Thailand and the moles of Mexico typically
combine a half dozen or more strongly
aromatic and pungent ingredients.
Improving Sauce Flavor Perhaps the most
common problem with sauce flavor is that
there doesn’t seem to be enough of it, or that
“there’s something missing” in it. Perfecting
the flavor of any dish is an art that depends on
the perceptiveness and skill of the cook, but
there are two basic principles that can help
anyone analyze and improve a sauce’s flavor.
Sauces are an accompaniment to a
primary food, are eaten in small amounts
compared to the primary food, and
therefore need to have a concentrated
flavor. A spoonful of sauce alone should
taste too strong, so that a little sauce on a
piece of meat or pasta will taste just
right. Thickening agents tend to reduce
the flavor of a sauce (p. 596), so it’s
important to check and adjust the flavor