Which classic mother sauce is based on milk and roux?

• A. Velouté
• B. Béchamel
• C. Espagnole
• D. Tomato

Answer: (B)

The main idea is recognizing a mother sauce that uses milk as its liquid and thickens with roux. Béchamel achieves that by starting with a pale roux and whisking in hot milk until it becomes smooth and creamy, then seasoning with salt and often a touch of nutmeg. This milk-based foundation is what makes it a classic mother sauce, because it can be flavored or enriched to create many derivatives. The other major mother sauces rely on different bases: Velouté uses white stock thickened with roux; Espagnole uses brown stock with mirepoix and a brown roux; Tomato centers on tomato as the primary ingredient rather than dairy. So the sauce based on milk and roux is Béchamel.