Pronounced, av-goe-LE-moe-noe, this classic Greek sauce is BOTH! Deriving its name from the two words, avgo' (egg) and lemo'ni (lemon), Avgolemono is made by whisking fresh eggs into which about the same amount of freshly squeezed lemon juice is streamed while continuously beating. Next hot stock twice the volume of the egg and lemon mixture is slowing whisked in as well and finally the egg-lemon-stock mixture is poured slowly either over the vegetables and meat, the dolmades, or whisked into the soup. Seasonings are adjusted and the heat is turned up just to a brief simmer. Avoid boiling Avogolemono which might curdle.

While cooks, chefs and housewives, often add starches--flour, cornstarch, arrowroot--we only and ever use only free-range and organic eggs to thicken our stock. We hope you enjoy the difference in our ChickenAngelhair soup (pictured top above), FishAvgolemono, LambAvgolemono, and Prasosoupa Avgolemono, our Dolmades, Shanks (pictured immediately above) and in other dishes as we develop them!

Because the juice is freshly squeezed and never boiled, Vitamin C is not destroyed and the dish alkalizes when consumed balancing the acidifying effect of protein consumption. On the island of Ikaria citrus consumption is credited as one of the attributing factors in the famously noted longevity of the BLUE ZONES studies. Additionally, Avgolemono soups are Mom's Chicken Soup SOUPED up--for comfort or for colds and have been time and time again, the first food tolerated by chemo patients.

Finally, because of the citrusy lemon, pairing with dry white wines rarely satisfies--rather a light, tannic red, or full bodied red with wood aromas and sharp tannins plays well on the tongue. Try also dark ales, and full-bodied player whites, sauvignon blanc styles if a white is preferred.