"notbob" > wrote in message
...
> On 2009-04-16, blake murphy > wrote:
>
>> i don't see a thickener at all.
>
> The Espagnole sauce is made with a fat/flour roux.
>
> nb

However it's cooked to a dark brown which almost eliminates it thickening
power.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roux

see types:

Dimitri

The darker the roux, the less thickening power it has; a chocolate roux has
about one-fourth the thickening power, by weight, of a white roux. A very
dark roux, just shy of burning and turning black, has a distinctly reddish
color and is sometimes referred to as "brick" roux.