What's all that honking? It's just your co-workers _ or your spouse or your kids or yourself. The fifth season of the year has arrived. You know _ spring, summer, fall, winter and flu. We can offer sympathy but no magic cures, but we can offer you something almost as good, a nice, steaming bowl of chicken soup. You doubt the healing powers of chicken soup? Well, try to find a culture that doesn't make chicken soup at the drip of a nose. There are Chinese chicken soups and Italian chicken soups. Who hasn't heard chicken soup called "Jewish penicillin"? In Denmark, new mothers are given chicken soup for strength after childbirth. In Ethiopia, a mild chicken soup called Yedoro Shorba is fed to children and sick people. "Countless mothers and grandmothers have given chicken soup all over the world," says Barbara Kafka. "It doesn't happen to be a particularly Middle American or European thing. The Chinese do it. It's that kind of universal panacea, and all those grandmothers can't be wrong." The author of numerous books and a regular contributor to the New York Times, Kafka knows from soup. Her new book is Soup _ A Way of Life (Artisan, $35). Kafka has plenty of ideas about why chicken soup might be considered a cure-all. For one, "soup is good healthy food," she says. "It's light in the sense that it's not too heavy for your system. You can digest it. It's not fattening." When we're sick, she says, "we do need nutrition, but we don't need heavy food, nor do we feel like eating it." Another reason for chicken soup's restorative reputation, says Kafka, might be gelatin. A well-made chicken soup rests on good stock, and, when you slow-cook chicken bones down into stock, you extract gelatin, which is a body builder. Remember the old Knox gelatin ads that urged drinking gelatin for stronger nails? Still, for all the myths surrounding chicken soup, there aren't a whole lot of facts. There's an often-cited study 15 years ago at Mount Sinai Hospital in Miami that looked at chicken soup, hot beverages and cold water and their effect on stuffy noses. We won't go into details _ it involves unappetizing phrases like "nasal mucus velocity" _ but the conclusion was that drinking hot things can ease your sinuses but only briefly, for about 30 minutes. Franca Alphin, a registered dietitian and administrative director at the Duke University Diet and Fitness Center, dismisses any magical claims for chicken soup. It all boils down to fluids, she says. Fluids of any kind are a good idea when you're sick. They help to flush your system so you can get rid of viruses more quickly, but many hot liquids can do that, from hot water with lemon juice to hot tea. "A lot of (the chicken soup legend) is a placebo effect," she says. When you slowly drink warm broth, it can be soothing and comforting. When you don't feel well, you want to be comforted, and the temperature is part of that." Chicken soup also has salt, she says, which makes it more flavorful for taste buds dulled by stuffy noses, but Alphin says chicken soup probably isn't a significant source of vitamins and minerals. "It's predominantly water," she says. "You can't pinpoint a specific ingredient because everybody makes chicken soup, or broth, differently." Which brings us to the big question: What's the key to great chicken soup? First, a tall stock pot is the best way to make a flavorful stock. Its narrow shape helps to keep the liquid from evaporating, but more important, says Barbara Kafka, it forces the liquid to rotate over and around the bones, extracting more flavor. Start with cold water, never hot, because cold water speeds extraction _ some proteins dissolve better in cold water. Once you've made your stock, you need to strain out the bones and vegetables used to flavor it, then separate the fat. You can pour the stock into a fat-separating cup that lets you pour off the broth, or you can siphon the broth from under the fat with a clean turkey baster or _ the easiest _ just refrigerate the stock overnight and lift off the hard layer of fat the next day. You can even freeze the stock and scrape off the fat before you thaw it. The vegetables in chicken soup