from that," says Gramercy Tavern chef de cuisine Aretah Ettarh. Developed, robust stocks are the foundation for countless dishes in cuisines around the world, and bouillon cubes and powders provide a certain level of accessibility to flavorful food for people without the skill, time, or other resources to make stock the traditional way."A lot of the reason why they're used is because of the access, ability, and simplicity of using them," Ettarh says.
"Bouillon cubes have so much umami in them that it tastes a lot more interesting and more developed than some store-bought chicken stock," Ettarh says. For curious cooks, they can be a gateway to understanding that highly sought-after fifth taste. "They're filled with a deep, rich taste that really amplifies whatever you're trying to make.
Used in a perhaps more conventional way, Kumar likes to make concentrated chicken stock with carcasses from leftover roast chicken for a gelatinous base that "you can just dole out in small quantities," she says. "You have something that's really potent, chicken-y, and powerful. You know: low volume, high impact."