Roux and Other Thickening Agents

Starches are the most common and more useful thickeners for sauce-making. Flour is the principal starch used. Starches thicken by gelatinization. Roux is the one and most famous of example basic thickening agents. The rest are beurre manie, whitewash, cornstarch, arrowroot, waxy maize, pregelatinized or instant starch, vegetables puree, bread crumbs and etc. All of the thickening agents have thier own characteristic and specific with purpose. A good chef must know what character of the thickening agent to make the sauce to be balanced, nice and right texture without changing the taste, flavor nor color.