When Dad Stayed Home

The roux (pronounced "roo") is one of the cornerstones of sauce-making and it's made in three versions: white, blond, and brown.
 

Most recipes call for equal weights of fat (often butter) and flour, but making roux is not an exact science. xperienced cooks often add the flour until it looks right. It is often described you know a roux is ready when the kitchen starts to smell of biscuits.
 

As a roux cooks, it gets darker and its flavor becomes more complex. It's important to understand, however, that as a roux colors, it loses its ability to thicken because the starch in the flour is broken down by the heat. You'll need more brown roux than blond roux to thicken the same amount of liquid. A truly dark roux won't thicken at all.

You start by heating the butter over a low heat. Once fully liquid, gradually add the flower to the butter, while stirring until you get a smooth texture. Once the roux is properly cooked (light brown and smelling of cookies), oint, you can start to introduce liquid (often milk) to the mixture. Keep stirring constantly to prevent any lumps from forming.