can be anything your heart _ or stomach _ desires. Just remember to start the soup with fresh vegetables to keep them flavorful. If you're making chicken noodle soup, make sure that you cook the noodles separately before adding them to the soup, or the pasta will soak up all the broth, leaving you with chicken noodle stew. For her own cold battles, Kafka skips the noodles and goes for a spicy version, such as her Chicken Soup With Zing. Packed with jalapeno peppers, lemon juice and cilantro, it will "blast out your sinuses," she says. "In the old days, when people didn't have aspirin, what they had to do (for fever) was to provoke a sweat," she says. So maybe that's another point in favor of a hot bowl of soup. "The old wives were often correct," Kafka declares. "As an old wife, I can tell you." Chicken Soup 1 5-pound chicken, cut into pieces 12 cups water Soup: 1-2 cups medium egg noodles 2 small carrots, peeled, cut in half lengthwise and across into {-inch lengths 2 small onions, cut into {-inch cubes 2 small stalks celery, cut in half lengthwise and across into {-inch lengths 1 medium leek, white part only, cut in half lengthwise, washed, cut into \-inch slices 1 small turnip, peeled and cut into {-inch cubes 1 small parsnip, peeled and cut into {-inch cubes 1 clove garlic, smashed and peeled Stems from 1 bunch of parsley, tied with string 2 teaspoons kosher salt { cup loosely packed dill sprigs, chopped, or 2 tablespoons dried dillweed To make stock, in tall, narrow stockpot bring the chicken and water to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer 30-35 minutes. Remove the chicken with a slotted spoon and allow to cool slightly. Remove and discard chicken skin. Remove the meat, tear into bite-sized pieces and refrigerate to use in soup or another dish. Return the bones to the pot. Simmer for 3 hours and 30 minutes partly covered to keep too much liquid from evaporating. Skim occasionally to remove impurities and fat. Strain the stock through a fine-mesh sieve, discarding bones. There should be about 8 cups. Stock can be frozen at this point. To make soup, in a saucepan bring 3 quarts water to boil. Season lightly with salt. Add the noodles and cook until tender, according to package directions. Drain and reserve. In stockpot or Dutch oven, combine the stock with carrots, onions, celery, leek, turnip, parsnip, garlic and parsley stems. Bring to a boil. Lower heat and simmer 10-15 minutes or until the carrots and turnips are tender. Remove the parsley stems. Stir in the salt, dill, cooked noodles and, if using, reserved chicken. Heat through. Makes about 11 cups. This is the basic, grandmotherly chicken noodle soup. You can use the top of the recipe for making chicken stock; if you make the soup, the parsnips and turnips give a slightly sweet taste that is very nice. Source: Soup _ A Way of Life, by Barbara Kafka (Artisan, $35). Fake Chicken Stock 1 large can (6 cups) chicken broth (see note) or about 3 14.5-ounce cans chicken broth 1 pound chicken bones, backs, necks, wings or a combination 1 large yellow onion, skin on, quartered 2 envelopes unflavored gelatin In a medium saucepan, bring the broth, bones and onion to a boil. Lower the heat slightly. Cook at a low boil for 30 minutes. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve, pressing down on the solids to extract as much liquid as possible. Skim the fat. Return the broth to the saucepan. Sprinkle the gelatin over { cup cold water and let sit for 2 minutes. With a rubber spatula, scrape the gelatin into the broth. Heat the broth over medium heat, stirring, until the gelatin is completely dissolved. Broth will solidify in refrigerator but will liquefy when reheated. Makes about 5 cups. Note: We found that large cans of chicken broth were hard to locate so we used 3 14.5-ounce cans and added a little water to make 6 cups. You don't have time _ or strength _ to make real stock, but you want something better than canned? Kafka's method makes a deep-gold, oniony version that can be used for another soup. Source: Soup _ A Way of Life by Barbara Kafka (Artisan, $35). Chicken Soup With Zing 4 cups chicken stock or canned