400 Sauces - Cookbook of the Day

by Eric Diesel, Posted Dec 29th 2008 @ 3:03PM

First things first: no, the title is not an exaggeration, unless you're a literalist, as the book's full title is 400 Sauces: Dips, Dressings, Salsas, Jams, Jellies & Pickles., but, second things second, I didn't actually count them. Third things third: beyond the recipes for sauces et cetera, this book offers great primer teaching on this fundamental of cooking, courtesy of authors Catherine Atkinson, Christine France and Maggie Mayhew.

400 Sauces is a a British publication (Hermes House) so some yankee readers will have to adjust to a terminology in which a rocket is not a spaceship but a leaf (arugula, if you didn't know) and measurements are given in metrics as well as ounces. There are some distinctly British offerings that may disorient stateside users: where, outside of a hunting lodge, have you last encountered Cumberland sauce (pages 66, 343); where (perhaps The Inn at Little Washington?) would you find not just a recipe for watercress cream (page 58) but the correct dishes with which to serve it (salmon or sea trout, if you're wondering). Begin by mastering sauce basics (ingredients, measures, prep) and continue by mastering basic sauces (beurre blanc, veloute, bechamel, et cetera). The book moves on to great sections on chutneys, salsas, pickles and relishes, dessert sauces, salad dressings, jams and jellies, marinades and dozens of additional sauces, condiments and virtually every other thing you can serve alongside, atop, or surrounding another food.

Once you've paged through the book, the only quandary will be where to dive in. Here's a suggestion: home bound winter days are perfect for breaking out the canning equipment. What will you be distributing hand-filled jars of? A spoonful of cranberry relish (page 394) will enliven a sandwich made with the last of the leftover turkey. A jar of dill pickles (page 400) is easy to make and will be appreciated on Superbowl Sunday. Almost any slashfoodie would welcome preserved lemons (page 410) or homemade ketchup (page 346). If you are feeling indulgent, whip up some caramel sauce (page 274) for cookies and ice cream (or, if you're sticking to the serving suggestion or your New Year's diet, serve it with oranges). As for me, I'm already brining the vegetables for Bloody Mary relish (page 348). And if you're worried about canning, don't be: it does not have to be a complicated process, and both the USDA and Slashfood have got you covered.

How can there be anything but value to a cookbook that teaches how to make everything from a correct roux (page 32) to mayonnaises basic (page 40) to advanced (pages 58, 98 and 99)? 400 Sauces would be a treasure if it merely delivered on the promise of its title -- luckily, the book is as much of an overachiever in the kitchen as you will be once you put it to use.

Filed Under: Raves & Reviews, Cookbook Spotlight, Ingredients, Holidays, Books, How To
Tags: 400 sauces, 400Sauces, christmas, condiments, hanukkah, sauce cookbook, SauceCookbook

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Reader comments (Page 1 of 1)

12-30-2008 @10:30AM Hillary said... I would love to get a copy of this book!
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12-30-2008 @2:23PM Mitch said... I found this book about 3 weeks ago at my local Costco. Great book! I've made a couple of the sauces so far. Tasty. Check your local Costco. I think I paid less than $10 for it.
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12-30-2008 @8:10PM Eric Diesel said... Hillary and Mitch -- thanks for reading. I looked for a shopping link when I posted the review but couldn't find a good live one. I found the book at the Borders bookstore next to my office; it cost about $5 (no kidding)! If you're not convenient to a brick-and-mortar store like Borders or Costco, I believe you can order the book at amazon.com. You might also monitor online auction -- I've gotten many a fine cookbook at ebay.com. When you get a copy of the book, let us here at slashfood know what recipes you try and how they turned out. Again, thanks for reading and happy cooking.
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1-09-2009 @3:03PM Cassaendra said... We love this book! I found this a couple weeks ago at Borders for $5 as well. Not only is it a treasure trove of ideas for tired meat and pastas dishes, it has, as you mention, recipes for chutneys, jams, curds, and dips (can't wait 'til summer!).

My husband has been searching for a cookbook for pickling with decent instructions AND pictures. He was pleased with this book.

Thus far we've tried the wild mushroom sauce (pg 125). It was easy, the flavor was great over steamed salmon steaks and rotini. My husband wasn't enthralled with the consistency, so he added a little katakuriko to thicken.
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1-28-2009 @12:11PM Summer said... I've just gotten my hands on a copy of this book, and it wasn't that I was actually looking for it but happily happened across it all the same! Haven't tried anything from it yet but thought I'd let those interested know that I bought it from a book event held by The Book People for £4 this afternoon. It was the last copy they had and they don't appear to sell this book online but if you e-mail them you might get lucky!
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