PART ONE
The Basics of Stocks and Broths
While food at its core is simply calories that fuel and nourish us, the essence
of it seems also to fall on a spectrum. On one side, food is diminished into
fast junk, that which feeds us on the go; on the other, food is elevated to
chef-quality works of art, that which we photograph to document our status.
Nevertheless, there is a sound philosophy emerging from somewhere within
this spectrum that confirms what my father taught me. Take care with your
food, honor it, and realize its true purpose: It does fuel and sustain us; it also
brings people together. Food is the stuff of family.
Similarly, our comprehension of stocks seems to lie within this same
continuum. Both chefs and home cooks agree that stocks are the foundation
of good cooking, and yet what is available on the market is often full of
unnecessary salt, sugar, and oil. When average consumers walk into a
supermarket, they head to the aisle of cans and boxes, rarely questioning
why they aren’t looking in a cold case instead. And when chefs succeed in
opening their own restaurant, they are occasionally forced to cut corners,
limited by time or space, and settle for an expedited solution within a
commercial base.
Sometimes what is beautiful is not deeply nutritious, and yet popular
science has a way of influencing our belief system. The history of
commercial stocks is a curious one—connected to fears of famine, the needs
of soldiers, and ultimately, the birth of processed foods. And yet it is no
surprise that broth, with the comfort a steaming bowl instills, has adapted
itself throughout the ages and across cultures as a nutritional fix. These
introductory chapters dig deep into the story of stocks and broths—how they
evolved from the work of landowner to food scientist, innkeeper to hotel
chef, and ultimately to a provident endeavor of home cooks. What little
science exists is explored in detail, intended to elucidate why tried-and-true
home cooking is important to health and happiness.
If you ever have a chance to visit a grass-fed cattle farm, I encourage you
to do so. The farm will smell richly of healthy grass, and if harvested with
the welfare of the animal in mind, so will the meat, once processed. Cows
and chickens live in unison—the cows grazing on grass, followed by the
chickens reviving the pasture, as they both rotate across the land. The bones
are the structural integrity of an animal; a healthy animal will provide
healthy bones. For a small vegetable farmer, the types of crops on display
help tell the story of the land where they reside. It is all connected—from the
soil to the bowl. The latter part of this section explains the significance of
quality sourcing and serves as encouragement for supporting your local
economy whenever possible. As simple as it sounds, this purchasing
principle will ensure quality in your kitchen, and ultimately, your health.
From here, a comprehension about the foundation of good cooking
becomes a matter that is mostly practical and a little scientific. This section
concludes with a detailed review of how to set up your kitchen for building,
and cooking with, stocks and broths. It explains the structural design of a
stockpot; the equipment required to develop an elegant and functional base;
and outlines a few staple ingredients that will make a difference in your
cooking. The basic science of stocks and broths is deconstructed into steps—
nuanced ones that explain why a gentle simmer yields the clearest stock, and
complex ones that provide instruction on how to guarantee excellence in the
pot. With the comprehensive awareness of history and nutrition and the
practical knowledge of logistics and science, the fundamental activity of
making stocks and broths will become an intuitive part of your time in the
kitchen.
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