Saucy Sauces

There might be something wrong with my palate. Lately, I’ve noticed that I’ve taken a liking to sauce. Yes, sauce. I will gladly admit that the extra “X” lbs. that I have gained in the course of a year is due to something that I would consider a sauce addiction.

Of course, I’d primarily place the blame on myself. My obvious lack of self control when it comes to food intake is the main culprit for my falling off the “healthier” wagon. Making Hollandaise has its pitfalls, when you are the type to find amazement in its rich flavour way too much!

I have quite a few cringing witnesses who’ve informed me that French fries swimming in a bucket of ketchup --yes, it’s a condiment. I know.-- hardly constitutes a tasty, if not healthy meal.

But here’s the thing, I realize that there is a huge sauce culture out there. I learned in school, as well as in some culinary books that sauces are the shizz, for lack of a better term. Sauciers were held in high esteem, especially in the olden days, for their ability to make the ordinary extraordinary, in addition to masking the taste and smell of slightly past-its-prime food (due to the lack of preservation know-how). And it became a routine: When you requested for a dish, you expected a corresponding sauce.

This sort of mentality has endured so well in the modern world. It’s come to a point where the idea of eating a certain food item without a sauce (say, grilled chicken breast) starts to feel like it’s only meant for hard-core dieters. It’s as though the food is sure to be bland.

That is why all these fried chicken places, --especially the ones I see here in the Philippines, are so protective of their gravy recipes. Personally, I can’t imagine eating my *Jollibee Chicken Joy without its gravy. Neither can I fathom eating McDonald’s fries without a serious helping of ketchup. Also, I know a lot of people who like their viands in lots of sauce because they are able to flavour their rice with spoonfuls of yummy sauce. I’m even guilty of that.

I was quite relieved to hear about the rise of Nouvelle Cuisine in one of our culinary history lectures. The new top chefs are going for concepts like fresh, lean, healthy, organic, natural, simplistic,… etc. You get the picture.

The trend in sauces has shifted towards light dressings, vinaigrette, salsas, and olive-oil concoctions. And they are actually a formidable force in terms of flavor, texture, appearance, and nutrition.

Perhaps it’s a marketing tactic: Keep customers healthy, so they can patronize your establishment longer. Clever, isn’t it?

*Watch the Jollibee Chicken Joy ad here, and see how they’ve made gravy as much a part of the fried chicken as anything else.

Until Later,