chicken broth 2 quarter-sized pieces peeled ginger 2 medium cloves garlic, peeled and thinly sliced lengthwise 1 jalapeno pepper, seeded, deribbed and finely chopped 6 mint leaves 3 scallions, trimmed to 5 inches, white and green parts cut separately into thin strips \ cup fresh lemon juice { small bunch cilantro, leaves only, finely chopped Kosher salt to taste Freshly ground black pepper to taste Cilantro leaves (optional; garnish) In a medium saucepan, bring the stock, { cup water, ginger, garlic and jalapeno to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer, partly covered, for 15 minutes. Stir in the mint and scallion whites. Cook for 3 minutes. Stir in the scallion greens and cook just until wilted, about 1 minute. Stir in the lemon juice, chopped cilantro, salt and pepper. Warm through. Serve sprinkled with cilantro leaves. Makes about 4 cups. Source: Soup _ A Way of Life by Barbara Kafka (Artisan, $35). Cornmeal Dumplings 6 tablespoons cornmeal, plus { cup for rolling dumplings 1 teaspoon olive oil { teaspoon kosher salt 6 tablespoons all-purpose flour { teaspoon baking powder 1 egg, separated, plus 1 egg yolk 1 medium jalapeno, seeded, deribbed and minced, or 2 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese 3 tablespoons coarsely chopped cilantro (with jalapeno) or freshly ground black pepper (with Parmesan) In a small saucepan, bring the 6 tablespoons cornmeal and 1 cup water to a boil, whisking with a wire whisk. Continue cooking, stirring vigorously with a wooden spoon, for about 3 minutes or until the polenta is very thick and dry. Stir in the oil and salt. Remove from heat and cool to room temperature. Combine the flour and baking powder. Stir the egg yolks and the flour and baking powder mixture into the cooled polenta. In a small, very clean bowl, whip the egg white until stiff but not dry. Stir a third of the egg white into the polenta to lighten the mixture, then fold in the rest. Stir in the jalapeno and cilantro or the Parmesan and pepper. Spread { cup cornmeal on a plate. Scoop out heaping tablespoons of the batter, drop into the cornmeal and shape into dumpings, rolling in the cornmeal and patting into balls. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Drop in the dumplings and simmer for 6 minutes. Turn the dumplings and simmer 6-8 minutes more until cooked through. With a slotted spoon, remove to a paper towel to drain. Serve in chicken soup or broth. Makes about 8 dumplings. Source: Soup _ A Way of Life by Barbara Kafka (Artisan, $35). Brodo di Pollo 8 cups chicken stock { of a 14.5-ounce can Italian-style plum tomatoes, including juice 1 onion, peeled and studded with 4-6 cloves 2 small or 1 large bay leaf 2 cloves garlic, peeled 2 small leeks, white and green parts, washed well and cut into small pieces 1 teaspoon dried sage 1 cup dried orzo or other small pasta 2 cups cooked chicken, in bite-size pieces Salt and pepper to taste In a large pot or Dutch oven, combine stock, tomatoes, onion, bay leaf, garlic, leeks and sage. Bring to a boil, lower heat and simmer, partly covered, for 30 minutes. In a saucepan, cook orzo in boiling, salted water 7-8 minutes or until tender. Drain well. Stir orzo and chicken into soup and heat through. Taste and add salt and pepper. Discard onion and bay leaves before serving. Makes 6-8 servings. Source: adapted from The Whole World Loves Chicken Soup, by Mimi Sheraton (Warner, 1995). Yedoro Shorba 2 skinless chicken breasts and 1 chicken thigh Cold water to cover, about 3 cups 1 lemon, quartered 5 cups water 2 tablespoons unsalted butter or sunflower, corn or safflower oil 1 medium red onion, chopped 4 whole garlic cloves, crushed or pressed 2 quarter-sized pieces peeled ginger, crushed with a knife or in mortar Pinch of ground cumin, to taste Crushed seeds from cardamom pods, or \ teaspoon ground cardamom 1 small red chile pepper or \ teaspoon dried red pepper flakes Salt and black pepper to taste 1 small fresh rosemary sprig or { teaspoon dried rosemary leaves Trim all visible fat from chicken. Cover with cold water. Squeeze juice of 1 lemon quarter into soaking water and add the lemon rind. Let soak 10 