Sauces: Classical and Contemporary Sauce Making, Fourth Edition ― A James Beard Award-Winning Cookbook with Detailed Color Photographs

by James Peterson

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 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 sauces and 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.

Genres: Cookbooks, Cooking, Food, Nonfiction, Culinary, Reference, Food and Drink

688 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1991

About the author

James Peterson grew up in northern California and studied chemistry and philosophy at UC Berkeley. After his studies, he traveled around the world, working his way through Asia, by land, to Europe. Eventually he landed in Paris and was amazed by the French attitude toward food and drink. (This was in the mid seventies when food in America was practically non-existent.) It was in France that he found his calling. As he was running short on funds, Jim found a job picking grapes in the south of France where he lived with a family for two weeks. He has never forgotten the sumptuous lunches prepared by the vigneron's wife. After his initial inspiration, Jim returned to the United States and got a job as a short-order cook. This was his first cooking job and while the cuisine was not 3-star, there was still the need for speed and organization. After saving money for a year and a half, Jim returned to France. After begging his way in, he ended up working at two of what were then among France's greatest restaurants, George Blanc and Vivarois. It was his experiences in these restaurants that shaped his style of cooking and drove his pursuit of cuisine as a career. Jim also studied pastry at Le Cordon Bleu in Paris.

By a series of serendipitous events, James found himself a partner/chef in a small French restaurant in Greenwich Village, called Le Petit Robert. It was here that he was able to experiment and invent and shape his own unique approach to cooking. The restaurant was reviewed in a wide variety of major publications including Gourmet Magazine where it was called "...what may be the most creative restaurant in New York." It was no doubt in part because of his extravagant use of truffles and foie gras, that the restaurant, after four years, was forced to close. At a loss, Jim started teaching cooking at the French Culinary Institute and later, at Peter Kump's New York Cooking School, now ICE. Jim spent a year developing curriculum for the French Culinary Institute.

After translating a series of French pastry books, Jim established a relationship with a publisher who encouraged him to write his own book. His first book, Sauces, published in 1991, continues to sell as well now as it did the first year after publication. It won the James Beard Cookbook of the Year Award and put James on the map as a serious writer and teacher. Other books followed: Splendid Soups, nominated for both a James Beard and IACP Award, Fish & Shellfish, nominated for both awards and a winner of an IACP Award, Vegetables, winner of a James Beard Award, The Essentials of Cooking, nominated for both awards.

It was during the writing and preparation of Fish & Shellfish that Jim starting taking his own pictures for his books. This started what has become a twenty-year obsession with photography. He set out to write and photograph a definitive technique book similar to Jacques Pepin's La Technique except in full color and updated. After the publication of The Essentials of Cooking Jim embarked on four small, photograph-laden, books about food and wine including Simply Salmon, The Duck Cookbook, Sweet Wines, and Simply Shrimp. After the completion of these four books, Jim set out on producing the monumental Cooking which is his attempt at explaining and illustrating the most important basics of cooking. Cooking won a James Beard Award for best single subject. When Cooking was published, Jim set out to tackle baking. A two-year project ensued during which Jim shot over 3000 pictures (with film!) for the definitive Baking. Baking went on to win a James Beard Award in the dessert and baking category. Exhausted after these behemoths, Jim wrote a book dedicated to simple dishes--dishes that can be prepared in 30 minutes or less. Out this last August, Kitchen Simple has been acclaimed as an important collection of simple yet elegant recipes. The latest project is the publication of the second edition of Jim's award-winning Vegetables. This new edition will hav

Reviews

[Dianne]

Another book that will scare off the average cook. I have made bearnaise from this cookbook, following every detailed step he urges upon the cook, and heeding the warning that if the sauce is not made just so, it will turn into a heavy lumpy curdled nasty mess. I have also made bearnaise from The Joy of Cooking, which doesn't insist on exactitude and split second timing.

Both sauces were just fine, excellent with my asparagus, but one of them nearly sent me to the hospital with a nervous breakdown, and the other actually built my confidence that, you know, cooking isn't that hard. Guess which was which? And with so many Americans turning increasingly to restaurant meals, prepared foods from the grocery store, and packaged frozen dinners, with the attendant damage to their wallets and waistlines, a cookbook that suggests that cooking requires an industrial degree of precision is not just annoying - it's downright dangerous.

If you're a perfectionist, this is the book for you. If you are an ordinary cook, or heaven forbid, an amateur, this book will undermine your confidence in no time. If you are looking for a new and interesting sauce, get a copy of The Joy of Cooking or Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone and look in the index under S.

[Brian]

The first and thus far only cookbook I have read cover to cover, like a book. Peterson gets into the evolution of sauces, from the original ingredients and methods, to the sometimes surprising influences behind them, and the modern interpretations. There's so much amazing detail, about how cookware affects saucemaking, about the contributions and limitations of a huge number of ingredients... I could go on for 10,000 words on this one but I will stop. If you enjoy cooking and have any amount of skill, this book is for you.

[V]

Whoa, nelly. A formidable reference book for the professional, the ambitious amateur, and the historian. Read it for fun: dig the annotated recipes for dinners of ancient Rome or 18th-century France, sauces and all.

