Posted by Mark Heller on January 26, 1999 at 12:04:58:
In Reply to: AM I FROM ANOTHER PLANET??? posted by Donna on January 06, 1999 at 10:36:19:
: What's all the problem over the stock and base, anyway?
: I was always taught not to waste food products or my time.
: Cooking a turkey? Use the bones. How long does it take to throw bones in a pot, cover add carrots, onions, celery, water, salt, pepper, bay leaf (or not) Simmer for several hours, cool, strain and reduce?
: The cap and bones from Prime Rib makes the best base for a minestrone.
: I keep duck bones, chicken bones, beef bones and of course ham bones. I have a freezer full of ready made stocks and bones. It didn't take any time as I was busy doing other jobs in the kitchen.
: In my early day, I would purchase bones. What an idiot!
: It takes organization(on my part) to get everything accomplished in my kitchen.
: I can't believe this caused such a "stir"!!!
: Too many cooks spoils the broth! Sounds to me that 5 of us in the same kitchen-someone ends up in the stock pot!
: Something really important about bases (not all, but many) contains MSG, my deadly allergy. I don't eat out often because some cooks put the base in everything from soups to gravies, to a sprinkle on the vegetables.
: Sometimes you just can't cut corners? Dinner in 20 minutes, I haven't been able to accomplish it!!!
: Donna
Donna,
I agree with you in principal. However there are kitchens that live or die by the labor dollar. An example would be airline kitchns. The way it goes is this.
Which is more cost effective , a base or a stock. This includes labor. If you are paying someone 12 dollars
an hour, you do not have them futz around with stocks because after crunching the numbers you find it is more cost effective to use a base. Remember I said nothing of taste.
This is the world of business. I am just saying keep an open mind. Mark Heller CEC