In the culinary arts, fond is a contraction of fonds de cuisine which is loosely described as "the foundation and working capital of the kitchen".[1] It refers to the flavorful solid bits of food stuck to a pan or pot after cooking.[2] These bits are deglazed with a liquid in order to produce a stock, broth, or sauce. The name is an abbreviated form of the French word fondation (foundation in English).
In popular usage, the word fond is often used to refer to the stock made from a fond.