SC - Chicken soup challenge

[Catherine Deville]

<<sniffle....hack.....HARRUMPH!  Okay, so the denizens of Puck's Glenn and
indeed a siginificant portion of Aquidneck Island is suffering from the
Creeping Crud.  As a cure-all I am resorting to massive quantities of
grandma's tried and true tonic...bourbon!  Alas, Milady does not appreciate
the finer points of German home recipes, so I am making her fresh chicken
soup.  >

...
<<  Good for the soul, good for the Creeping Crud though science has no
idea why.>>

Actually, science does have *some* ideas why ;-)  , even if they may only
be ideas at this point.  (at least from recent nutritional research, as
well as from herbal folklore), both garlic and onions are suspected to have
antibacterial (and possibly anti-viral as well) and immunobusting
properties (my most handy net reference includes in garlic's beneficial
properties "Anti bacterial, antibiotic, antiseptic, respiratory problems,
") and I believe that they've begun to isolate the properties within garlic
and other members of the allium species which they believe to be beneficial
(most researchers attribute it to the sulfer and selenium compounds in the
species and the way that they react in cooking... there are some good links
to articles here:
http://herbsforhealth.about.com/health/herbsforhealth/library/weekly/aa0731
97.htm#GENERAL )   In addition, warm broths are a good way to get nutrition
into the system without straining the digestive system overmuch and the
steam opens the sinuses.  The sage and salt in the broth also helps to open
the sinuses {  in fact, just steaming garlic, sage, salt and onions in
water is a good way to open your sinuses :-)  } Then there are the
vegetables.  If you look at the vegetables normally included in chicken
soup, they're usually good sources of vitamin C, A and/or  E... so they
also boost the immune system (while most of them are again, relatively easy
to digest.)

Beyond that, chicken soup is just plain and simply "comfort food", it
boosts our spirits and makes us feel better psychologically, which is why
chicken soup the way mom made it (even if it wasn't the best or is lipton's
instant) can be more restorative than what we have to get up and make
ourselves.  And the better you feel mentally and spiritually, the more you
are able to assist your body's natural immune system to do it's job.

<<SOOOOOoooooo.... What's everybody's favorite chicken soup recipe, why,
and are there period recipes?

regards, sniffle...snuffle...hiccup....Puck>>

Well, when I'm sick enough to feel like I *need* chicken soup, I don't feel
up to the fancy process required to make gourmet... for me simple is better
when I'm ill and I tend to keep canned broth, canned chicken and egg
noodles on hand for just such an occassion.   Then it's just saute the
onions and garlic (as much onions and garlic as you can stand and have it
be good is my philosophy, as that's the main "medicinal ingredient"), toss
a few carrots and some celery into the pot with the broth (add a little
chicken soup base or a few boullion cubes to increase the salt content and
enrichen the flavor some) and whatever spices you like (I generally just
rely on poultry spice and a bay leaf), boil for a few minutes then add the
egg noodles and canned meat (i don't drain it as long as it's not realy
fatty.)   boil until the egg noodles are tender and voila!  fast, easy
chicken noodle soup which is a good restorative and only takes about a 1/2
hr and very minimal labor.   not much more work than from a can or package,
but considerably better than those two options (IMO! of course)

then again, sometimes when my sinuses and my throat hurt, all I want is a
pack of ramen noodles with an extra bullion cube thrown in, so i'm in the
same boat as Bonne with that one ... but this is one time when all that
extra salt can be *good* for you.

I remain, in service to Meridies,
Lady Celia des L'archier