The five mother sauces hollandaise, tomato, bchamel, veloute (gravy), and espagnole are not light, but they should be respected and understood. This was my attitude going into the Sauces, Sauces, and More Sauces cooking class I took on Saturday at the University of Hawaii.Perhaps I didnt know just how not light they are, but I still stand by my positionto cherish these delicious classics in small amounts.Or lightened up to eat more frequently.One of my favorites was mornay sauce, a cheesy twist on bchamel. I brought some home and ate about a tablespoon of it today for lunch with salmon, asparagus, and whole wheat angel hair pasta.Trust me; a tablespoon is more than enough of this decadent, gooey goodness.

1 oz. clarified butter

1 oz. bread flour

16 oz. milk

1/4 onion, peeled

2 whole cloves

salt and pepper to taste

1/8 tsp. nutmeg

2 oz. Gruyere cheese, grated

1 oz. Parmesan cheese, grated

1 oz. cubed butter

1. Heat butter in a heavy sauce pan. Add flour to make a white roux.

2. Allow roux to cool slightly.

3. In another heavy saucepan, scald the milk. Gradually add it to the roux, beating continuously.

4. Bring the sauce to a boil, stirring constantly. Reduce heat to a simmer.

5. Stick the bay leaf and cloves in the onion and add to the sauce.

6. Simmer sauce for 20-25 minutes on low heat. Stir often.

7. Adjust the consistency with more hot milk if the sauce becomes too thick.

8. Season lightly with salt, white pepper, and nutmeg to taste.

9. Strain the sauce through a china cap lined with cheese cloth.

10.Add grated Gruyere and Parmesan cheese. Stir to mix and melt cheeses.

11.Swirl in butter to finish sauce.

12.Do not put back on stove top once you have added the cheeses.

The salmon, by the way, was leftover froma maple-pepper salmon bites appetizer I made for a get-together with friends Saturday night. Theyre a fail-proof crowd-pleaser I used to make all the time and need to keep in my entertaining repertoire.

Tomorrow my parents-in-law arrive to celebrate Lloyds 30^th birthday on April 25. Were going to Maui with them for a long weekend starting Thursday, and I just cant wait, though it still seems worlds away.There was also rumor of Sushi Sasabune this week to get the celebration started, which would of course be a gift to all people involved.