If you’re not familiar, Bechamel is the milk gravy from which springs many delightful daughter sauces like Mornay, Soubise, Nantua, et cetera. It starts by poaching and onion pique (onion, bay leaf, cloves) in whole milk (or half and half for you sensualists out there – you have my respect) and then adding the onionmilk to a blonde roux (fat, usually butter and flour cooked together until the flour no longer smells raw) and seasoned with salt, white pepper and nutmeg.