minutes. Discard water. Chop chicken into chunks about 1{ inches wide. Meat can remain on the bones or be trimmed off and the bones cooked in the soup and discarded before serving. Sprinkle chicken and bones with juice from remaining lemon quarters. Marinate for 15 minutes. Combine drained chicken and bones in a 2{-quart enameled or stainless-steel saucepan, adding 2 cups water. Heat butter or oil in a small skillet and cook onion gently until soft but not browned. Add to chicken along with garlic, ginger, cumin, cardamom, chile pepper, { teaspoon salt and a pinch of freshly ground black pepper. Simmer gently, partly covered, for about 15 minutes. Pour in 3 cups of water and continue simmering for 10 minutes or until chicken is completely tender. Add rosemary in the last 2-3 minutes. Adjust seasonings and simmer for a minute or two. Remove rosemary and bones if separated from the chicken. Serve at once, dividing chicken among portions. Serve very hot. Makes 2-4 servings. Source: The Whole World Loves Chicken Soup. Chicken Soup Broth: 4-pound chicken or 4 pounds chicken parts plus 1 pound chicken backs, necks or giblets (minus the liver) 1 pound onions (about 2 medium), coarsely chopped { pound carrots (about 4), coarsely chopped { pound celery stalks with leaves (about 3 medium), coarsely chopped 10-12 cups water 3 teaspoons salt 1 teaspoon whole peppercorns 2 bay leaves { teaspoon dried thyme or 6 sprigs fresh Soup (add any or all of the following): 8 cups broth (from the preceding step) Carrots, cut into bite-size pieces Celery stalks, leaves removed, thinly sliced Leeks, tough green tops removed, cleaned and thinly sliced Peas Cooked noodles or uncooked noodles (uncooked noodles will thicken the soup slightly as they cook in the broth) Cooked rice Salt and freshly ground pepper Finely chopped dill or parsley Broth: In a large stockpot, combine the chicken, onions, carrots and celery. Add water to cover the chicken and vegetables, then add 2 teaspoons of the salt, the peppercorns, bay leaves and thyme. Bring the mixture to a boil, skimming and discarding any foam that accumulates on the surface. Reduce the heat to low and simmer 2-2{ hours. Taste after 1{ hours and add the remaining 1 teaspoon salt if needed. Strain the broth, reserving the chicken meat and discarding the bones, skin and vegetables. Refrigerate the chicken. Place the broth in a clean stainless-steel pot and cool in an ice-water bath. Refrigerate the broth. Soup: Remove and discard any fat that has accumulated on the top of the broth. Heat the broth until simmering. Shred or cut the reserved chicken into bite-size pieces and set aside. If using the carrots, celery, leeks or peas, add them to the simmering broth and cook until tender. If using uncooked noodles, add them to the broth and cook until tender. Add the chicken and cooked rice or noodles, if using, to the soup. Cook until heated through, about 5 minutes. Taste and add salt and pepper if needed. Garnish with chopped parsley or dill, if using, and serve. It's not essential that you use extra backs, necks and giblets, but the broth will be more flavorful if you do. Makes about 8 cups or 8-10 servings of soup. Lebanese Taverna's Chicken Soup Broth: 3-pound chicken or 3 pounds chicken parts 12 cups water 1 tablespoon salt 2 cinnamon sticks 3 bay leaves 1 celery stalk, coarsely chopped { medium leek, cleaned and coarsely chopped 1 small onion, cut in half 2 whole cardamom seeds 4 cloves garlic Soup: 8 cups of the broth from the preceding step } cup sliced carrots } cup sliced celery } cup diced potatoes \ cup chopped leeks \ pound uncooked vermicelli noodles A dash of cinnamon \ teaspoon ground black pepper \ teaspoon ground white pepper 1 tablespoon chopped parsley Broth: In a large pot, combine all of the ingredients for the broth. