owned
together, and half a pint of boiling water added, then boiled till thick
and smooth. But it may be safely said that in high-class dark sauces
water should play no part; its place must be taken by stock of good
quality, which is often enriched by reducing or adding glaze.

The characteristics of finely made Spanish sauce are a clear beautiful
brown, by no means approaching black, absolute freedom from grease, and
a fine high flavor, so well blended that no particular spice or herb can
be detected. Spanish sauce is made as follows: Wash, peel, and cut small
six mushrooms (or a dessertspoonful of mushroom powder), one small
carrot, one small onion, and one shallot; dry them, and fry them a fine
brown in a tablespoonful of butter, but do not let them burn; drain off
the butter. Melt in a copper saucepan two ounces of butter and two
ounces of flour, stir them together over the fire till of a pale bright
brown, then add a pint of stock, the fried vegetables, and a gill of
tomato sauce; let all gently simmer for half an hour with the cover off.
Strain through a fine sieve. When Spanish sauce is to be served without
any addition, and not as a foundation, a wineglass of sherry is used and
the same quantity of stock omitted.

It becomes Chateaubriand by the addition of a wineglass of sherry
reduced to half a glass by boiling in a tiny saucepan, a
dessertspoonful of fresh parsley very finely chopped, and the juice of
half a small lemon. These must be added to _one third_ the quantity of
Espagnole, or Spanish sauce, given in the foregoing recipe. Then stir in
gradually, bit by bit, one ounce of butter, letting each piece blend
before adding more.

I have said here and elsewhere, "the juice of half a small lemon." Yet I
would caution the reader to squeeze it in gradually, because some lemons
are intensely sour, and a very few drops of juice from such go farther
than that of the whole half of an average lemon. Chateaubriand sauce is
by no means acid; there must be only a just perceptible dash of acidity,
and only so much lemon juice used as will give it zest. Piquante sauce
is different; there should be acidity enough to provoke appetite; yet
even this should be by no means sour.

To make _Piquante sauce_, chop a shallot fine, put it, with a
tablespoonful of vinegar, into a very small saucepan; let them stew
together until the vinegar is _entirely absorbed_, but do not let it
burn. Then add to it half a pint of Spanish sauc