Cheese sauce Q: My cheese sauce always tastes boring. I do the normal butter and flour base, with milk, then use mature Cheddar but I have to add so much to make it taste okay and it goes oily. Has Cheddar changed, or have my taste buds?
A: Oily cheese sauce is usually caused by over-cooking, so be sure to thoroughly cook the sauce before adding the grated cheese, and do it off the heat, stirring until melted. For extra flavour, try seasoning the milk, bread sauce-style, with onion, thyme and a bayleaf, or stir Dijon mustard and/or a splash of white into the butter and flour base, before adding the milk. Try different cheeses; I particularly like the subtle flavour of Gruyere but smoked Edam makes a good change.
This Q&A was first published in the May 2008 edition of Saga Magazine.
If you have a question for Lindsey Bareham, please email editor@saga.co.uk. Lindsey regrets that she is unable to answer all your questions personally.