re: Gravy argument

My 2 cents... if the liquid is based on meat renderings and it has been thickened in any way (reduction or thickening agent such as corn starch or flour) then my mamma (who is not cajun. she mexican) called it a gravy.

If it was just the meat drippings, she called it jus.

And we have never made Roux at my house so I cant weigh in on when a sauce becomes a roux, but my best guess based on living here for 30 years and working in the food industry for the last decade... is that roux is a sauce made with fat and flour. So you all are all right.

But the OP's friend is stupid. I would happily eat duck cooked by not me and not be critical. I would also bring drinks to share with the class.