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Welcome to 'Like Penicillin', fanlisting for the yummy food chicken. The reason I gave it this name is because it is said that chicken soup can cure you of anything, and some call it the jewish penicillin. It is such a pleasure to bring this awesome fanlisting to you. Thanks so much to Alice for letting adopt it from her!



What is a fanlisting?
A fanlisting is a website that devotes itself to a certain subject matter (TV show, actor/ actress, characters, etc.) and asks others from all over to join in and show the world that they're a fan, too!



About chicken soup
Chicken soup is a soup made by boiling chicken parts or bones in water, with various vegetables and flavorings. The classic chicken soup consists of a clear broth, often served with small pieces of chicken or vegetables, or with noodles or dumplings, or grains such as rice and barley. Chicken soup has also acquired the reputation of a folk remedy for colds and flus, and in many countries including the United States is considered a classic comfort food.


According to food historians, chicken soup was already being prescribed as a cure for the common cold in Ancient Egypt. The 10th century Persian physician Avicenna also referred to the curative powers of chicken soup in his writings. In the 12th century the Jewish sage Maimonides wrote that chicken soup “has virtue in rectifying corrupted humours”, and recommended it as nutrition for convalescents; Maimonides also particularly recommended chicken soup for people suffering from hemorrhoids and the early stages of leprosy.


In modern medicine, research conducted by Dr. Stephen Rennard, professor of pulmonary and critical care medicine, and his colleagues at the University of Nebraska Medical Center in Omaha, suggests that there might be some scientific basis for the belief in the curative powers of chicken soup. They found that the particular blend of nutrients and vitamins in traditional chicken soup can slow the activity of certain white blood cells. This may have an anti-inflammatory effect that could hypothetically lead to temporary ease from symptoms of illness. Their research was published in 2000 in the scientific journal Chest[2]. This was not, however, an in vivo clinical trial, and did not demonstrate that chicken soup was the best foodstuff for this purpose.


Because it is simple to prepare, relatively cheap, nutritious, and easy on the digestive system, chicken soup is a good food for winter convalescents. Probably more significant, sipping warm soup can clear the sinuses because of the steam ventilating into the nasal passages, serving as a natural decongestant, which also relieves cold and flu symptoms. Last but not least, chicken soup can be beneficial due to the placebo effect of comfort foods.


The soup is often associated with European Jewish cuisine, in which chicken soup is the traditional dish, often with matzah balls. Although poverty was rampant in the shtetl, chicken-raising required little land or financial investment[3]. Every Jewish family would try to acquire at least one chicken in honor of the Shabbat meals, and would try to stretch it as far as it would go. Thus, every part of the chicken was used, leading to the creation of such dishes as p'tcha (chicken feet), pupiks (roasted gizzards), chopped liver, stuffed hezel (chicken neck), and schmaltz and greben (respectively, chicken fat and cracklings made from the fat and the skins). Chicken soup also proved to be a “recyclable” dish. Parts of the chicken—especially the breasts, which produce a more delicate flavor during the boiling process—were boiled as chicken soup and then reused afterwards in such dishes as kreplach, knishes, and blintzes. Tortelloni-like kreplach are traditionally added to the soup on the eve of Yom Kippur. Lokshen (flat egg noodles) are also a favorite Jewish addition to chicken soup. A traditional garnish, nowadays much less popular, was unlaid chicken eggs [4][5], taken from the inner organs of the hen and boiled in the soup. Herbs traditionally served with Jewish chicken soup are parsley and dill.


Chicken soup is sometimes referred to as “Jewish penicillin”, in recognition of its curative powers.


The flavor of the chicken in chicken soup is most potent when the chicken is boiled in water with salt and only a few vegetables, such as onion, carrots, and celery. Variations on the flavor are gained by adding root vegetables such as parsnip, potato, sweet potato and celery root, herbs such as parsley and dill, and other vegetables such as zucchini, whole garlic cloves or tomatoes. The soup should be brought to a boil and then simmered in a covered pot on a very low flame for one to three hours, adding water if necessary. Seasonings such as black pepper can be added. A clearer broth is achieved by skimming the film of congealed fat off the top of the soup as it is cooking; the broth can be further clarified by straining it through a strainer or cloth. Saffron or turmeric are sometimes added as a yellow colorant. It has also been said that the amount of scum can be reduced by first bringing the chicken to boil from a pot of cold water and discarding it before continuing.



About The Webmaster...
My name is Amanda and I live in Brooklyn, NY. I am currently the owner of several websites, several fanlistings and namelistings and 3 forums. You can reach me anytime at Sel416331@aol.com and on AIM. All images, html, and codes are the property of me! Please visit the credits page for more info on those who helped out.