As a beginning-to-intermediate home cook, this is hardly Very Necessary; Mark Bittman's quick sauces, scattered throughout How to Cook Everything, are just fine. But this book is a master of taste.

[Matt]

As with almost all of Peterson's books, this one is a great reference. Unless you're bending your will to dominating as a saucier, you probably won't read it cover to cover, but it's wonderful as a reference for everyday sauce making. It's got it all, from hollandaise to updated asian sauces and everything in between.

[Darbin O’Gill]

Best educational book on sauces. Anytime I come across a new sauce I want to try I proof it against this book.

[Lindsey Duncan]

An in-depth, extensive look at professional sauce making, this book explores technique and classic combinations, interspersed with recipes for illustration or elaboration. This is definitely a study book rather than a recipe collection or a straightforward reading book; it's also geared towards the professional just due to the logistics of ingredients, equipment and processes, but it still is written in a clear, straightforward manner that the curious home cook can understand ... though I think most of us would have limited application for the contents. It's not a book that can easily be used to improvise sauces at home, which was my hope, and is most accessible as an educational resource. I would definitely like to go through it another time with more background under my belt.

[John Nielsen]

A classic!
I have given this book to a few young chefs over the years. It is a masterful reference. If I had had this and Escoffier, I would have forgone the Culinary Institute of America entirely.
A must for pros. A little top heavy for amateurs, but worth the effort.

[Caroline]

cooked w/ this book while we were in cooking school. still use it as a reference.

[Tina Denson]

Wow!This is one of the most complete and comprehensive cookbooks I have ever used. From now on it will be my go to for sauce, gravy, and broth making.

[Nicholas]

A very thorough accounting of every sauce, from every culture you could imagine. May scare off casual cooks, but great for people that like to experiment and invent new dishes.

[Mahafuz]

Sauces: Classical and Contemporary Sauce Making is a fascinating cookbook for anyone who wants to take their cooking skills to a deeper level. I loved how it treats sauces as an essential part of the culinary craft rather than an afterthought. The book makes it clear that a well-made sauce can completely change the character of a dish.

One of the strongest aspects is the combination of classical foundations and contemporary approaches. The recipes respect traditional culinary techniques while leaving room for creativity and experimentation. I found the explanations particularly valuable because they encourage readers to understand the process instead of simply following instructions mechanically.

There is also an impressive range of sauces to discover. From timeless preparations to more modern interpretations, the collection offers plenty of inspiration for experimenting with different ingredients, textures, and flavors. It is the kind of cookbook that can make familiar dishes feel new again.

I especially appreciated the educational side of the book. It offers an opportunity to develop a stronger understanding of balance, consistency, technique, and flavor. Those lessons can carry over into many other areas of cooking, making this more than just a recipe collection.

Overall, Sauces: Classical and Contemporary Sauce Making is an excellent addition to a serious home cook's library. It is informative without losing its sense of culinary creativity, and it encourages readers to become more confident and thoughtful in the kitchen. Whether you are learning the basics or refining established skills, this book offers plenty to explore and revisit. A rewarding cookbook for anyone who truly enjoys the art of cooking. Five stars!

[Md: Amjad]

★★★★★

*Sauces: Classical and Contemporary Sauce Making* is an outstanding resource for anyone who wants to understand the art and technique behind great sauces. Rather than simply providing recipes, this book explores the foundations of sauce making while showing how classic methods can be adapted for contemporary cooking. The detailed explanations make even sophisticated techniques feel approachable and achievable.

The color photographs are especially helpful, giving the book a polished, practical quality and making it easier to follow the preparation and presentation of each sauce. I also appreciate the balance between traditional culinary principles and modern ideas, which makes this edition useful for both experienced cooks and enthusiastic home chefs.

What makes this cookbook particularly valuable is the attention to technique, texture, flavor, and consistency. It encourages readers to develop their own understanding rather than merely follow instructions. The variety of sauces also makes it a book that can be returned to repeatedly for inspiration.

A beautifully presented, comprehensive, and genuinely educational cookbook. For anyone interested in elevating everyday dishes or mastering professional-style sauce making, this is a five-star addition to the kitchen.

[Mithu Ahmed]

Magnolia Table: A Collection of Recipes for Gathering is a warm and inviting cookbook that captures the pleasure of sharing good food with family and friends. The collection feels thoughtfully designed for everyday meals as well as occasions when you want to bring people together around the table.

What I enjoyed most is the welcoming spirit behind the recipes. The book encourages cooking as something to be enjoyed and shared, making the recipes feel especially suited to relaxed meals, gatherings, and time spent with the people who matter most. There is a comforting quality throughout the collection that makes it easy to imagine returning to these recipes again and again.

The variety also makes this a useful addition to a home cookbook collection. Whether planning a casual meal or preparing food for a gathering, there are plenty of ideas to explore. The recipes create a sense of familiarity while still offering inspiration for trying something new.

Overall, Magnolia Table is a delightful cookbook for anyone who believes that food is best enjoyed together. It combines approachable recipes with a genuine sense of warmth and hospitality, making it an enjoyable book to cook from and a lovely source of inspiration for bringing people together at the table. Five stars.

