Avgalemono-OPA!

I hate getting sick in the summer, especially when its hot outside! Your body desperately wants you to curl up in bed and nurse your sickness (in my case a sinus thing all week long, combined with a nose that just wouldn't stop running) but your head says "Are you nuts, you'll sweat to death, go have some iced tea instead"! Hopefully you are not as stubborn as I and will listen to your body vs. your nutty mind and sweat it out in bed with some (ooh I cannot even say it) HOT SOUP.

Avgolemono Soup at Great Greek in Sherman Oaks

HOT SOUP, even for medicinal purpose is just not the most appealing of things in the dead of summer. Desperate times however call for desperate measures, so despite the heat and with a little persuasiveness from my husband, I turned to the next best thing, Avgolemono. A Greek specialty I am convinced has the powers to heal and sooth in ways no other soup can. A creamy, tangy, warm soup with flavor of epic proportions I generally eat all year round at this restaurant http://www.greatgreek.com/index.html, because hands down theirs is just the best!

Having had it for lunch the other day, I was almost happy I got this cold, as I haven't eaten my preciously hearty Avgolemono since March! Well not happy per say but defiantly elated that the summer heat didn't keep me away from this bowl of deliciousness. Made with rich chicken stock, it has layers and layers of flavor. The tiny orzo, daintily cut pieces of carrot, and hand picked almost undetectable chicken meat bursting with lemon flavor (what makes the soup so creamy and tangy is a combination of lemon juice and egg whisked together and added to it at the end of cooking) is just soothing perfection.

On second thought, the lemon makes it almost summery so don't let the heat keep you away from having this soup ASAP. The Great Greek Restaurant has been around since1984, and there is a reason its withstood the test of time in its popular location on Ventura Blvd. where restaurants open and close as as fast as this soup made me kick this summer cold! Oh and please when there do make certain you get the Avgolemono....it is their house specialty after all.



Tarama AKA Taramosalata

 Should you have room after the soup (I assure you a second bowl is highly plausible) then get the Greek Caviar "Tarama". Made from Cod or Carp Roe and traditionally blended with bread, lemon, onions, vinegar and olive oil, this mezze (a small Mediterranean or Middle Eastern appetizer) ROCKS! Dip their warm house sourdough bread in to it and ENJOY!


Bread Dipped in Tarama at Great Greek

Update:

My summer cold is GONE and I am feeling A-OK. Thanks to the Avgolemono and loads of tea with lemon, I was in top top shape for the start of our vacation. We just landed in Vancouver a few hours ago, and will be heading to Whistler, BC on Monday! This is my first time in Canada, and I am so looking forward to exploring its stunning landscape. We arrived a few hours ago and although exploring hasn't happened just yet, the views of the waterfront and mountains from my hotel room are enough of a  preview of the nature and beauty that is to come. Stay tuned for adventures from Canada!