I remember my first ham stock. I tossed the bone in a pot, added some water, and got distracted by a movie. Two hours later, I tasted it and thought, “Huh, this is okay.” I let it go another 90 minutes, and whoa. The liquid had turned a beautiful golden-brown and felt thick on my tongue. That extra hour made all the difference.
Now, I treat it like a background chore. I set a timer for 3 hours, toss in a bay leaf and some peppercorns, and let it burble while I fold laundry or read a chapter of my book. It’s the most rewarding kind of multitasking.