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low and cook for 40 minutes. Strain the broth, reserving the chicken meat and discarding the bones, skin and vegetables. Skim any accumulated fat from the surface of the soup. Cut the chicken into bite-size chunks. Soup: Bring the strained chicken broth back to a boil. Add the carrots, celery and potatoes and return to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and cook for 15 minutes. Add the leeks and vermicelli and turn off the heat. Add the reserved chicken along with the cinnamon, black and white peppers and the parsley. Stir to combine and serve. Makes 8 cups broth or 8-10 servings of soup. Source: Lebanese Taverna Market in Arlington, Va. Vietnamese Chicken and Bitter Greens Soup Broth: 5-pound stewing hen 2 pounds pork bones 4 quarts cold water 1 ounce fresh ginger root, crushed 2 teaspoons salt Soup: 8 ounces chicken wings 5 cups Vietnamese chicken broth (from the preceding step) 2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger root \ teaspoon salt \ teaspoon sugar 4 teaspoons Asian fish sauce, preferably Vietnamese 2-3 ounces mustard greens, broccoli rabe or any bitter leafy greens Freshly ground black pepper to taste Broth: Cut the hen into 6-8 pieces. Rinse the hen and pork bones with cold water. Place in a stock pot or large kettle with the water and crushed ginger. Bring to a boil. Skim the surface until the foam stops forming, about 10 minutes. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 2 hours. To ensure a clear broth it is very important that the liquid not boil; it should just barely simmer. Remove and discard the hen and chicken bones. Stir in the salt and set aside to cool. When cool, skim off accumulated fat, strain the broth and refrigerate until ready to use. Soup: Combine the wings and the 5 cups broth in a saucepan. Bring to a rolling boil. Skim the surface to remove any foam until the foam stops forming, about 10 minutes. Add the ginger, salt, sugar and fish sauce. Reduce the heat to low and simmer gently for 30 minutes. Turn off the heat. Remove the wings with a slotted spoon and set them aside until cool enough to handle. Pull off the meat and return it to the soup, discarding the wing bones and skin. Bring the soup to a fast boil. Add the greens. Cook for 1 minute or until the leaves are just wilted. Season to taste with pepper and serve. Makes 3 quarts broth or 4 servings of the soup. Source: adapted from Foods of Vietnam by Nicole Routhier (Stewart Tabori & Chang, 1989). Moroccan Chicken Soup 2 tablespoons olive oil 1 pound boneless skinless chicken thighs 1 medium onion 1 tablespoon ground cumin 1 tablespoon ground ginger 1 teaspoon hot paprika 5 cups fat-free chicken stock 2 medium zucchini { cup couscous 1 16-ounce can chickpeas, rinsed and drained Salt and freshly ground black pepper 8 sprigs cilantro Harissa (see note) Put the oil in a deep, heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Use kitchen shears to trim away any pockets of fat and cut the chicken into inch cubes. Add to the skillet, raise heat to high and stir once or twice while browning. While the chicken browns, peel and quarter the onion and put in a food processor. Pulse until just chopped. Add the onion, cumin, ginger and paprika to the skillet. Stir and cook for 1 minute. Add the stock to the skillet and stir with a wooden spoon, scraping any bits from the bottom. (The soup can be made ahead to this point and kept warm before proceeding.) Cover the soup and bring to a boil. While the soup heats, trim the zucchini and slice in half lengthwise. Cut crosswise into inch wide half-moons. When the soup comes to a boil, add the zucchini and the couscous. Stir and add the drained chickpeas. Cover and let the soup return to a boil, then lower the heat so the soup simmers for 4 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste. (The amount of salt depends on the saltiness of the broth used. Start with teaspoon). Chop the leaves from the cilantro and stir into the soup. Cook for 1 minute and serve. Note: Harissa is available in tubes in specialty and Middle Eastern food stores. Makes 4 servings. Per serving: 425 calories, 11.9 gm fat, 94 mg cholesterol, 1,218 mg sodium (amount will be lower if chick peas are well-rinsed). Garlic and Sage Soup 6-8 cloves garlic, finely minced 3 large or small fresh sage leaves, chopped 2 fresh thyme sprigs 6 egg yolks, lightly beaten Salt Freshly ground black pepper 6 slices oven-toasted French bread 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil 6 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese In a 2-quart saucepan over high heat, combine the garlic, sage, thyme and 6 cups of water and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer, uncovered, for 20 minutes. Add a little hot soup to the egg yolks and slowly pour the yolk mixture back into the soup. