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SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE - There's a new soup and sandwich spot in town, and it's all in the family.

Together with her two daughters, Judy White opened Yummy two weeks ago at the corner of 49 Street and 51 Avenue, in the building home to Chez Patricia, Langlois, Boarderline and Chic Chik.

Judy White, left, opened Yellowknife's newest soup and sandwich shop, Yummy, to be closer to her kids, including daughter Jordan, right. - Guy Quenneville/NNSL photo

White, who moved to Yellowknife two years ago, insists on making her sandwiches and soups from scratch in the back kitchen of Yummy, with real ingredients free of preservatives.

"We make soups every day and they don't come from a pouch, or dried or from a can," said White Monday morning, as she went from one steaming pot to another, frying onions and tomatoes for that day's soup.

"The sandwiches are all made with real turkey, real roast beef, no processed deli meat with high sodium or sugar content."

White offers gluten-free products such as cake and cupcakes.

"I'm going to try cornbread today," she said.

In the future, she also wants to provide cheeses and antipasto dishes to go as an alternative to pizza and other fast foods that saturate downtown Yellowknife.

"I stuff my own olives. I'd like to do grilled vegetables and marinated cheeses. There's a whole world out there," she said.

In her quest to supply Yellowknifers with healthy and savoury eating choices - she hopes to have Weight Watchers and diabetic choices available all the time, as well - White is aided by her two daughters, teenaged Jordan and 20-something Jessica.

"Jordan goes to high school at Sir John and Jessica works for the government downtown, so they come at lunch to help, and after school and work, plus weekends," said White, clearly proud.

When White worked long hours at the Co-op's deli department and at the dietitian's office at the hospital, she barely got to see her children. It was a desire to spend more time together that persuaded the family to open the store.

Jordan, a member of her school's baking and culinary club who wants to start making cookie bars at Yummy, remembers how the name of the store was hatched.

"It was originally my mom and I," she said. "We were in the car listening to a song: 'Yummy' by Gwen Stefani."

Asked what it's like to work with her mom, Jordan said, "It's a bit frustrating, but at the same it's really good because I get to spend a lot of time with her. Before, she used to work at the Co-op and I usually never saw her. And my dad doesn't live here, so I never see him. So this is actually kind of nice."