Please sir...can I have some more?

The collection of stocks we made during this class...

Vegetable Stock

Enhanced Beef Stock - the boxed kind, just made better

Chicken Stock

Soups on! Well, at least this week in Basics class...we touched on how to make homemade stocks, how to improve boxed stocks, and a few simple soups to use as a foundation for creativity.

This class was full of small tips...

• Raw parsley is the best breath freshener...hands down
• It takes 3 weeks for tastebuds to re-sensitize after training them to want salt - hence don't oversalt! Food will taste bland for those 3 weeks but then you'll actually start to TASTE the food. (Trust me, I did it since I cook with a bland eater and now food tastes different...actually, incredible)
• Beef broth is not worth making from scratch. It takes hours upon hours...so use that carton proudly!
• 212 degrees is the temperature where ultimate flavor is extracted. Basically bring your stock to a full boil then turning down to a simmer for recommended cook time.
  

Soups is a great way to get rid of what you have in the fridge. In class, we called it the pantry soup. In class, we used what she literally had leftover in the class fridge: pepperoni, rice noodles, carrots, and spinach. We used the vegetable broth we made in class. I'll admit, it was kind of weird but tasted pretty good. Plus, it helps you figure out what to do with that extra "x" you have in the fridge/freezer.

Soups away!