obvious in normal sauces. If the granules are
few and far between to begin with, their
disintegration is less noticeable. This thinning
is accompanied by a greater refinement of
texture, as the starch particles disappear and
only indetectably small molecules remain.
Some of the thinning of long-simmered
starch-based sauces is caused by the gradual
breakdown of the starch molecules themselves
into smaller fragments. Acidity accelerates
this breakdown.
Thickening a sauce with starch. Uncooked
starch granules offer little obstruction to the
flow of the surrounding liquid (left). As the
sauce heats up and the temperature reaches
the gelation range, the granules absorb water
and swell, and the sauce consistency begins to