re: I make a lot of sauces, which are your favorites to make and use?

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andouille, aren't you the guy that really likes Mignonette Sauce on raw oysters?

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I don't know if I'm "The Guy" but I like it better than the usual ketchup/horse radish dip, not that there is anything wrong with that.

Mignonette is very simple and perfect for oysters, it is light and you get more of the delicate oyster flavor.

Basically it is just shallots, wine vinegar and pepper, I prefer black pepper, most like white. I like to mix then put in fridge to pickle the shallots. Simple, basic, I made it for years before I even knew it had a name.

I could also write a book on pesto. In the early 70's my mother died, of course the grief was unbearable, and I lost my culinary compass, but my sweet MIL knew of my food passions, my mother was an incredible classic Italian cook, the range was narrow, but every dish was honed to perfection. So MIL helped show me what was in the Italian universe beyond red and white sauces.

I never forget the night, my in-laws lived on Napoleon Ave in NO, My MIL was having a dinner party for her academic friends, when we got there of course I went to see what we going on in the kitchen. She was mixing this large bowl of green fusilli, it smelled incredible to my 20 y/o palate, "what is this", she said "pesto", She served a small bowl to me, I tasted, my eyes rolled back in my head, I moaned, she said "try to control yourself".

It was Italian past red and white, it was verdant green, it had an incredible aroma, the parmesan, garlic, the oil, all in proportion. Of course I planted the next day, my cancer alley garden was very fertile, when I got home from my computer coding I would go outside to crush the leave is my hands and inhale.

That summer I learned that there were so many recipes for pesto, but my MIL, though her Irish soul had not a drop of Italian blood, said every plant is different, pay no attention past the basic ingredients, find the right balance for every batch. Still true to this day.