• KatieK1 on April 28, 2026

  This book is by Martha Holmberg

Notes about Recipes in this book

• Double-mustard vinaigrette

  • Indio32 on April 01, 2026

    Good.

• Caesar-style vinaigrette

  • britt on September 09, 2013

    We liked this. With no egg, it's thinner than Caesar dressing, but it made a satisfying salad with just romaine and a little extra Parm. In addition to the listed ingredients, the recipe calls for Dijon mustard, garlic, and olive oil.

• Raspberry-thyme vinaigrette

  • britt on September 15, 2013

    I was surprised by how good this is - fresh and fruity and not too sweet. I missed the raspberry vinaigrette fad, though, so I don't know what someone who experienced that would think of this. I used fresh raspberries and dressed oakleaf lettuce. This dressing was the perfect weight for oakleaf, but I did wish I had thrown some cheese or toasted nuts on top, maybe sliced almonds or pistachios.

• Tangerine-brown butter vinaigrette

  • sdeathe on November 21, 2025

    I actually had everything on hand for this sauce, which was delicious on salmon. The browned butter flavour was noticeable, and the tangerine added sweetness, with a bit of spark from the sherry vinegar. A lovely well-balanced sauce, and easy to make.

• Good and versatile marinara sauce

  • Kduncan on September 28, 2020

    Basic marinara sauce. Didn't add the sriracha at the end, subbed in chili flakes instead.

• Balsamic-red wine butter sauce (Balsamic beurre rouge)

  • skvalentine on November 22, 2022

    Mouthwatering on steak.

• Light, lemony cream sauce

  • Kduncan on September 28, 2020

    Easy sauce, served with spinach pasta. I probably over-reduced this. Used veggie broth instead of turkey broth.

• Farfalle with shrimp and scallops in spicy saffron-red pepper cream sauce

  • katiesue28 on December 13, 2024

    The sauce for this is very beautiful and delicately flavored, but I don't think I'd make this recipe again. The finished dish is really just pasta, the cream sauce, and the seafood. I feel like if there were some other ingredients it would be better. As is, it's a bit plain, but still tasty.

• Avocado-lime mayonnaise

  • chawkins on January 11, 2023

    Very rich and avocado-y, quite nice. However be warned that the yolk was raw.

• Quick fish tacos with avocado-lime mayonnaise and salsa verde

  • chawkins on January 11, 2023

    This is ver rich for fish tacos, with the avocado-lime mayo and the cheese. It tasted great, however, if I ate fish tacos, I usually want a lighter meal. I used Costco fish fingers, purchased salsa verde and feta for the cheese.

• Rice pudding with cardamom meringues, lime crème Anglaise, and chunky mixed-berry coulis

  • lisibit on December 18, 2012

    I didn't make the lime creme Anglaise, but this was still divine. The meringues provide textural contrast, and the coulis tastes great on just about anything (try it on top of oatmeal, or mixed into yogurt or ice cream).

• Portland Monthly

  In short, the book covers every kind of sweet or savory sauce an at-home cook could possibly desire (and then some)....Holmberg treats sauces as the Main Event, not an afterthought.

  Full review

• Boston Globe by T. Susan Chang

  ...the sauces often outshine the proteins and carbs that deliver them. But using surefire flavor combinations and optimal tweaks, Holmberg makes sure each sauce is delicious and worth your while.

  Full review

• Ruhlman

  ...outstanding -- I hope a new classic reference book on the craft of sauces. They can be easy, they can be complex. Holmberg covers the whole range and does a beautiful job of it... A great book.

  Full review

• Fine Cooking

  Holmberg explains in detail what is going on in a particular sauce, what you can do with it, and how you can fix it should something go wrong. Her declarations are both amusing and informative...

  Full review