Sauces are widely used in cooking these days in every type of cuisine from all over the world.
What would pasta be without a delicious tomato or cream-based sauce? Who would eat a typical British roast dinner without any gravy or sauce to accompany it?
Even Chinese cuisine could not do without a variety of sauces, such as soy sauce, oyster sauce or hoisin sauce to make their dishes more appetizing and palatable.
Sauces come in many forms. There are sauces used to pour over certain foods to bring moisture and extra flavour to the meal, other thicker sauces are added to the side of the plate and accompany a cut or few slices of meat. Then there are the sauces that are an integral part of the dish, whilst cold sauces or dressings are used to liven up salads and cold meats.
Sauces are not always savoury. Sweet sauces such as chocolate sauce, butterscotch sauce, brandy sauce or the versatile custard are poured over stodgy desserts in order to add more substance. And, certain fruits are blended and pureed and used to accompany sweet desserts or cooked meats.