Stock vs. broth. Broth vs. stock.What's the difference? Well, that's a can of worms. Some say it's the difference between simmering water with bones (stock) and meat (broth); others draw the line at leaving the resulting liquid unseasoned (broth) versus adding salt (stock).The finished product is clear, clean and almost shockingly satisfying to sip on its own (mushroom tea!), to say nothing of being used as a base for soups (simply throw in a handful of grains and vegetables), stews, sauces, risottos and more. It tastes richer than the sum of its parts, a perfect trompe l'oeil (or make that trompe l'palate) for this time of year, when we crave dishes both comforting and clean.For this broth, we put our own TT spin on a dashi made only with dried shiitake mushrooms that have been soaked in cold water overnight. They're then gently simmered with onions, leeks, garlic and herbs. What results is an umami-rich broth that is a tiny bit sweet with just the slightest touch of acidity coming from a strip of lemon.