|| 27 February 2020

Bone Broth

Cold today here at Provence-sur-la-Prairie. I am making bone broth. The broth aroma makes the kitchen smell wonderful. I am looking forward to lunching on a nice warming soup.

In recent years, some food bloggers treat bone broth as if it was some sort of 21st century invention for the health-conscious. Bone broth is healthy. But it’s not a 21st century invention.

For all practical purposes bone broth is just “stock” as in chicken stock or beef stock depending on what sort of bones are used. And many recipes call for a mixture of chicken, turkey, beef whatever bones you have — or that the butcher will sell you. Julia Child taught us all how to make good stock.

The French (and many others) have been making stock for centuries. Though in the past the broth was prepared over the hearth or on the stove. Today’s bone broth is often prepared in some electric device.

The French call stock bouillon. Chicken: bouillon de volaille. Beef: bouillon de viande. Vegetable: bouillon de legumes.

These bouillons are the basis of all sorts of wonderful soups and other dishes. Not only in soups, but I enjoy bone broth plain — or as the French sometimes do, with some shredded cooked vegetables added as a garnish at the time of serving.

Of course bone broth goes well with a nice chunk of French bread. Plain — or toasted and brushed with olive oil.

be chic, stay slim — Anne Barone