[Sca-cooks] gravy

[Stefan li Rous]

Adamantius commented:
> > the first exception I can think of to
> > test this rule is "Redeye Gravy", made with ham drippings, butter 
> and black
> > coffee. Not period, decidely American though, and in most examples
> > I've seen, clear, or clearish.... Any other regonal examples?
>
> Well, it's a generalization, but a fairly apt one. Of course there
> are exceptions.
>
> Another regional example of an exception would be sawmill gravy,
> which can be stock and/or drippings or milk, thickened with cornmeal
> instead of flour.
This is the first I've heard of "sawmill gravy".
But this is still thickened with a starch addition. Of course if made 
with milk, then I think that would violate the other requirement of 
using stock or drippings. Or is there a better definition of "gravy"?
Does this use corn *meal* or corn "flour"? It would seem that using 
meal would make a much coarser gravy.
> Actually, if I said Americans consider a roux necessary, I misspoke.
> I should have said that the majority of American gravies appear to be
> thickened with flour, which can in turn be added straight to the
> gravy, made into a slurry, a roux, into beurre manie, and used in a
> variety of other ways, but all coming down to thickening by
> gelatinizing starches.
Hmmm. Okay, probably my error. You may have said adding flour and I 
assumed this meant a roux. But I guess a roux is more specific than 
simply adding flour and cooking more. What do you mean by 
"gelantinizing" starches? Perhaps that is the key to the definition of 
what is and is not a "gravy"?
> The various gravies which are dishes in themselves, rather than
> sauces (like sausage gravy, Italian ragus, which are sometimes known
> as gravy to English-speaking Italian-Americans, etc.) would also be
> exceptions.
What do you mean by "dishes in themselves"? Is sausage gravy like the 
ham gravy just mentioned in that it doesn't use flour? What is a "ragu"?
> But there'd have to be a lot more exceptions to outweigh the versions
> calling for roux made in the drip pan, or the Wondra flour versions,
> etc.
Stefan
--------
THLord Stefan li Rous    Barony of Bryn Gwlad    Kingdom of Ansteorra
    Mark S. Harris           Austin, Texas          
StefanliRous at austin.rr.com
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