The Soup's Always On at The Birches

What’s more appealing than hot soup on a cold winter’s day? How about three different kinds of hot soup made from scratch by The Birches Assisted Living’s official soup specialist and Dining Services associate, Vasso Karounas.

Every day Karounas makes three different types of homemade soup for Birches residents. Sometimes she makes classic soup standbys like lentil, chicken noodle, or split pea, and other times she gets creative with the ingredients available in the Birches’ kitchen and makes her own unique concoction. Either way, Birches residents end up with a bowl of soup that is tasty, healthy, and homemade.

“I try to make healthy soups, with a lot of vegetables for the residents,” said Karounas. “But it also has to taste good! I always try the soups myself first before I serve them to the residents.”

Karounas has been working in The Birches Dining Services Department for 15 years, but even before that she was known for her soup-making skills. She first mastered her soups as a stay-at-home mom and then found an outlet for her talents as a cook for another assisted living community before coming to The Birches.

“I’ve always loved making soup, but time and experience always make you better. Working every day has made me a better cook and has made my soups better,” said Karounas.

Once she started cooking at The Birches, she was given complete creative license in her soup-making, and took advantage of this by devising her own recipes. Sometimes she gets inspiration from friends, family, co-workers, cookbooks, and cooking shows, but she always likes to put her own unique spin on each batch of soup, she says.

Her personal favorite soup is a traditional Greek soup called avgolemono, which is made from egg, lemon juice, and broth, but her most popular soups are split pea, clam chowder, French onion, and—the soup that Birches residents can’t seem to get enough of— chicken noodle.

“The chicken noodle is popular at The Birches. Every time we make it, we run out of soup!” said Karounas.

Karounas’ homemade soups are appreciated by Birches residents any time of year, but especially in January when the weather is cold. Of course, January is also National Soup Month, making it the perfect time to celebrate Vasso Karounas’ soup-making prowess!

The Birches Assisted Living in Clarendon Hills is a premier retirement community dedicated to providing professional services that support its residents’ physical, social, intellectual, and spiritual growth. The Birches offers a full calendar of purposeful programs and activities designed to promote a healthy aging lifestyle and a strong sense of community. For more information about The Birches, call 630-789-1135 or visit: birches.net.