Dorie tells us that this week’s recipe is the French version of chicken noodle soup. Well, at the time that the recipe was announced in late February, I was long overdue for a cure. I had been cruising that middle ground between feeling not quite sick enough to stay home from work and not quite well enough to go in. Every morning after a good night’s sleep I would feel a bit better, and by midway through the day I would feel completely worn out and start thinking about leaving early. By day 7 I gave up and called in sick. That was the day I noticed that the March recipes had been announced and that was when I flipped through the book to read Dorie’s explanation of the restorative properties of this soup. I checked the cupboard and discovered that I was missing garlic and sage. So I dragged myself off the couch and over to the market to buy the missing two ingredients.
Once home, and after a quick nap to recover from the exertion of walking all of 3 blocks to the market and back, I sliced up the garlic (the whole bulb!) and got the soup started. Dorie suggests that the soup could be puréed or left as is. I went with option C and strained out most of the cooked garlic before adding the eggs.
The second the soup was done I poured myself a bowl, slurped it down, and then poured myself another bowl. In that sniffly, achy moment, it was the best soup I had ever tasted.
My husband came home a few hours later and I ever so gently reheated the soup for him in a double broiler. He commented that it was good, but I think he was just being nice to his sick wife, because after only half a bowl I found him in the kitchen prowling around for something else.
So there you have it, this cure-all soup is perfect for sick people or those trying to keep vampires at bay, but perhaps not so exciting for the perfectly healthy. I warned my husband that he should learn how to make it, because I will now be craving it next time I get sick.
one expat's life 
Such a beautiful colour! Glad it cured you!
I guzzled mine down in the middle of a nasty cold. And at that moment, I was glad for it.
Hope you are all recoveref!
I got struck down with a cold just in time for this soup, too. It hit the spot. Hope you’re feeling better. It’s been a week, and my head is only emerging from its fog now.
Such a wonderful endorsement!! Glad it helped!!!
I hate those colds that just linger. So sorry you aren’t feeling well… more soup for you!
I needed a cure too but found that what I had a soup couldn’t cure. At least not directly. But I found cure! I’m doing the lingering throat cold thing now truthfully and this didn’t put a dent in it. Don’t you think two months is a long time for a cold symptom to decide its had enough?
I think your husband must have just been hungry. As good as the soup is, it’s not filling enough to make a meal for someone who isn’t ailing. I hope you’re feeling better by now, Rose. And you can give complete credit to this soup!
I considered removing the garlic too, but then decided to use a blender. As much as we enjoyed the soup, the flavor of garlic was a bit too much for me. I hope you are felling better, but if not,
have yourself checked out.
Dear Rose, I certainly hope that you are feeling much better by now and that this lovely looking soup of yours did its job and cured you of all sniffles and aches!
Gute Besserung,
Andrea
I’m so glad this helped you feel better. I hope you’re completely cured by now!
This is a perfect soup for the sick. I wasn’t sick when I made it, but I felt better all the same – I loved the garlicky-ness of it.
My hubby and I were in Florida when I made this soup. We had a few cool days, and I thought I should knock it out! We both really enjoyed it, but it is a thin soup that is not at all filling! I served mine with a hearty bread!
Hope you’re feeling better, Rose!
Your Post certainly was a great recommendation for keeping the doctor at bay. Melissa (daughter) had the same thing all Winter. It just hung on. She’d go to work, feel lousy but what was her choice, week in and week out. I should have sent her the recipe although, like your husband, the soup would not have gone down well with Stephen, Emma and Clara. Not substantial enough. Still good for sickies. Interesting that you did decide to strain the garlic out.
When a walk tires you out you know you are really sick. I am glad that this was a hit for most people. I will have to try it next time a cold strikes. Good idea about teaching your husband to make it:)
I hope you are feeling much better now. Extra bonus kudos for going to the market to buy the ingredients when you were not well. This soup was good, wasn’t it.