Season the sauce at the very end
- Reduce the sauce until it coats a spoon
Correct answer: Whisk cold butter into a finished sauce to add gloss and richness
Mounting with butter (monter au beurre) involves whisking cold butter cubes into a hot sauce off the heat to create a glossy, velvety finish.
Question 5: Which classic French sauce is made from a reduction of white wine, tarragon, and shallots finished with butter and egg yolks?
- BĂ©arnaise (Correct answer)
- Bordelaise
- Soubise
- Beurre blanc
Correct answer: BĂ©arnaise
BĂ©arnaise sauce is a derivative of hollandaise distinguished by its tarragon-and-shallot reduction base.
Question 6: What is the purpose of 'nappe' consistency when evaluating a finished sauce?
- The sauce coats the back of a spoon and holds a clear line when you draw your finger through it (Correct answer)
- The sauce is thin enough to pour freely from a ladle
- The sauce has been reduced by exactly half
- The sauce has been strained through cheesecloth
Correct answer: The sauce coats the back of a spoon and holds a clear line when you draw your finger through it
Nappe consistency indicates the sauce is thick enough to coat food evenly and cling without running off.
Cooking Lessons Cooking Lessons Classic Sauce Making Questions and Answers 2
Which technique is used to thicken a pan sauce by reducing its liquid volume through evaporation?