Consommé is a clear, refined soup made by clarifying rich stock with egg whites, which trap impurities in a floating raft that is then lifted away. The result is a crystal-clear, intensely flavoured broth from meat, poultry, fish, or vegetables, served hot in small portions as a first course or chilled as a summer soup. Garnishes are minimal and precise: a julienne of vegetables, a quenelle, or a whisper of herbs. Making consommé tests a cook’s patience and technique, and its clarity is the visible proof of skill. It is classical French cookery at its most elegant.