Long before modern medicine offered shelves of over-the-counter cold medicines at local drug stores, Southern mothers and grandmothers had natural remedies to help alleviate the discomfort of a common cold. Crowning that list is a cocktail of sorts that soothes a sore throat aids in relieving sinus pressure and acts as a sleeping agent to combat the disquieting body aches typical of the worst colds.
Legend has it, that back in the early '70s my father was sent to the liquor store in GA to pick up a bottle of whiskey. My sisters and I had just been diagnosed with a croup-like cough. While entering the ABC store, he ran right into our Methodist minister exiting. After a few uncomfortable seconds, they realized that they were both holding the same prescription for a Hotty Toddy written in our pediatrician's handwriting. For this reason, 50 years later, my mother will cross state lines to pick up her yearly bottle of Barcardi to make her Christmas Rum Cake.
I will never forget that first swig of prescriptive deliciousness. Lemon and honey coat the throat and cut through the unpleasant mucus lingering in the head; the whiskey offers nothing more than sweet warmth to the beverage, and then takes a more aggressive approach in combatting congestion. After drinking the concoction, it both puts you at ease and helps you drift into sleep so your body can recover.
Make no mistake, I still run to the drug store as quickly as you do when I’m not feeling well, but there's a level of comfort in sipping something warm, delicious, and wildly helpful in squelching the biting symptoms of seasonal sickness, in addition to taking the cold medicine working in our systems.
Admittedly times have changed, and while I never offered the whisky remedy to my own children, I still think back fondly on those memories. Simply because my parents still have that same bottle of Wild Turkey sitting in their kitchen cabinet.
Classic Chicken Noodle Soup with Salt & Vinegar Kettle Chips
INGREDIENTS
For the Soup:
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 2 medium carrots, diced
- 2 medium stalks of celery, diced
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 4 cups chicken broth
- 1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breast (or thighs)
- 1 (12-ounce) bag of extra-wide egg noodles
- 1/2 lemon juiced, or more, to taste
- Fresh dill and salt & vinegar potato chips as garnish
For the Salt & Vinegar Potato Chips:
- 2 lbs russet potatoes
- 2 cups distilled white vinegar
- 2 tablespoons Badia's Vinegar & Sea Salt Seasoning
- 4-5 cups vegetable oil
INSTRUCTIONS
For the Soup:
- Heat the butter until shimmering over medium heat in a large soup pot. Add the onion, carrots, celery, salt, and pepper. Cooking, stirring frequently, until the vegetables are very soft, about 7 minutes.
- Add the garlic and oregano and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the stock and chicken and boil on low heat for 20 minutes or until chicken is cooked through. Remove chicken and shred.
- Add the noodles and cook for 6 minutes, then add the shredded chicken and cook for about 2 minutes more, until the noodles are cooked through and the chicken is warmed through.
- Season to taste with salt and pepper, and if the soup is too thick for your liking, add 1-2 more cups of chicken broth.
- Serve topped with your favorite salt & vinegar potato chips and fresh dill.
For the Salt & Vinegar Potato Chips:
- Clean and peel potatoes. Slice at the lowest setting possible on a mandolin over a large bowl. Add 2 cups of vinegar and then add cold water to the bowl until it covers the potatoes and then add some ice. Let sit for 30 to 60 minutes.
- Meanwhile, line a large baking dish with a clean kitchen towel and have paper towels ready.
- Once the potatoes have soaked, drain into a colander and give a quick rinse. Shake off excess water.
- Add potato slices to the towel-lined baking dish in a single layer and then blot dry before adding more in another layer and patting dry with paper towels. You can also line in layers of potatoes, paper towels/kitchen towels.
- Meanwhile, heat 4-5 cups of vegetable oil in a saute pan until it reaches at least 350 degrees and up to 365 degrees. Use an instant-read thermometer, or use the wooden spoon test.
- Add potato slices to hot oil and let fry for 2 minutes on one side and then turn to finish on the other side, until golden and crispy.
- Remove from the pan with a slotted spoon onto a paper towel-lined plate. Sprinkle with vinegar and salt seasoning on one side and then turn the chips and sprinkle on the other side. Let cool on a single layer on a plate.
- Transfer to a larger plate or platter and serve! Or store in an airtight container for 1-2 weeks.
