Mother Wonderful’s Chicken Soup

Plot

Who knew making chicken soup could result in years of expensive therapy? According to Myra Chanin's Mother Wonderful's Chicken Soup, this particular potage is a real emotional minefield, apparent in the opening lines of the book: "Early one morning ... when you know your daughter is having a busy day, call your daughter and say you're catching cold. Ask if she can spare a few minutes to drive you to a kosher butcher so you can buy a chicken with feet for soup. Everybody knows chicken soup is the best defense against germs. Remind her how quickly a cold can turn into double pneumonia, which everybody knows is the number one killer of senior citizens...." Obviously, these directions are above and beyond those you find in an ordinary recipe!

Accompanying Chanin's hilarious instructions--covering every step from buying a chicken ("Greet the owner as if he were your favorite brother, rather than a person who intends to sell you a defective chicken") and preparing the soup ("Wash your hands before and after you touch anything.... Avoid adding germs to your soup") to serving it ("When they ask you why you aren't joining them, tell them you'll eat after you finish cleaning the kitchen")--are photographs of the author's own mother demonstrating her technique. Oh yes, there are also many delightful recipes at the back of the book for other chicken dishes and side dishes. Just think--with the money you save using all the parts of the chicken, you'll be able to afford a really great therapist!