Stock (that's actually worth something)

I love to make stock-- it is such a good way to get rid of scraps. I don't compost here, but I do save my veggie scraps and stuff in the fridge or the freezer to make stock out of them later. Here I used the tops of some leeks, the tops of fennel, one parsnip, part of a bag of leftover shredded carrots, one full carrot with the greens still attached, a chicken carcass leftover from a rotisserie chicken I bought last weekend, and the rind of a bacon slab I bought from the Farmer's Market last weekend. Why did I add this unusual ingredient (the bacon slab rind)? Because I can and because everything tastes better with the essence of bacon added to it. Yup.

So the first picture here is the stock soon after I put it on the stove, and the second picture is the stock after having cooked for about three hours. Mmm, tasty. I shall freeze small cubes of stock for sauces, and make the rest into matzo ball soup, perhaps.