Re: stocks, bases, bouillions, etc. Really easy to make. Time consuming? maybe. Storage? gotta have freezer space or a need/ability to use up quickly. Flavor? can't be beat, hands down, by any commercially prepared stuff. Granted, I've run into some foks who prefer base, bouillion cubes, etc., but generally, these are also people who have been raised on commercially prepared foods and their tastes are geared to such (not trying to get the velveeta war going again...gag...barf...yack...yuck...) (ahem) Anyway, I use the cubes myself, yes. Knorr has a decent vegetable bouillion cube. I don't even look at the salt content, no. I have a weenie sized freezer (watch it...) so that's my excuse. One can only try. I do like the message about stocks Paul Prudhomme has in his _Louisiana Kitchen_ cookbook (which is about as non-low fat cooking one can get, btw...but quite a treasure of recipes for the chilehead, you know...)....something like, 'it's better to throw some chicken parts (or beef or shellfish, etc...whatever's needed for the recipe) into a pot with some water and boil for 30 minutes than to just add water much less add bouillion cubes.' I tend to agree. I keep my fridge really cold and have a plastic container in the bottom back for "veggie parts". I make stock periodically with them. Sometimes I throw (compost) them cuz even in my Frigid Fridge (hmm), things do go bad. And veg stock is a wonderful base for other stocks; bases can even be added to them (what I often do). Of course, one can toss in a few chiles to the cooking stock and make a nice chilehead veggie (or whatever) stock. Make a stock w/some purple cabbage trimmings, some carrot, onion, and celery parts sometimes. Makes for some wicked looking soup, baby... yes, yes. Time and storage. I know. Not preaching, just rambling. Procrastinating (paper editing)...61+ degrees here in Idunno and I really really wanna be outside, in the sun, and...well, "being active"...yes... Peace, Hendrix, and Chiles....... Rael64 "No, I don't know that Atheists should be considered as citizens, nor should they be considered as patriots. This is one nation under God." -Republican Presidential Nominee George Bush-