This, the other "mother-sauce," to use the term French cooks apply to the two sauces upon which all others are founded, differs little in essentials from the white sauce.

One rounded tablespoonful of flour; one tablespoonful of butter; one-half pint of well-seasoned consomme or brown soup-stock.

Cook the butter and flour together, as in the preceding recipe, but instead of adding the liquid as soon as they bubble, allow them to brown, stirring all the time. When they have reached this stage put in the stock, and proceed as with the white sauce. The use of flour that has been already browned will shorten the time required for making this sauce. To make it a rich, dark color it is necessary to use a few drops of caramel or burnt sugar, or, better still, it may be both colored and seasoned by the addition of a teaspoonful of kitchen-bouquet.