9/9 Stock, a lesson in balance

           Stock is not something I never really considered. For me it was just a boxed liquid that was an alternative for water as a base for soup. This is not the first time I was VERY wrong. As it was put to me today, good stock is almost like salt. It is a base, it gives flavor, it can me manipulated, shaped and coerced into making a dish or sauce come to life. There are so many varieties, so many nuances and so many choices that it can be a bit overwhelming.

            The most important take away for me is that stock is synonymous with balance. Not only balanced flavor, but the precise balance of time, effort, money and skills available to the kitchen and chef. Good traditional stock needs a balance of meaty bones (cheap and flavorful) and gelatinous bones- usually feet- (very expensive, light in flavor) to make a good stock. The trick is to have the perfect ratio that you get a good flavor, don’t have to keep cooking it for days and have it come out in the consistency you need. You can do this by upping the gelatinous bones for a shorter cooking time or cooking for many hours or days with cheaper bones. Not to mention to brown or not to brown the bones and vegetables. It can make your head spin.

I am proud of feeling more comfortable in class. It took awhile but I felt like I was able to fall into a rhythm today. I felt more engaged, open to using what I know and using what was taught to me.

I should work on being more organized. My little notebook really helped but I should really be on the ball more with the lists and making sure I know the order of ingredients.

Take a ways

·      Balance.

·      When making mayo- watch your measurements. If it is too runny add more oil or fat and use an immersion blender.

·      You can make mayo with fats like bacon fat but keep in mind what that fat is like a room temp. You may need to mix it with something else to make it the consistency that you want.