Recipe taken from Sundays at Moosewood Restaurant cookbook.

Ingredients:

2 large unpeeled potatoes, quartered
2 large carrots, peeled and thickly sliced
1 large onion, peeled and quartered
1 celery stalk, chopped
1 apple or pear, seeded and chopped
1 bay leaf
12 peppercorns
10 cups water

Optional ingredients:
garlic
tomatos

for Asian flavor
ginger
scallions
shiitake mushrooms

Combine all ingredients in a large stock pot and heat until boiling. Reduce heat and simmer for 45 minutes to 1 hour. Strain out the solids and pour the liquid into a hear resistant container. Refrigerate in a sealed container until needed, up to 2 weeks.