Potage Parmentier; Vichyssoise & all creamed vegetable soups

It seems that almost all the recipes one encounters for creamed vegetable soups call for chicken stock. A few also state vegetable broth as an alternative. IMHO and my palate, I do not like the use of chicken stock in creamed vegetable soups. The chicken flavor seems to always come through.

If chicken stock is used in Vichyssoise one can taste the cold flavor of chicken stock. I always drop the chicken broth and use homemade vegetable stock in all my all vegetable soups. Anyone else feel the same way?

I also always add additional white pepper to all my cream soups. It really adds a contrast to the cream.

I've always used chicken stock and it's never bothered me. That said, you have me interested in trying a homemade veggie stock next time I make one of these.

[Jenise]

George, I'm an unabashed fan of chicken broth. I don't use it every single time, but most. It adds a richness, a foundation, that appeals to me--and in fact, vichysoisse in particular wouldn't be vichysoisse to me without it. To me, most vegetable stocks have too strong an onion flavor. Sure, one can make one's own, and I do, but I buy commercial chicken stock because I use more than I can make to keep up with myself.

Really agree about white pepper and creamed soups, though. Which moves me to mention how surprised I am by how many chefs (who tend to like everything) don't like the taste of white pepper at all.

I always make my vegetable stock specifically for the recipe. With the Vichyssoise I used the leek scraps. I almost always use leeks in my vegetable stock rather than onions. I also usually use mostly "new potatoes". I think they have a richer flavor.

One thing about my chicken stock is that I never make a stock/broth with raw meat/bones unless it is for an Asian soup stock. It is always richer in flavor. In my cream soups I always use evaporated milk instead of milk/cream. It is something we did in my restaurants and something I think most also do. It reduces the cooking time, reduces the danger of scorching, and gives an intensity in the flavor.

I know that most people do use chicken stock in their cream soups but my palate seems to fix on the flavor rather than the richness. Also when eating out the problem with the addition of chicken stock/broth is that too many restaurants, even the better ones, take the short cut and use a base in making that stock figuring that the customer can't tell the difference because of the blend of other flavors. Unfortunately, I can and after pointing it out to my wife she can also discern the difference.

In cream of mushroom, I use mushroom scrapes when making the stock and then add the mushroom themselves later in the process so that each bit has the individual flavor. Usually I first saute them with minced shallots and deglaze the pan with sherry. This added later to the soup really give it the mushroom kick.

One of my pet peeves is soups that have the solid ingredients cooked to death so each hardly has any flavor. If I wanted the cooked to death flavor I would just open a can of soup.f

The boil in the bag soups many places pass off as their own is also easy to discern due to the high sodium level. Who are they trying to kid?

[Jenise]

One thing about my chicken stock is that I never make a stock/broth with raw meat/bones unless it is for an Asian soup stock. It is always richer in flavor. In my cream soups I always use evaporated milk instead of milk/cream. It is something we did in my restaurants and something I think most also do. It reduces the cooking time, reduces the danger of scorching, and gives an intensity in the flavor.

I know that most people do use chicken stock in their cream soups but my palate seems to fix on the flavor rather than the richness. Also when eating out the problem with the addition of chicken stock/broth is that too many restaurants, even the better ones, take the short cut and use a base in making that stock figuring that the customer can't tell the difference because of the blend of other flavors. Unfortunately, I can

I can, too. But sadly they are not wrong that most customers can't tell the difference.

I've never used evaporated milk. Never even occurred to me. But the I really haven't had any issue with scorching milk--we use 2%, and that's usually rich enough, unless I just pour pure cream into something that needs that extra gilding of the lily.