Last week, after posting about Eudora Welty's description of champagne as a folk medicine, I started thinking more about the medicinal power of food and drink. We foodies talk a lot about comfort food, which connotes more of a psychological palliative, hangover cures and foods that contribute to life-long health. But what about the quick fixes we seek to alleviate colds, coughs, fevers, and flus? I bet each one of you can think of a couple foods or drinks that you reach for when you're under the weather. For many, it might be the old standby of chicken soup -- but I'm interested in that special, personal twist on the soup that you believe makes all the difference. To me, it's the side dish that always accompanied the soup when I was home from school with some ailment: one slice of soft sandwich bread, un-toasted, generously buttered and folded in half. Couldn't be more simple or more welcome. The beverage of choice was orange juice with plenty of ice (I normally drank apple juice with no ice), and dessert, invariably, was red Jell-O.
My guess is that many of you, like me, imported your food cures from childhood. Then again, maybe some of you have discovered new remedies. Do tell!
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
1-13-2009 @ 8:13PM
piccola said...
There's a couple I stole from my childhood. For the flu or sore throat, it has to be Popsicles, preferably banana or chocolate. For a stomach bug, my dad's combo: Corn Flakes with milk and broken up arrowroot cookies.
One acquired remedy is hot-and-sour soup, which I crave whenever I'm feeling under the weather, physically or emotionally.
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1-13-2009 @ 9:45PM
Savor The Thyme said...
Yes, I am a chicken soup girl however, I put a twist on mine. I use fresh lemon juice and rind in it and instead of noodles, I use orzo to give me the comfort of carbs. I find the orzo is even easier than noodles to eat when you have a sore throat. I recently posted about it here:
http://savorthethyme.blogspot.com/2009/01/lemony-chicken-orzo-soup.html
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1-13-2009 @ 10:48PM
Liz Petty said...
My boyfriend has been sick with a sore throat, cough and runny nose for the past week, and he's been taking meds, but they just don't seem to help.
Yesterday, I made chicken soup and gave it to him for dinner last night and packed it in his lunch for today (I also packed it in his lunch tomorrow). Wouldn't you know -- this morning was the first time he said he felt better, the morning after he'd had the first bowl of chicken soup! I swear, that stuff is magical.
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1-14-2009 @ 2:46AM
Dea said...
I will 2nd the hot and sour soup remedy when i have a head cold or can't breathe i NEED hot and sour soup to make me feel better!!!
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1-14-2009 @ 5:59AM
Uncontrol said...
When I have a cold, I like to go out for fresh miso soup.
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1-14-2009 @ 11:23AM
Fred said...
After an evening of too much alcohol, the only thing I need as a restorative is 1 Diet Coke with Lime, and 2 Machaca Burritos. Truly cheap, and good Mexican food is an amazing restorative. Even though I grew up outside Philadelphia, I've come to love the So. Cal version of Mexican. LOL!
I've always said if I could open up a "Bertos" in the District of Columbia, it would be a license to print money. LOL
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1-15-2009 @ 9:14PM
Kelly said...
Very similar to your buttered bread, actually. I take a slice of challah (from the bagel shop owned by a dad of a girl who was in my Girl Scout troop), sprinkled with store bought parmesean cheese (can't stand the stuff usually). It tastes like being under a warm blanket and watching slightly too much TV.
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