Sauce Definition

Sauce Definition A sauce is a liquid served on or used in the preparation of food, which adds flavor, moisture, and visual appeal to a dish. Sauce is a French word taken from the Latin salsus, meaning salted. Sauces may be sweet or savory. 

In cooking, with a few exceptions a sauce is a liquid plus thickening agent, plus seasoning.

Any cook can produce fine sauces by learning to:

1. Make good stocks.
2. Use thickening agents and or techniques properly to achieve desired texture, flavor and appearance.
3. Use seasonings properly to achieve the desired flavors.

Classic hot sauces are divided into two groups:

• Five mother sauces also called basic or leading sauces and derivatives also called small or compound sauces.