Thursday, October 9, 2008

Nice Demi ( file under I bet you say that to all the boys)

It has been almost ten months since I was exposed to the weird, wonderful and amazing world of stocks, Remis and Demis. Any chef worth his weight in salt (remember I told you in a post some time ago where that expression came from) from Escoffier to the dispirited Rocco Dispirito would tell you that stocks are amongst the most important foundations of almost anything we do. To make stock well is to be able to manage any number of variables to produce the perfect flavouring agent for any number of other utilizations. I love making stock. I’ve become proficient if not good at it in the past ten months and I know that I will become even better in the next ten. I am competing with and for myself. Such a joy.

At any rate, during the summer I did not really have the time to tend to the stock. I was to busy in McGrill land. Oh how I am thrilled that the summer is over for only that reason. The whole point of the post is that A was walking by me the other day as I was tending to the demi. He stuck his finger in and then looked at me and barely audible said; “Nice demi.” I remember telling you a long time ago that I took the little victories when ever I could get them as in my current phase they are few and far between.

You’ll recall that the process involved in making a great stock is quite lengthy and intensive, three days, fifty pounds of bones and 270 litres of liquid to produce less than 20 litres.

Nice demi indeed.

Elbert Hubbard once said; “The highest reward that God gives us for good work is the ability to do better” How true? And I strive to be better every day.

Are you dreaming big and inspired?

A la prochaine

SDM

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