An incredibly sweet man and the husband of one of my dearest friends recently passed. But before he left this earth, he gave me the most amazing gift. He showed me what it means to cook not just for the fun and pleasure of cooking and eating, but to cook from the heart.
During a recent visit while he was still feeling well enough for company, the three of us sat and talked about everything from the weather and politics, Rockies baseball, and of course.....food. Although Lee had not had much of an appetite during the last several days and had eaten very little, talking about food was something he still enjoyed. Somehow we got on the subject of fried chicken. Not just fried chicken, but all of the side dishes that go with a proper fried chicken dinner; biscuits with butter and honey, corn, mashed potatoes, gravy, and apple pie. This calorie loaded, artery clogging American classic was one of his favorite meals. His smile grew as we chatted about each course, remembering a meal that had brought him great pleasure in years past.
On my way home that night I called the Bossy Chef and filled him in. Of course he was on board instantly, but due to his busy work week he wasn't going to be able to help with the actual cooking. I was on my own. However, he researched fried chicken recipes from his arsenal of cookbooks helping me choose one that would be great.
Now, I've been making fried chicken just about all my life, and I've tried more recipes than you can shake a drumstick at. The one thing I can say with absolute certainty, is that if you are not frying food regularly you'll loose your touch. I've tried to abide a healthier lifestyle for the past twenty years give or take, so I rarely fry foods these days. But years ago while married to Cowboy Bob, I fried dinner at least 3-4 nights a week. I was good at frying. Chicken fried steak, pork chops, chicken, vegetables, even home made donuts. Cowboy Bob loved fried food so that's what I cooked.
It takes practice and skill to keep the temperature of the oil just right so the food browns evenly and cooks through. With chicken, this can be a challenge. If the oil is too hot, the outside will brown and darken before the meat is fully cooked. If the oil is not hot enough, the outside will be greasy, not crispy. Tricky stuff. You can follow a recipe to the letter but if you don't have a practiced touch with the oil you'll be disappointed with the results. That said, I threw myself into dinner preparations not just a little anxious about how my chicken would turn out.
I wanted everything to be special. I bought Boulder Natural chickens, I riced Yukon Gold potatoes with heavy cream and Irish butter for the mashers and made the chicken gravy from stock and a roux. I used pastry flour for the biscuits (makes them extra light), and I made an apple pie that would make your grandmother weep. It took me three days and I had the most wonderful time.
I packed it all up and headed to their home to put it together for what I hoped would be a great dinner.
Bossy Chef, Barbara; Lee's beautiful wife, and I got everything ready. We laid dinner out on pretty trays, grabbed a lovely bottle of wine, and took everything upstairs so we could all eat together.
If I'd had any doubts as to whether Lee would be able to enjoy the food, they vanished quickly. He sat upright in his bed and proceeded to devour everything on his plate. Barbara said the she had not seen him eat like that in weeks. Too full for dessert? Not a chance. He gave me a huge smile and two very enthusiastice thumbs up for hot apple pie with burnt sugar ice cream. Dinner was a success!
That night I learned what it means to cook from the heart. To cook for love, and why we love to cook. It was the last meal that he was able to enjoy, and it was an honor and a privilege to share it with him, his loving wife, and my wonderful husband. I will remember that dinner for many years to come. Not because of the food, but because the food brought joy and pleasure to someone who needed it. Lee doesn't know it, but he gave me a life lesson in love and a gift beyond measure. I will forever be grateful to him.
So, are you curious about how my fried chicken turned out? I have to tell the truth, the pieces that were cooked were damn good!! But because I'm out of practice, my oil was too hot and the larger pieces browned before they were done. (Yuk) Thankfully, I was the only one who had picked out one of the under done pieces that night. The remaining chicken (I had fried two whole birds) could be reheated in the oven, and finish cooking before offering to friends and family who would stop by over the next few days. Was everything cooked perfectly? Not even close. Was it a perfect meal? Yes, and so much more.
The fried chicken recipe I tried was wonderful. I've made it available for you in a printable pdf, click on the link below. Home made fried chicken is off the charts incredibly delcious, no relation to the heavily breaded, chemically pumped, industrial mystery meat found in those large paper buckets. It takes a little planning, patience and a willingness to destroy your kitchen but it is so worth it. The next time you want to show someone that you love them, make them a proper fried chicken dinner. You'll earn a special place in their heart for ever.
Copy and paste the link below for a printable pdf of Michael Ruhlman's Buttermilk Fried Chicken.
https://www.dropbox.com/s/dyol1f83y868az7/Rosemary-brined%20Buttermilk%20Fried%20Chicken.pdf?dl=0
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