This section is from the book "The Epicurean", by Charles Ranhofer. Also available from Amazon: The Epicurean, a Complete Treatise of Analytical and Practical Studies on the Culinary Art.
A sauce is thick, essence is not. Essence is an extract from the most nutritious parts of meat. Fumet, or flavor, is a steam which rises from certain cooked or raw meats, imparting a most agreeable smell and taste, it is the same preparation as essences, but less watery and reduced with Madeira.
Fry one pound of sliced kernel of veal and a pound and a half of broken chicken bones in some butter without coloring them, adding two minced shallots, half a pound of minced carrots, and four ounces of onions. Moisten with one quart of white chicken bouillon (No. 188) and reduce to glaze; moisten again and reduce once more, then add a bunch of parsley garnished with two bay leaves and as much thyme, four cloves and half a bottleful of white wine: boil, skim, and cook slowly for half an hour, then strain through a napkin or silk sieve.
Cut in slices two pounds of bass, porgies or any other bony, and very fresh fish; put them into a saucepan and season with salt, whole peppers and half a pint of white wine. Fry lightly in butter without attaining a color, three ounces of minced onions, three ounces of carrots, a bunch of parsley garnished with two bay leaves and the same of thyme, two cloves and two shallots; add all these to the fish with one quart of water, and cook slowly for forty minutes, then strain through a fine sieve.
Have two pounds of young rabbit and the same quantity of raw pheasant, and put them into a saucepan with two chopped shallot-,, two ounces of mushrooms and two ounces of carrots, the mushrooms and carrots being either cut in quarter inch squares or minced; a bunch of parsley garnished with thyme and bay leaf, a clove of garlic and six cloves. Moisten with one quart of veal blond (No. 423), and half a bottle of white wine, also a quart and a half of broth; boil all slowly, skim and let simmer for one hour, then strain the essence through a silk sieve.
Fry in butter and color lightly, one pound of sliced, smoked or unsmoked ham, add to it two ounces of minced onions, and four ounces of carrots, a bunch of parsley garnished with the same quantity of bay leaf as thyme, and moisten with half a pint of white wine; reduce this in a covered saucepan, moisten again with one quart of veal blond (No. 423), and let boil and simmer for forty minutes, then skim and strain through a napkin or fine silk sieve.
Put into a saucepan, half a gill of vinegar, a few bits of tarragon, a bunch of parsley, a quarter of a pound of minced ham and a coffeespoonful of mignonette, a little mace; let all simmer for fifteen minutes, then moisten with half a pint of veal blond (No. 423). and a pint and a half of consomme (No. 189); reduce it all to half, strain it through a sieve and clarify with one egg-white; press the aspie through a napkin and use it for roast poultry.
Before clarifying, add its equal quantity of espagnole, and reduce it to the consistency of a sauce, despumate the surface and strain through a tammy.
 
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