The Zen of Stock

As water is to fish, stock is the inner life of French soups and sauces. Perhaps its preparation, which takes time, is a dividing line between those who pursue the French menu and those who'd rather not. Making stock harkens the origin of French cuisine -- a simmering cauldron over fire, a minimalist sensibility of earthen servitude. And there is no one right way to prepare stock, although the end product has to be right for it to be worthy of its noble purpose.