Do you know why restaurant food tastes so good?According to William Sherman, chef-owner of Amuze Bistro in Palmer Lake, “It’s the sauces chefs make from scratch.”I learned this fact from his first of a series of four holiday classes he is teaching at the Whole Foods Market at 7635 N. Academy Blvd.During the hour-long class, he talked about the five mother sauces of French cuisine and made three of them for us to sample. We also got a healthy dose of culinary tips and tricks that elevate food served at restaurants above most home cooking.Sherman, who is trained as a classical French chef, said, “The basis for all other sauces is the five mother sauces: Beurre blanc, béchamel, tomato, espagnole, and hollandaise. These form the tree of sauces that is the bases for hundreds of other sauces. Chefs in New York can make $85,000 a year just as the saucier (sauce maker).”He kicked off the class making tomato sauce because it would take 45 minutes to prepare.“Tomato sauce is great to learn how to make because you can do so much with it,” he said. “And, it’s easy. The biggest problem people have when making tomato sauce is overcooking it. It should only be simmered 45 minutes.”He told us a restaurant kitchen trick for making an excellent flavored tomato sauce.“Tomatoes from a can have a bitter taste because of their high acidity,” he said, “unlike the sweetness of a tomato from the garden. But it’s the sweetness that you want to duplicate with a tomato sauce. So I have a three-part trick.”The first step was to add a little sugar until the sauce tasted slightly sweet.“Then you want to bring down the sweetness with the addition of balsamic vinegar,” he said. “Now, you need to bring up the sweetness again with more sugar. You’re building layers of flavors. This makes the finished flavor more complex and interesting.”Another tip was to add herbs at the beginning of sauce making.“Some say to only add fresh herbs at the very end of the cooking process,” he said. “I like to add herbs at the beginning, in the middle and at the end. Again this is a way to build layers of flavors. It’s important to taste, taste, taste throughout the cooking process and keep making adjustments.”His go-to-favorite brand of canned tomatoes is Muir Glen.“They (Muir Glen) make several styles of canned tomatoes, but for tonight’s class I went with the roasted tomato,” he said. “I like this brand because it has great flavor with chunks of tomatoes.”You’ll notice in the recipe for his tomato sauce, the ingredient list calls for water instead of stock.“I think stock overpowers the flavor of the tomatoes,” he said.Also, don’t forget to do his secret three-step trick for the recipe to achieve a deliciously balanced tomato sauce.Be forewarned: This is a restaurant recipe and makes a big batch. It can be cooled, labeled, dated and frozen.

TOMATO SAUCE—Yield: Makes 1 1/2 gallons

2 large onions, peeled and diced2 tablespoons olive oil1 head fresh garlic, peeled and mashed into a paste1 pint red wine3 bay leaves3 tablespoons chopped fresh basil3 tablespoons rosemary1 1/2 teaspoons anise1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper1 (12-ounce) can tomato paste3 quarts canned, crushed tomatoes2 quarts waterProcedure:1. Sauté onions in olive oil. Add garlic and sauté until onions are translucent.2. Add remaining ingredients, bring to boil, then reduce to simmer, skimming as needed. Simmer 45 minutes.3. Remove from heat, strain and adjust seasoning.Source: William Sherman, chef-owner of Amuze Bistro

His second class in the series was last night, but you can still catch one of his holiday cooking classes in December. He will be doing Holiday Hors d’oeuvres on Dec. 1 and Holiday Desserts Dec. 8. Classes cost $10 each. Call 531-9999 to make reservations.Visit amuzebistro.com to see the amazing dishes he serves at his restaurant.—Reach Farney at 636-0271. She appears Tuesdays on News First 5’s Comcast Channel 5 at noon.