GRAY, Georgia — February's cold temperatures have us searching for comfort foods.
What's better than a hot bowl of soup?
If you want to try some "soup"-er soups in central Georgia, one potato soup is 'treasured' by folks in Gray.
Treasures by the Tracks has been serving the Gray community for years - and lots of folks swear by their homemade potato soup.
It's rich, creamy, and comes with a sprinkle of cheese and a crumble of crackers.
The café also sells pimento cheese sandwiches and homemade chicken salad, which pair perfectly with a hot bowl of soup.
They also sell antiques and collectables, along with homemade cakes and desserts hand baked by owner Paige Childs.
She says they've been serving gray for 16 years, and love to make their customers happy.
"There's been some times when it runs out and the look on people's face when I say we're...you know at 3 or 4 o'clock in the afternoon, and I close at 5, and they may want some to take home and they don't have any, you'd think I just destroyed their entire world," she said.
When asked why people love her soup so much, Childs says its bit of a mystery to her, but its probably the homemade touch they add.
"...its probably the way we make it, I think. It's a mystery to me too, because I'm a cook. It's butter, potatoes, and cream, so how are you gonna go wrong with that?" she said.
Childs says she adds a bit of magic to each bowl too, and you can really taste the love when you grab a spoonful.
She says ever since she was younger she would tell her friends about how she wanted to own a sandwich shop one day, and it has been wonderful to see those dreams become a reality.
"I talked to my friends about how someday...I'd like to have this building rented and open a small sandwich shop. I talked about it so much that my friend would roll their eyes at me...and it was sort of a little joke, 'there Paige goes, talking about her sandwich shop again'," she recollected.
Not only did Childs fulfill her dream, but she has won several awards for her shop and service over the years.
She explained that just a week before, she had been recognized along several other businesses by the Gray Chamber of Commerce for their years of membership and service to the community.
The award comes at no surprise to customers, as it's clear customer service is number one when you visit the store. When I visited, several diners talked to Childs about their lives and even hung around to read books and relax while sipping on their soup.
Childs says that is a big part of why they serve soup year round, because you never know when someone may want to come in and have a taste of comfort.
"Even though its 100 degrees outside, I may not want hot soup, but there's somebody who's got a kid with a stomachache, or they've been to the dentist that day, or their office is freezing. There's always a reason other then the temperature outside for our soup to sell so we make it every single day," she explained.
Although they make it everyday, you've got to be quick and grab some before they reach the bottom of the pot.
You can find Treasures by the Tracks at 105 Atlanta road in Gray. They open most days at 11, so be sure to get there early and snag some soup before the lunch rush hits.
Don't forget! If you want more soup content, stay tuned each Tuesday this month for more "soup"-er soup suggestions!
You can find previous soup coverage here!