Mother Sauces: Stocks, Roux, and Reductions

Master the "liquid gold" that defines classical and modern cuisine. Great cooking starts with the foundation. This 3-hour workshop combines lecture and live demonstration to demystify the five French mother sauces. You will begin with the science and secrets of extraction—learning the precise mirepoix ratios and skimming techniques required for crystal-clear white stocks and deep, roasted brown stocks. You’ll get hands-on experience with thickening agents, crafting your own small-batch white, blonde, and brown roux, and learning when to use a slurry versus a beurre manié. You will learn techniques such as oignon piqué infusion, emulsion science, and the "nappe" test for sauce consistency. 
After watching a live demo of the classics, including béchamel, velouté, espagnole, and the art of the hand-whisked hollandaise, you’ll learn how to transform these bases into a thousand different variations. Best of all, you won't leave empty-handed! You'll assemble a  "sauce starter kit", including a pint of concentrated stock base, and your own mother sauce starter roux, to bring the flavors of the professional kitchen into your own home.
Students must wear closed toed shoes and long pants, and may bring their favorite apron.