I have been using a product called soup base, a concentrated paste that can be reconstituted into stock. It comes in all varieties (beef, veal, chicken, shrimp, etc.), and its quality far surpasses that of any canned stock I've ever purchased in a supermarket. It also lasts refrigerated for up to a year once opened. I typically cook only for myself, so it's impractical for me to make up a whole batch of different stocks to appease my varied appetite . . . I'd never use it all, & it would take up a lot of valuable refrigerator or freezer space. Soup bases allow me to make up just what I need without having to eat chicken-based meals (for example) for the next few days, and they're reconstituted in just a couple of minutes.
I know I can freeze real stock into cubes, but is the quality at that point approaching what I would have with a soup base?
Are soup bases a reasonable substitution for the real thing?
Do soup bases contain gelatin like real stock? Any other differences I should know?
What are your thoughts on the use of these products for someone who cooks only for himself, but who appreciates good food?