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[Golfhaus]

It's just your body telling you that Rest Is Good When You're Sick, and making sure you listen the hell to it.

[pmcd9]

Unfortunatly I have to avoid vitamin C in large amounts as in pill or juice form it gives me severe heart burn, which is why I'm awake right now at a quarter to three AM.  I drank juice and ate Christmas oranges.  Ohh.  I should be sleeping, but instead I am not... sleeping.  Ohh...

Interesting.  I rarely get a cold, could be because I love oranges and eat them virtually everyday, almost at every meal all throughout the growing season (i.e. now).  I'm sorry your body disagrees with the wonderful goodness of oranges.  That really is a sad thing.

~Paul

[CortJstr]

I think this is the hardest I've laughed at one of Paul's picture links

[misterqueue]

Good thing this isn't the Godfather* Paul, otherwise I'd tell you to watch your back.


*I think the tipoff is that the Godfather had mafia bosses at the table, not a bunch of Santas, but I can't be sure.

[side_show]

Oh, yeah, so I was just barely sick.  The reason I asked for other people's cures is cause I have my own.  In two years I have now had only the one cold and it only lasted two and a half days.  My secret weapon has been Moducare.  An actor I was directing came to rehearsal with a cold one day, then wasn't sick the next, she told me about Moducare, and I always take it when I'm feeling run down, or if the SO has a cold, and so far it hasn't failed me.

[AlohaDawg]

You know what works for me?

When I get the beat rundown feeling and start getting achy, I get me to a vietnamese noodle shop and get Phô with rare beef and tendon.

Works every time, especially on those brutal summer colds I seem to be more prone to.

[sjlimmer]

You know what works for me?

When I get the beat rundown feeling and start getting achy, I get me to a vietnamese noodle shop and get Phô with rare beef and tendon.

Works every time, especially on those brutal summer colds I seem to be more prone to.

Damn you, sir!  Phô was always my sickness (and hangover!) cure in Seattle, but there's no sign of it out here in the middle of nowhere.  Why are you always reminding me of what I gave up when I left civilization?

As for pre-sickness, I usually just let it run it's course.  It probably won't kill me...this time.

[Carlos del Vaca]

Damn you, sir!  Phô was always my sickness (and hangover!) cure in Seattle, but there's no sign of it out here in the middle of nowhere.  Why are you always reminding me of what I gave up when I left civilization?

You could make your own.  I agree that it's a fantastic hangover cure and cold medication.  I have the following recipe from a book I informally call "The Big Book of Asian Cooking"; I've never made it myself, so I can't vouch for it.  I think it's something best left to professionals, and we have plenty of those around here.  But if you're in dire straits and willing to spend some time on it, you might give it a shot.

First, the stock.  Not just any stock, it's "Southeast Asian Beef Stock":
2 to 2 1/2 lb. oxtail, beef shank, or ribs
1 lb. daikon, peeled and cut into chunks
2-3 oz. fresh ginger, thinly sliced lengthwise
5 scallions, trimmed, halved, cut into six-inch lengths, and "lightly
crushed"
1 large yellow onion, peeled and studded with 5 cloves
5 star anise
1 piece of cassia bark, 3-4 inches long, or a cinnamon stick
2 T. granulated sugar
1 t. peppercorns
kosher salt

Place the beef bones in a pot and cover with 5 quarts of water.  Add everything but the salt and bring to a boil.  Skim off the foam, then
reduce the heat and add salt to taste.  Simmer uncovered, occasionally skimming off any foam, until the stock is reduced by about 2 quarts, about 3 hours.  Skim off fat if you see fit.

Strain the stock and discard the solids.

Then, the soup:
8 oz. dried rice sticks
10 c. of the stock
2-3 c. mung bean sprouts
12 oz. beef eye of round, sliced paper thin
1 small yellow onion, sliced into this wedges
12 saw leaves (I don't know what these are) or 1 c. chopped cilantro

Condiments:
30 thai basil leaves
3 scallions, trimmed and sliced thin
red chile & garlic paste
sauteed or fried shallots
2 limes, sliced into wedges
hoisin sauce
giraffe sauce

Place the rice noodles in a dish with water to cover.  Let stand until pliable, about 30 minutes, and drain.

Bring the beef stock to a gentle boil, and simmer until ready to use.

Fill another pot with water and bring to a boil.  Divide your rice noodles into individual portions (this recipe serves 4 to 6), and one at a time, lower them into the water in a sieve.  Untangle the noodles with chopsticks, and boil just until tender, about 7 seconds.  Remove and drain, then place into individual bowls.  Throw 1/3 to 1/2 cup of bean sprouts into each bowl too.

Add the onion to the stock and cook for five minutes.  Put a few slices of raw beef into each bowl, then ladle the stock into the bowl.  (The stock will cook the beef; if you have issues with this, you can cook the beef in the water first like you did the noodles.) Server with the myriad garnishes and condiments.

[AlohaDawg]

Ngo Gai ~ "N-gaw guy"
Mui Tau ~ "Moo-ee Tao"
Ngo Tau ~ "N-gaw Tao"

Common names Mexican coriander, thorny coriander, culantro, saw-leaf herb, saw-tooth herb, recao, Tabasco parsley
 
Botanical name: Eryngium foetidum
 
A favored herb for tearing up and adding to hot bowls of pho beef noodle soup, ngo gai is more expensive than most Viet herbs because it's slow to grow. Each leaf emanates from the base of the plant; there are no stems from which multiple leaves may flourish.


This herb is native to Central America and is now grown throughout Southeast Asia and Latin America. The leaves are thick and the thorns edging the leaves won't hurt you. Flavorwise, it's stronger than true cilantro, yielding a much earthier flavor. You can always substitute cilantro.
 
Availability At Viet, Caribbean and sometimes Latino markets, ngo gai is sold in plastic bags or on Styrofoam trays wrapped in plastic. Plants are sometimes sold there too during the summertime. For mail order seeds and plants, go to Richter's Herb Catalogue.


Edited to add: this is cut and pasted. I can't take credit for knowing about herb.

Well, this particular herb anyhow.