béchamel

Definition

A white sauce made from butter, flour, and milk—one of the five mother sauces and the foundation for mac and cheese, lasagna, and countless other comfort foods. It's basically edible wallpaper paste that tastes amazing.

Example Usage

Start with a béchamel, add gruyère, and you've got a mornay sauce perfect for gratins.

Origin

Named after Louis de Béchameil, steward to Louis XIV, though he probably didn't invent it

Fun Fact

Italian cooks claim béchamel as their own 'balsamella' and insist the French stole it, making it one of the oldest culinary debates in Europe.

Source: Classical French mother sauce

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