Stocks and Soups

Let’s cut to the chase; Stocks and Soups.

There is a wide array of stocks and soups out there among the world, depending on what you are aiming for. A stock is usually and most easily described as a flavored liquid, mainly used in the base of any soup. Stocks are usually simply prepared with a variety of ingredients, using water as the essential base. From there, your possibilities are endless, from beef bones, chicken bones, to veggies such as onions, carrots, or celery. Anything that gets your stove cookin!

Preparation of Stock:
When preparing your stock for your soup, one of the first things you want to always remember is to always use cold water when you first start. You will very briefly boil your stock, and once it starts to boil, you will then keep it to a low simmer. This will keep the stock from becoming cloudy. It is also important to be careful not to get spice crazy and add to many spices to your stock, spices don’t tend to be added to the stock until it’s prepared to be a soup. Salt is also not added, because it causes your stock to become way too salty. Just keep these simple steps and tips in mind when you are making your stock, and you should keep yourself from running into any unforeseen issues!

The Nitty Gritty:
There are many variations and types of stock, to keep your mind from overloading; we’re just going to talk about the five main stocks: beef, chicken, and vegetable.
Beef stock is best used with meat and bones at the same time, stray away from tender cuts of meat, and stick to cubed chuck steak or something along those lines.
When it comes to chicken stock it is best to use the entire whole chicken. Cut the chicken into standard equal pieces. You may also roast your chicken beforehand if you are leaning towards a browner chicken stock, rather than a pale stock.
When it comes to vegetable stock the classic mirepoix is used. Mirepoix is simply a mixture of diced veggies, such as carrots, leeks, celery and onions. Vegetable stock is perfect for soups such as minestrone.


All about the soup:
Soups have been around for centuries as a staple food in our diet. Soups make your tummy feel warm on a cold, cold day; a good hearty chicken noodle soup is just the ticket to your way out of a cold or the flu. There are loads of types of soups, many of the basic soups that we came to grow up with and love, have been altered into many variations. The chicken soup has been altered in a way that not only has noodles mixed in there, but an assortment of different spices, and vegetables.
On any sea coast you can find a different array of clam chowder, whether you’re looking for the New England or Manhattan style, neither is hard to find.



Variations:
So let’s break it down shall we? You’ve got your clear soups, which tend to use bouillon such as beef or chicken bullion, something the French are responsible for. Then, you’ve got your thick soups which can be classified by what thickening agent is used to produce them. That can range anywhere from purees to bisques. If you’re looking for something unique, yet sweet, something for dessert, that will just dazzle your guests; a light dessert soup might just do that trick. Dessert coups tend to be made with milk, or coconut milk, with various types of sliced fruit thrown into the mix.



So, whether you’re having an out of sorts’ day, and you’re not in the mood for cooking, or you’re stuck at home sick in best, soups are you’re best bet. Or perhaps you’re planning a simple yet elegant dinner party, throwing in a light soup as one of your main courses could be your ticket to a memorable occasion. Just keep in mind, without the basis of a stock, there wouldn’t be a lot of choices for our soups. Happy slurping!