Christine Dabney wrote:

> And believe it or not, but for some soups, water is the best. I
> wasn't a believer til I read some of Richard Olney's books, and
> decided to try making some soups with just water. A leek and potato
> soup really tastes of the leeks, potatoes and butter, and is not
> clouded by the broth.

Julia Child was a guest on "Emeril Live" once, and Emeril started out to
make leek and potato soup using chicken stock. Julia took him to task for
it, saying he should use water, so that the soup would taste of the leeks
and potatoes. So Emeril used water.

Not all that long ago, someone posted a youtube link to Gordon Ramsay
cooking broccoli soup using water as the base; that soup turns out very
well.

Spain's Sopa de Ajo is traditionally made using water as the base, and it's
exceptionally full-flavored.

So yes, water is the best "stock" for some soups. But I'm a recent convert
to brodo, the mixed-meat broth that was posted here by Kate B, out of Lynn
Kasper's _The Splendid Table_. I think it's the best base for French onion
soup, and it's a good base for a pasta/vegetable soup I recently saw Joann
Weir make on TV. It's also handy to have around when you want to make gravy
or a sauce.

Bob