Part 3/9:
The first of the mother sauces is Béchamel, a milk-based sauce, distinguished by its delicate balance of flavors. According to classic techniques, one begins by warming milk and infusing it with the aromatic notes of an onion studded with cloves. What makes Béchamel unique is its simplicity; it does not rely on stock but instead on a roux of equal parts butter and flour that is gently cooked to a specific consistency resembling “wet sand.”