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Place a slice of bread in each of the 6 soup bowls. Cover with soup, drizzle with the olive oil and sprinkle each serving with Parmesan. Serves 6. Source: The International Soup Book by Susan R. Friedland (HarperCollins, $17.95). Spiced Onion and Ale Soup 2 tablespoons butter 4 onions, cut into thin slices 1 cup diced smoked ham 3 tablespoons minced garlic \ teaspoon ground allspice 1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme or 1 teaspoon dried thyme \ cup Dijon mustard 1{ cups pale ale 8 cups chicken stock 2 tablespoons cornstarch mixed with { cup cold water Salt Freshly ground black pepper 2 cups grated sharp Cheddar cheese { cup sliced scallions In a large, heavy saucepan or Dutch oven, melt the butter over medium heat and cook the onions, ham, garlic, allspice and thyme, stirring frequently, until the onions are evenly caramelized, 10-15 minutes. Add the mustard, ale and chicken stock and simmer 15-20 minutes. Whisk in the cornstarch and water mixture and boil gently 4-5 minutes to thicken. Reduce the heat to a low simmer and add salt and pepper. Serve sprinkled with grated Cheddar and scallions. Serves 6-8. Source: The International Soup Book by Susan R. Friedland (HarperCollins, $17.95). Granville Island Chowder 6 bacon strips 1 onion, chopped 3 garlic cloves, minced 1 green pepper, thinly sliced 2 carrots, thinly sliced 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley 4 cups peeled, seeded and coarsely chopped fresh or canned tomatoes 3 cups bottled clam juice 1{ cups dry red wine 1 tablespoon fresh thyme or 1{ teaspoons dried thyme Salt Freshly ground black pepper 2 cups diced, peeled potatoes 2 pounds mixed fresh shellfish and boneless fish such as peeled large shrimp, scallops, crab meat, salmon, and snapper or other firm, white-fleshed fish fillets, cut into pieces Oven-toasted garlic croutons Cut bacon into 1-inch pieces. Fry until crisp in heavy pot or Dutch oven. Add onion, garlic, green pepper, carrots and parsley and cook over medium heat for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add tomatoes, clam juice, red wine, thyme, salt and pepper and bring to boil for 1 minute. Lower heat, cover and simmer for 20 minutes. Add potatoes, cover, and simmer for 30 minutes or until potatoes are tender. Add shellfish and fish and cook, stirring gently, just until fish turns opaque, about 5 minutes. Serve immediately, placing croutons in each serving bowl. Serves 6-8. Source: The International Soup Book by Susan R. Friedland (HarperCollins, $17.95). Celeriac Soup with Parsley puree Soup: 2 tablespoons unsalted butter 4 celery roots (about 1{ pounds total weight), peeled and diced 1 tart apple, peeled, cored and diced 6 cups chicken stock Salt Freshly ground black pepper Parsley puree: 1 bunch flat-leaf parsley, stems removed cup pine nuts, lightly toasted Salt Freshly ground black pepper 1 cup olive oil Melt the butter in a heavy pot over medium-low heat. Add the celery roots and cook, stirring occasionally, until golden, about 20 minutes. Add the apple and cook, stirring until the apple is tender, another 10 minutes. Stir in the stock. Pass the soup through a fine-mesh sieve or a food mill fitted with the coarse blade. Return the soup to the pot, season to taste with salt and pepper and reheat. To make the puree, in a food processor fitted with the metal blade place the parsley and pine nuts and salt and pepper to taste. Process until smooth. With the processor running, gradually pour in the olive oil; the mixture should be thick. To serve, spoon 1 tablespoon of the parsley puree into each warmed soup bowl. Ladle the soup into bowls and serve immediately. Serves 8-10. Source: The International Soup Book by Susan R. Friedland (HarperCollins, $17.95).