A PERFECT CURE: CARROT, POTATO, AND GROUND SUMAC SOUP

I've come down with my first illness in the last eight or nine years. I'm thankful for all of my years of health, but I truly believe that all of those winters of not being sick have teamed up and decided to make this January a real difficult one. I'm finding that this sickness has been polarizing my life in a few ways. For example, I am never ever ever hot. Even on a 98 degree day last June I rode my bike to a lake eight miles away and didn't even break a sweat. I also am a very early riser, no matter what time I go to sleep. In relation to diet, I haven't been able to eat anything besides soup, yogurt, and curry for the last week. I'm usually a huge fan of yogurt and curry, so that's not really different than my usual diet, but I'm not one to often take pleasure in eating soup. I do have a few recipes that I've really enjoyed, but they are usually thick and creamy, like the chestnut soup I posted back in November. But this sickness has affected me in ways I never would have imagined: I'm hot, I can't wake up before 9:00, and I'm craving a broth-based soup.

Luckily for me, I still had some leftover turkey stock from Thanksgiving! I of course didn't want just broth, so I added a few carrots and potatoes as well. Let me tell you, I don't think anything has tasted so good since I first got sick two weeks ago. First of all, the soup is enticingly aromatic. I think boiling the soup was almost aromatherapeutic, to be honest. Secondly, I let the vegetables cook much past their point of mild tenderness, so the broth and vegetables glided very nicely across my swollen glands. Thirdly, the soup was pleasantly flavorful, enough that I'd still enjoy it when I'm not sick, but not overwhelming to the sensitive palate.

carrot, potato, and ground sumac soup

5 tablespoons butter
1 onion, roughly diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
8 cups turkey stock (it was a while ago, but I believe I added carrots, celery, an onion, a couple bay leaves, some pepper, and water to cover the carcass, and then I let it simmer for a good two hours)
6 large carrots, cut into thick coins
6 red potatoes, cut into eighths
1/2 teaspoon Turkish Ground Sumac Berries
2 bay leaves
1/2 teaspoon rosemary
1/2 teaspoon tarragon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon fine pepper
1/8 teaspoon cinnamon

Melt the butter in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onions and let cook juices, stirring occasionally, for about ten minutes, until they have released all of their juices. Add the turkey stock, vegetables, herbs and spices. I've heard that cinnamon has all sorts of health qualities- I'm not sure if it's urban legend, but I thought I'd throw it in for good measure. Don't be wary! You can only taste it if you look for it, but I really do think it enhances the soup by making the flavors pop. Bring the soup to a boil, then let it simmer uncovered for forty-five minutes. Serve with warm bread.