Making stock
One of the many reasons I love the Denver Post food writer, Tucker Shaw, is his chewy writing style:
"As we collectively bemoan the perceived slide of American home cooking from a pleasure-filled pastime into unparalleled moil, consider stock.
"At once the most basic and the most soulful preparation in any kitchen, stock-making — the patient extraction of essential flavors and nourishment from vegetables and bones — is a profound, luxurious ritual that even overworked professional cooks savor.
"The slow bubble, the creeping aroma, the promise of as-yet-unknown feasts — this is a soothing, simple task, plump with purpose and bristling with reward."
The few times I've made chicken stock, this seemingly simple task has proved to be quite challenging and never the same.
I think I haven't been doing it right.
Luckily, Tucker walks you through the steps and tells you exactly what it should look like at the end.
If you're interested in cooking classes -- very fun and worthwhile -- Tucker recommends A Cook's Kitchen, where you can cook with Claudine Pepin, daughter of Jacques! (A must for your cookbook collection is Cooking with Julia [Child] and Jacques [Pepin].)
I took a 4 week French cooking class at Cook Street a couple of years ago and LOVED it.
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I take the super easy way out when it comes to making stock. When I buy a rotisserie chicken (or roast a turkey or chicken) I pick off the left over meat, stick the rest of the carcass and bones in a big freezer bag and keep it in the freezer. Then when I feel like making stock I throw whatever bones I have saved into a big pot, toss in whatever veggies I have on hand (someimtes I only have an onion), cover with water and throw in some salt and boil till it looks a lovely golden hue. Strain, refridgetate overnight, scrape of fat, scoop out 1 Cup measurements into ziplock bags, putt all into a big Ziplock bag and keep in freezer till needed.
I LOVE homemade stock. I lack, however, the ability to make it sound so poetic and romantic.