• Try eschalots instead of onions if a milder flavour is desired, for example to complement a delicate salmon sauce.

• Add a little water when frying onions and garlic to ensure the mixture 'sweats' rather than fries. This also prevents any browning. Water from cooked pasta (if you're using it) is great for adding more flavour to your sauce bases.

• Wine is used in a lot of cooking because it adds flavour, without making the sauce too runny. During the cooking process the alcohol evaporates, therefore there's no need to worry about any alcohol content. Cooking also removes some of the harsh 'hot' alcohol fumes.

• Créme fraiche is slightly sour and thick — but the beauty of this product is that it doesn't curdle like other dairy products, so it's perfect for sauces.

• Ideally, pasta sauces should be slightly runny. The theory is the pasta will continue to absorb some of the water content of the pasta sauce as it rests.

• Chilled cream whips better and gives a better result to your cooking.

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