This recipe calls for flavoring the bread with salt, poppy seeds, and caraway seeds, but the options are virtually endless. You might try curry powder or paprika, which are also delicious. Cracker bread pairs nicely with stews, soups, and salads. For a dramatic and attractive presentation, break the baked bread haphazardly into large pieces and arrange them in baskets.

Demi-glace is another French sauce that every self-respecting restaurant keeps on hand. As an apprentice, I prepared it thousands of times for use in a variety of other sauces and dishes.

Also called brown sauce, demi-glace is traditionally prepared with what the French refer to as espagnole sauce (a mixture of brown stock, vegetables, brown roux, and tomatoes), brown stock, and Madeira or sherry. It’s simplified here to create a flavorful sauce you can keep on hand to add intense flavor to a number of dishes.