When you make gravy for holiday gatherings, does it fail to live up to the smooth and beautiful sauce of your dreams? Is its flavor limp, or is its color sad? Perhaps you're too intimidated to try ...

Called fond (pronounced FAWND)—it’s French for “base”—this aptly named goodness is what gives a gravy its rich color and meaty flavor. To capture all the browned bits, place the pan over ...