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19th August 2008

Starve a Fever, Feed a Cold

posted by Jennifer Maiser | posted in health and nutrition |

tom yum goongI had something else planned for my post today, but the truth is that I am completely under the weather. As in having to rest between the kitchen and the bedroom, as in bundled in blankets and fleeces and warm socks. What are your magic remedies when you're not feeling great? Here are some of mine:

Dr. Mathra's Totally Hot Toddy. Ever since I got my hands on this recipe, it has been my go-to hot toddy drink when I'm under the weather. A pinch of red chili flakes is a great addition.

Tom Yum Goong from Thai House Express on Geary at Larkin. This hot and sour soup warms me up and helps clear up any congestion. If I don't have the energy to pick up, I order from Chai Yo on Polk street.

Pho from Mai's on Clement. There's better pho in town, but this small restaurant is a comfortable spot to slurp some pho when you're under the weather.

Parmesan toast with tomatoes. This is one of my tribe's comfort foods. I've been eating it since I was a kid.

In an ideal world, I would have the energy to whip up my own lentil soup or chicken soup or spicy tomato sauce, but when all I can think about is going back to bed, these quick food options provide comfort and sustenance.

What do you do when you're under the weather?

This entry was posted by Jennifer Maiser on Tuesday, August 19th, 2008 at 3:31 pm and is filed under health and nutrition. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.
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There are currently 7 responses to “Starve a Fever, Feed a Cold”

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  1. 1 On August 19th, 2008, wendygee said:

    I am a big fan of making a vat of chicken soup…I have a quick and easy way to do it that is not as labor intensive as making your own stock from scratch…I simply buy a whole chicken and about 5-6 boxes of organic chix stock (I like the whole foods 365 brand). I saute chopped onions, carrots and celery in olive oil in a stock pot, throw in the whole chix…add some sprigs of thyme, some parsley..let the veggies carmelize a bit and start to add the stock…once all the liquid is added I just cook it until the chix starts to fall off the bone…I remove the skin and bones and let it cook some more until it tastes great. I usually add some pepper but the stock typically has enough salt in it. I then cook noodles or rice separately and pour the soup over the carbs in a bowl. This soup will last a couple of days and is a surefire cure.

  2. 2 On August 19th, 2008, Denise Lincoln said:

    I crave Picante's chicken tortilla soup when I'm sick and make my husband drive all the way to Berkeley to get it. There's something about the mild chile sauce in the chicken broth that clears my head. I also like to make a homemade tomato soup, if I have the energy, and eat it with grilled cheese. Yum.

  3. 3 On August 19th, 2008, Anita said:

    We're fans of the curative toddy here, too — we go for Cameron's patented Two-Hat Cure

    I like to eat plain egg-fried rice when I am sick, or (if the ailment's not digestive) maybe some hot-and-sour soup.

  4. 4 On August 19th, 2008, Stephanie said:

    Good for you for posting when you're feeling so lousy. Hot and sour soup is one of my go-to cures as well. Either that or a *really* hot curry. Something to get all the bad stuff flowing out.

    And yes, my husband's hot toddies are the bomb.

  5. 5 On August 19th, 2008, elkit said:

    I like chicken soup. I always keep a couple of cans stocked. And if my bronchials are all congested, I love this peppery couscous broth - it has cayenne pepper, cinnamon, cumin, coriander, bell peppers, and tomatoes. The cayenne pepper really helps the congestion.

  6. 6 On August 21st, 2008, tcduong said:

    Definitely pho. Although as a DC transplant, I don't know here to go in Oakland. My other curative is jook, Asian rice porridge. It's best for stomach ailments because it won't upset your stomach.

  7. 7 On August 23rd, 2008, Michael Procopio said:

    Okay, neighbor. Chai Yo? Hooray! I have two friends to whom I give the greeting, "Chai Yo!" whenever I see them. Complete with an arm wave reminiscent of the good luck cats that decorate the place. I miss the old decor– especially the tablecloths-under-glass which alternated cartoon cows chomping hay with the phrase "Milky Time!"

    I hope you're feeling better now…

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