Roux vs. Rue: What's the Difference?
Roux is a thickening agent made from equal parts fat and flour cooked together and used in cooking to create rich sauces and gravies. It serves as a base for many dishes, particularly in French and Cajun cuisines. On the other hand, rue can refer to an emotion of regret or sorrow or to a type of herb, Ruta graveolens, commonly used in traditional medicine or flavoring but rarely found in modern cooking. While roux is pronounced like 'roo,' rue as in the herb or emotion is also pronounced 'roo,' which can lead to confusion despite their very different uses.
How do you use the word roux in a sentence?
The term roux is used in culinary contexts to describe a mixture of fat and flour used to thicken sauces and soups. As a fundamental element in cooking, a roux is created by cooking the flour and fat together until achieving the desired color, ranging from blond for delicate sauces to brown for robust stews and gumbos. The proper use of roux is critical for giving dishes a smooth, rich texture.
Examples of roux in a sentence
- She started making the béchamel sauce by preparing a white roux with butter and flour.
- For the gumbo, he patiently stirred the roux until it turned a rich mahogany color.
- A well-cooked roux can make all the difference in thickening your gravy.
How do you use the word rue in a sentence?
When the word rue is used in the context of an emotion, it describes a feeling of repentance or regret over something that has happened or been done. It can be used in a literary or formal context to express a deep sense of sorrow. As a plant, rue refers to a species of herb that is less commonly used in modern cooking, but may be cited in historical or medicinal discussions. Both uses of rue carry a sense of bitterness or regret, either metaphorically in the feeling, or tangibly in the herb's flavor.
Examples of rue in a sentence
- He would live to rue his hasty decision as it led to unforeseen complications.
- In her garden, she cultivated a small patch of rue for its medicinal properties.
- After learning about its bitterness, they ruefully avoided using rue in the recipe.
Roux and rue definition, parts of speech, and pronunciation
Roux definition:
A roux is a mixture of fat and flour cooked together and used as a thickening agent for sauces, soups, and stews, primarily in French and Cajun cuisines.
Roux parts of speech:
Roux pronunciation:
Roux is pronounced in a way that rhymes with 'roo' or 'moo,' and it is represented phonetically as /ruː/.
Rue definition:
As an emotion, rue is a verb meaning to bitterly regret something. As a plant, rue is a noun referring to an aromatic herb with bitter leaves, often used historically in medicine and cooking.
Rue parts of speech:
Rue pronunciation:
Rue is pronounced identically to 'roo' and phonetically as /ruː/. Its pronunciation is the same as roux, though the meanings diverge significantly.
A roux is a mixture of fat and flour cooked together and used as a thickening agent for sauces, soups, and stews, primarily in French and Cajun cuisines.
Roux parts of speech:
- Noun: The chef prepared a dark roux for the stew to give it more depth of flavor.
Roux pronunciation:
Roux is pronounced in a way that rhymes with 'roo' or 'moo,' and it is represented phonetically as /ruː/.
Rue definition:
As an emotion, rue is a verb meaning to bitterly regret something. As a plant, rue is a noun referring to an aromatic herb with bitter leaves, often used historically in medicine and cooking.
Rue parts of speech:
- Verb: She will rue the day she ever crossed paths with him.
- Noun: Rue has been used in homeopathic treatments for centuries.
Rue pronunciation:
Rue is pronounced identically to 'roo' and phonetically as /ruː/. Its pronunciation is the same as roux, though the meanings diverge significantly.
Roux vs. Rue in a nutshell
While roux and rue share a pronunciation, they represent wholly different concepts. Roux is a culinary cornerstone, a mixture critical for thickening and enhancing flavors in cooking. Rue, however, plays double duty: as a verb, it conveys regret or remorse, and as a noun, it names a once-common herb with a notably bitter taste. It is the context rather than the pronunciation that distinguishes their use: one belongs to the kitchen, and the other to the realms of emotion and herbal lore.
Get AI Writing Assistance Wherever You Type
Make sure your vocabulary is on point and every punctuation mark is in the right place, no matter where you’re working. Grammarly works across more than 500,000 websites and apps so you can improve your writing without copying, pasting, or breaking focused.
More Commonly Confused Words
Interest piqued? Pore (not pour) over other commonly confused words to help your writing reach peak (not peek) performance.