Grandfather Maynard's Cheese Sauce

 This can be used for French Fries, Nachos, roasted potatoes, pasta and a host of other dishes.

 Ingredients:

1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/3 cup butter
1 1/2 shredded cheese.  It is best to shred the cheese yourself.  You can mix types of cheese.  1. Parmesan and gruyere make a good pair. 2. Colby, Swiss, Monterey jack and muenster.  3. Camembert and brie (be sure to remove the rind).
2 cups milk  The higher the fat content, the creamier your sauce will be. Use a heavy cream or half and half for an extra rich dish, whole milk for most recipes, and 2% milk for a lower-fat alternative.
Salt and white pepper to taste
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

1. Remove the cheese from the fridge and leave out for half an hour so as to bring cheese to room temperature.
2. Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium-low heat.
3. Whisk in the flour and stir until well combined.
4. Stir this mixture for three to four minutes over medium heat. This helps to eliminate the raw flour taste.
5. Pour the milk slowly into the roux, whisking constantly until it thickens and there are no lumps. The consistency should be moist but not runny, thick but not so viscous that it doesn't flow.
6. Season with salt, white pepper, and nutmeg (optional) to taste.
7. Remove the saucepan from the heat and add the cheese. Removing the saucepan from heat and slowly incorporate the cheese, whisking constantly. Adding the cheese over heat can cause the fats and milk solids to separate, resulting in a lumpy sauce with a curdled texture — so always take the pan off the burner first.

RESOLVING PROBLEMS:

• Too thick: Add more milk.
• Too thin: Add more flour.
• The cheese sauce is too runny: Add more cheese
  
• The cheese sauce looks grainy: Whisk in a teaspoon or two of lemon juice, since acidity can break down the molecules in the sauce, helping it to smooth out.
• The sauce has lumps: This often happens when the milk is added too quickly and not incorporated properly. Reduce the heat and allow it to continue cooking while continuously stirring until the lumps are gone.
• The sauce sticks to the bottom of the pan and burns: In this case, the heat is probably too high or the saucepan is not sturdy enough. Pour the sauce into a new pan with a heavy-duty base, reducing the heat slightly, and avoiding scraping the bottom of the pan while stirring.
• The sauce develops a skin: Happens when the sauce is left unattended for too long. Simply lift the skin off with a spatula and discard it, and remember to keep stirring the sauce until it's ready to serve.