[Zihad]

★★★★★

Sauces: Classical and Contemporary Sauce Making is an impressive resource for anyone who wants to understand the art of making great sauces. I really enjoyed the depth and variety of the recipes, from classic preparations to more contemporary ideas that encourage creativity in the kitchen.

What makes this cookbook particularly useful is the attention given to technique. Sauces can completely change a dish, and this book provides plenty of inspiration for learning how to build flavor, balance textures, and create more polished meals at home.

The extensive selection also makes it a book I can see returning to repeatedly. Whether preparing meat, seafood, vegetables, pasta, or other dishes, there are plenty of sauce ideas to explore and adapt.

I especially appreciate how the collection can serve both as a practical cookbook and a reference for improving culinary skills. It encourages experimentation while keeping the fundamentals of sauce making at the center.

A valuable addition to any serious home cook’s collection. Highly recommended for anyone who wants to take their cooking to the next level through better sauces.

[Janet]

Excellent reference for classic French sauce making. The sections added in subsequent editions leave something to be desired. They're no where near as complete as the original sections. Of course, each would require a book in itself to do the material justice so the author has merely touched on each one.

[Ransom]

Great, incredibly detailed book—more of a reference book or text book really. This is geared more towards professional chefs, and will require adjusting recipe quantities to make manageable amounts. I greatly appreciate the "modern" versions of the sauces, as that is something I haven't really seen in other cookbooks.

[Martha Hall]

A great cookbook to read. A little over the top for most cooks. If you aspire to be a chef, here is your primer. But for its sheer abundance of information and history......... I thank you James Peterson

[Eric Guzman]

Don’t let the depth deter you from learning. This is meant more for a professional chef or an aspiring chef but there’s so much to learn. Everything from the history of each sauce to different uses for each.

[Arthur]

A must have/must read for serious cooks

[Lynda]

A must read for any cook.

[Suzanne Deneuve Hall]

Exceptional book, every sauce you could ever need.

[Rob]

Essential

[Audrey Macklin]

The author's writing is a true work of art. I felt like I was living in the story.

[Paul]

More than any other, this book taught me how to cook. Peterson's brilliance lies in his ability to weave together history, science, technique, opinion, and (finally) recipes, into a narrative that makes compelling reading.

You could use this as a textbook, a recipe book, a reference work, or as bedtime reading. Ideally as all of these. It's compelling, comprehensive, authoritative. I love it.

I've read the first and second editions, and so can only comment on these. The first has a strong French focus (ancienne, classical, and nouvelle). The second edition expands into other cuisines, reflecting changes in culinary education globally—classical French is no longer seen as the fount from which all culinary wisdom flows. It's an important update, but I do miss the taxonomic tree diagrams of French white and brown sauces.

Missing from these books is the culinary knowledge of the past 20 years, including pressure-cooker and sous-vide extraction techniques, modern hydrocolloid thickeners, and techniques using whipping siphons. If these are included in the 4th edition, I'll have to run out and get it. In the mean time, my go-to has been Nathan Mhyrvold & company's Modernist Cuisine series.

[Jonathan]

A serious book about cooking (well, sauces to be specific) -- on the one hand, it packs a lot of background information, introducing the cook to what some may assume to be unnecessary, historical fluff. On the other hand, Peterson writes with such authority, and purely verbally -- there are no pictures here, dear coffee-table chefs -- that you know he's a hundred percent business. This is not really a book for those only interested in a professional treatment of the cooking profession (if you're based in the UK, for that you might want to look at the NVQ certification books or something similar, though to be honest I've never read those), but a book for those seriously inclined toward cooking as an art and science.

[Rob]

This book is fantastic! It’s not very often that I get to read a cookbook that causes me to rethink everything I have been doing in this kitchen, but this book does just that! It has enough practical knowledge on each time of sauces that you really get a sense of understanding that allows you to modify them on the fly with ingredients on hand and still work out. Will definitely be coming back to this book for rereads often.

[Jeanette]

I read this book and now I go back and reread. This is NOT for a beginner. However, that being said it is a fantastic resource for every kind of sauce you'd ever choose to make. It covers the basics and explains how to elaborate from there. He also explains the required equipment to ensure the best success! I highly recommend this book!

[Tim Gannon]

Written by James Patterson who trained as a French chef and also teaches at a couple culinary schools. He started with a history of sauce making down through history. He then spoke at length on a huge variety of sauces that exist, primarily in French and European cooking. Easily readable and quite interesting.

[James R]

Geared towards professional chefs & very dedicated home cooks. This is a huge book with difficult to obtain ingredients and many steps. No pictures. The size & layout of the book reminds me of the "How to Cook Everything" book, it's like a giant reference that takes a lot of reading. I'd much rather have a smaller book that gives sauces for the home cook.

[Allen]

This book, quite simply, changed the way I cook. Absolutely VITAL for any serious cook. James Peterson is responsible for all the bizarre experiments I first subjected my longsuffering friends to years ago, and remains a near-daily source of reference. Flawless.