SOUP.
Feeling under the weather? Feeling like the weather?
Sounds like it’s time for SOUP!
We at OTGG are big fans of soup for whatever ails us – whether it’s physical, emotional, spiritual, or all of the above –
so here are some of our favorites to make at home or pick up around town that might just do the trick.
Writers: Ariel Turner, Jackie Brooker, Ashley Hay Mitchell
Plant-based Broccoli and “Cheddar”
Having been raised on the gloopy broccoli cheese soup that comes from cans and boxes, and then figuring out as an adult that making my own with whole foods was so much better, it (almost) pains me to admit how good this plant-based, healthy version from Kuka Juice is. It’s shockingly diary-like and perfectly savory, and literally guilt-free, unless you’re allergic to cashews, in which case, you’ll have to pass on this one.
As good as the real thing
With only a few key ingredients, Kuka Juice has managed to provide all the comfort feels for those with specific dietary choices, and even omnivores don’t know the difference. Trust me — I’ve tricked a few.
Pro tip: watch for the IG announcement that it’s on the daily menu, and buy it by the quart. Any leftovers are just as good the next day, or fold into some whisked eggs and bake in a pie crust for some of the easiest and best homemade quiche you’ve ever had.
Chicken Soup really does “soothe the soul...”
but when you add some matzah balls and some old school, you’ve got yourself Jewish Penicillin. A remedy prescribed by mothers and doctors for decades, the well-earned nickname comes from 12th-century Jewish philosopher and physician Maimonides in his book “On the Cause of Symptoms.”
The challenge?
Finding matzah ball soup in the Upstate. Let’s face it, we don’t have the Jewish population of cities like Atlanta, NYC, or the region of South Florida. Other than Greenfield’s Bagels and Deli or an invite from one of your Jewish friends, it’s going to be up to you to make it. It’s really not hard, just follow these steps.
Step 1: Make chicken soup
Think about it, this chicken soup comes from years of feeding many with little effort. Don’t make this hard. Load a large stockpot with an organic chicken, a quartered onion, a few carrots, and a quartered parsnip. Skip the celery. Trust me. Cover with water and top with a twisted handful of dill, parsley, and salt n pepper. Skim off the yuck and pour yourself a drink, ‘cause you’re gonna be babysitting for two hours.
Step 2: Get the boxed mix
There is no shame in using boxed mix when the instructions can be read by your child and it eliminates the need to question yourself when the matzoh meal fails. Cause it always does.
Pro tip: do not mix brands, make sure the boiling water is flavored, and DO NOT open the pot while steaming - unless you want the sinkers your Bubbie made. Folks usually like their balls big and fluffy. 😜
Step 3: Eat bubala*
Strain or remove some of the greenery and bones.
*Bubala: A term of endearment, darling. It's like, “oh sweetie!” But more fun.
When you need soup fast
On a chilly Saturdays the windows are open, football is on the TV, and soup is in process. If I don’t have time to get lost in a recipe, I make Roberto, Helen Rosner’s recipe for a deliciously-quick sausage and kale soup. Roberto has come to the rescue a couple times, but it’s particularly nice when I need the fix immediately. The ingredient list is short and the soup comes together in just 25 minutes. Click here to make a bowl for yourself.
Image credit: Jacob Pope
Local soups to pick up
We’re so lucky to have so many global soup options here in the Upstate.
Asada: Mexican Pozole
Cucina del Borgo: Italian Minestrone, Pappa al Pomodoro - Tuscan Tomato soup, Zuppa Di Zucca (squash soup)
Asia Pacific Grocery & Restaurant: Everything from wonton noodle soup, hot and sour all the way to seafood and duck soups.
Sushi Go: Provides traditional soups such as the Japanese Sukiyaki Udon, Miso Ramen soup, all the way to Tempura and Nabeyaki Udon soup.
Freeze the goods
Utilize your freezer and stock up! Whether you’re feeling sick, don’t want to run to the store, or want to drop some on the doorstep of a quarantined friend, a quart in the freezer goes a long way! We’ve been known to freeze a small portion of what we’re making or stock up when we're out of town. The Okra Soup pictured here is from Lowcountry Fresh in Bluffton, SC and we buy it in bulk whenever we are in town.