Sauces

The acclaimed authority on sauce making, completely updated and, for the first time, featuring invaluable step-by-step color photographs.

Every good cook knows that a great sauce is one of the easiest ways to make an exemplary dish. Since its James Beard Award–winning first edition, James Peterson’s Sauces has remained the go-to culinary reference for professionals and sophisticated home cooks, with nearly 500 recipes and detailed explanations of every kind of sauce. This new edition, published nearly ten years after the previous one, tacks with today’s movement toward lighter, fresher flavors and preparations and modern cooking methods, while also elucidating the classic mother sauces and cooking techniques that remain a foundation of excellence in the kitchen. The updated, streamlined design also features, for the first time, full-color photos that clearly show these essential sauces at every step—bringing the author’s expertise to life like never before.

Master the art and science of the kitchen with essential techniques for:

Classic French Cooking: Move beyond theory with nearly 500 recipes, from foundational sauces like Béchamel and Velouté to complex derivatives. Stocks and Glazes: Build flavor from the ground up with detailed instructions for creating rich stocks, jus, and essences—the heart of professional cooking. Step-by-Step Photos: For the first time in full color, see essential techniques at every stage, demystifying the process for home cooks and professionals alike. Modernist Cuisine: Explore today’s movement toward lighter preparations with an updated look at modern cooking methods, hydrocolloids, and emulsions.