The Art of Roux

 

 

 

The roux process begins like an daunting glance at mountain to be climbed. With flour, fat, patience, and good cast iron, the pay-off is great.

 

The first sizzle of the fat* melting in the heated skillet is the choice to partake in this beautiful stand-off, will patience rule the day or will one succumb to the ache of time?

Once the fat is melted, an equal part of flour is slowly stirred in. This is where the test begins

 

Patience, an art form we have lost. We live in a world of instants!

To create a roux the artist must stand still,

must lose their thoughts to a world of repetitive movement.

hand and arm interlocked in a circular dance.

 

The stirring, constant, is less gratifying then the delicious outpour of the benefits received.

The stare down, wishing the flour to turn faster to its desired color, brown, paper bag brown** 

The switching of tired arms.

this is the basis,

the first step.

the path to enlightenment to so many wonderful French and Cajun dishes.

a path that so few happen upon.

it is deliberate.

 

 

*prefferd fat: butter or bacon, but any edible fat can be used

** each recipe has a different desired color, in this case the recipe was for Oyster Pie

 

                                 A must learned skill for any child prodigy in the kitchen