Q: What is stock? A: liquid made by cooking bones, meat, fish, or vegetables slowly in water used as a basis for preparations of soup, gravy, or sauces.

Q: What are its applications? A: soups

white stock: this is a clear pale liquid made by simmering poultry, or fish bones

brown stock: this is an amber liquid made by simmering poultry, beef, veal, or game bones that have been browned first

fumet: very similar to fish stock, this is a highly flavored stock made with fish bones

court bouillon: this is an aromatic vegetable broth used for poaching fish or vegetables

glace: sometimes referred to as "glaze", this is a reduced stock with a jelly-like consistency, made from brown stock, chicken stock, or fish stock

remouillage: this is a weak stock made from bones that have already been used in another preparation sometimes used to replace water as the liquid used in a stock; remouillage is the french word for "rewetting"

bouillon: this is the liquid that results from simmering meats or vegetables; also referred to as broth

jus: this is a rich, lightly reduced stock used as a sauce for roasted meats

vegetable stock: this is usually made from mirepoix, leeks, and turnips. tomatoes, garlic, and seasonings may also be added to flavor or darken the stock, but tomatoes must be strained with a cheesecloth or filter so that no seeds or skins get into the stock. this is referred to as tomato concasse (kawn-ka-SAY). a chef might roast the vegetables or add a large amount of a particular vegetable, such as mushrooms for a mushroom stock

i think stocks take an important part of cooking. without it soups would be flavorless, stock gives soups flavor. the way stocks are made you can flavor your food, but there are many steps. but when you manage it your soup will be better than ever