too full of flavor

Do we need additional flavor to our foods? historically people have added natural spices with the aim to preserve the food quality (cinnamon) and enhance its flavors. The relatively new addition of artificial flavoring agents can be linked to health problems, but in general well conducted studies are needed to prove this hypothesis. A common ingredient in powdered broth cubes - MSG has recently been linked to headache and craniofacial pain sensitivity. In fact people have defined a Chinese restaurant syndrome, later referred to as the MSG symptom complex. Is is worth the trouble? Perhaps we should instead take the trouble to remember the flavor of fresh garden vegetables, as they turn into foods in our own kitchens, by the means of our own hands?

The alternative to an artificially heightened protein taste can be served simply in the form of a soup. It can be started simply with a pot of fresh water, a small chicken (cornish perhaps), a large onion and a few garlic cloves, perhaps a carrot and a laurel leaf. Bring it to a boil and then remove the foam which has raised to the top. Lower the temperature and let it boil for one hour or more. Meanwhile chop some vegetables: a carrot, some celeriac, parsnip, pepper, perhaps a beet. You may choose to sautee a chopped onion in olive oil, with some added goodness from turmeric or italian seasoning (organo, marjoram, rosemary...). Add the chopped vegetables to the soup and let it boil for one hour or more. The longer the better. Towards the end you can add parsley and/or lovage. A little lemon (eventually yogurt or sour cream in the bowl) will further enhance the taste, as well as the amount of vitamin C.

If you have a little kid like mine, she would ask me to throw some macarroni in and will gladly eat those macaroni infused with flavor. There is nothing wrong I can see with this kind of flavor!

If your little one has not been convinced yet, she can ask Desperaux and the people from the city of Dorr what they think about soup.