WHO DOESN’T DIG FRIED CHICKEN? If you’re a vegan you probably don’t, and in that case put this book down, ’coz you’re not going to be able to resist the desire for that chicken. Fried chicken is a staple in many cultures. It’s comfort food, and it isn’t a black, Asian, or white Southern thing—it’s a human thing. I LOVE my fried chicken. I mean I really, really, really, really LOVE my fried chicken. Nothing makes me or my mouth happier. I remember my mom taking the brown paper bag, adding the flour, putting in the chicken and shaking, shaking, shaking. And when it hit the oil … that smell! I’m not much of a cook myself, but I do know my fried chicken. (I cook a mean turkey once a year at Thanksgiving; really slow, all night, and baste, baste, baste). But fried chicken is my one true love.
Each year there is something called the Food Network South Beach and New York City Wine & Food Festivals. A few years ago, the very amazing Rachael Ray couldn’t make it to her event, the Burger Bash. The most generous man, Lee Schrager, approached me to fill in. Now, who doesn’t like a great burger? So that was an easy “yes” for me! But as I was walking from station to station sampling all the burgers from everywhere, I turned to Lee and suggested a fried chicken event for the following year. I’m proud to be part of Chicken Coupe, now going into its fourth year in New York and its third year in Miami. (Thanks, Lee!) But who knew Lee was such a fried chicken fan, too? He says writing a fried chicken cookbook wasn’t always on his bucket list … but now I’m not so sure.
Fried & True doesn’t just give you 50-plus fried chicken recipes—from the ones Lee picked up on his road trip to some from the best restaurants, in some of the best cities in the world—but also the stories that go along with them and make for some good reading. My favorite is “Fried Chicken 101”—yup, tips! Um-hm … “don’t crowd, and give each piece time.” That’s good advice.
Thanks, Lee—I’m hoping to meet some of these recipes at the next Chicken Coupe event.
