Cooking Lessons Stocks, Soups, and Broths 1 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: What is the primary difference between a stock and a broth?
- Stock is made with vegetables only; broth uses meat
- Stock is made from bones for collagen; broth is made from meat and is seasoned (Correct answer)
- Stock is always brown; broth is always white
- Stock requires roasting; broth does not
Correct answer: Stock is made from bones for collagen; broth is made from meat and is seasoned
Stock is simmered from bones to extract collagen and gelatin, giving it body, while broth is made from meat and is typically seasoned and consumed as-is.
Question 2: What is a mirepoix?
- A thickening agent made from flour and butter
- A classic aromatic base of onion, carrot, and celery (Correct answer)
- A type of French broth made with white wine
- A garnish added to finished soups
Correct answer: A classic aromatic base of onion, carrot, and celery
Mirepoix is a foundational aromatic combination of roughly 50% onion, 25% carrot, and 25% celery used to build flavor in stocks and soups.
Question 3: What technique is used to make a brown stock versus a white stock?
- Brown stock uses veal; white stock uses chicken
- Brown stock roasts bones before simmering; white stock uses raw bones (Correct answer)
- Brown stock is simmered longer than white stock
- Brown stock uses red wine; white stock uses white wine
Correct answer: Brown stock roasts bones before simmering; white stock uses raw bones
Brown stock gets its deep color and rich flavor by roasting bones (and often vegetables) in the oven before simmering.
Question 4: Why should stock never be boiled vigorously during cooking?
- It destroys the collagen
- It causes fat and impurities to emulsify into the liquid, making it cloudy (Correct answer)
- It prevents vegetables from softening
- It burns the aromatics
Correct answer: It causes fat and impurities to emulsify into the liquid, making it cloudy
A rolling boil agitates the fat and proteins, causing them to emulsify into the stock and produce a greasy, cloudy result.
Question 5: What is 'skimming' in stock-making?
- Straining the finished stock through a fine mesh
- Removing fat and gray foam (scum) that rises to the surface (Correct answer)
- Adding salt in increments throughout cooking
- Reducing the stock to concentrate flavor
Correct answer: Removing fat and gray foam (scum) that rises to the surface
Skimming removes the impurities and coagulated proteins (scum) that rise to the surface during the early stages of simmering for a cleaner stock.
Question 6: Which of the following best describes a 'bouquet garni'?
- A garnish of fresh herbs placed on a finished dish
- A bundle of herbs and aromatics tied together or in cheesecloth for easy removal (Correct answer)
- A mix of dried spices stirred directly into a stock
- A reduction of wine and herbs used to finish a sauce
Correct answer: A bundle of herbs and aromatics tied together or in cheesecloth for easy removal
A bouquet garni is a bundle of fresh herbs (typically thyme, bay leaf, parsley stems) and aromatics tied so they can be easily removed from the pot after cooking.
Cooking Lessons Stocks, Soups, and Broths 1
What is the primary difference between a stock and a broth?