Stocks, Glazes, and Essences

A stock is a flavorful extract made by cooking meat, fish, or vegetables in water or broth. The purpose of stocks in sauce making is to supply or augment the nutritive and savory components that are released by meats, vegetables, and fish during cooking. Glazes such as demi-glace or glace de viande are made from stocks that have been slowly cooked down (reduced) to a thick syrup. These are convenient to have on hand in professional kitchens because they keep well and can be added to sauces at the last minute to give a richer flavor, a deeper color, and a smoother texture. Some chefs rely almost entirely on glace de viande for preparing brown sauces (see Chapter 7, “Brown Sauces”).