North Dakota State University

There are worse things you can do at a business meal than order steak tartare medium rare.  That is why it is helpful to know how to pronounce items on the menu correctly, so as not to look like a rube to co-workers, clients, interviewers or investors.

Please forgive us, if we are a little saucy in today's Etiquette Tip on how to pronounce a few sauces.

• Roux (roo): a mixture of flour and fat used to thicken sauces
• Bechamel (BAY-sha-mel): a white sauce with milk, butter, flour and onions 
• Mornay (mohr NAY): a thick cheese sauce, that is a variation of bechamel sauce
• Beurre blanc (burr-blahn): a butter sauce made with white wine or vinegar 
• Demi-glace (dehm-ee-GLAHSS): a rich brown sauce reduced to a syrupy consistency 
• Espagnole (es-puhn-YOL): a brown sauce made with veal stock, vegetables, herbs and tomatoes 
• Veloute (veh loo TAY): a white sauce made with chicken, veal or fish stock and thickened with flour and butter
• Remoulade (ray moo LAHD or ray mah LAHD): a mixture of mayonnaise, seasonings and herbs, often served cold 
• Hollandaise: (hol UHN days): a butter sauce made with egg yolks and lemon juice 
• Bearnaise (BEHR-nays): a variation on hollandaise, with vinegar and tarragon or shallots 
• Coulis (koo LEE): a sauce made with pureed vegetables or fruit 
• Au Jus (OH zhoo): "with juice," natural juices extracted from the meat after cooking, sometimes combined with another liquid and seasonings 
• Pesto (PEH stoh): an Italian sauce made by blending crushed garlic, basil, pine nuts, olive oil and parmesan cheese 
• Pistou (PEES too): a cold sauce made of basil, garlic and olive oil

Bon appétit !