For the birds, I know

Okay, I am not going to let one bad apple spoil the whole bunch.  I think that you can see from the comments that get published, I allow people a lot of straying room so to speak, for the most part.  Rather than dwell on something, I think it is time to just follow my "new" policy as stated in yesterday's late posting rant and simply move on.

And in moving on, I don't have a whole lot of zeal for today.  Interesting tidbit in the S-T about property values and turbines, and something I probably will get to, just not today.  It is a perfect rainy day for a perfect lay back and relax mood.

So the piece I wrote about last week and didn't publish on chicken, well hear it is ...

I am taking a wide turn here, something not done on the blog before, or perhaps not to this extent anyway.  Hard to remember blogs.

I am talking chicken.  The real stuff.  Not the acts or actions and/or individuals.

I am not a big fan of chickens, real or metaphorical.  I don't mind the bird.  Even understand it metaphorically. 

As far as a meal, when I do eat it, give me real barbecue over rotisserie, rotisserie over broasted, broasted over roasted, etc.  I very seldom order chicken out.

As with most things, there is always an exception.  

Fried chicken, good fried chicken, actually very good friend chicken to be precise  I will travel miles for it.  Some of the places I travel to for other purposes, I actually go out of my way to try or return for "very good" fried chicken.  

Fried chicken didn't start off the list of preferences because for me it is in a league all its own.

Believe it or not, the state with the most places I have eaten at serving what I would call very good fried chicken, Florida.  Hands down.

Very good fried chicken in Massachusetts, that I am aware of, right now zero.  Well, use to be one, but it is no more.  I have had some good meals.  I have a few places where I will make occasional repeat purchases, but nothing I would tell anyone to go out of their way for a "must have".

So who knows of somewhere that serves "must have" "very good" fried chicken?  

Before you tell me, rule number one: if it is boneless, I don't want to hear about it.  

If it is skinless, I definitely don't want to hear about it.  

This is fried chicken I am talking about.  It isn't about eating healthy; and, when I eat it I have absolutely no guilty feelings about trying to make this type of bird an endangered species.

Fast food - sorry but doesn't really count.  The Colonel is okay for a hankering, better than Popeye's, but neither is anywhere in the league of Church's, which is good, but not very good.

Best I ever had is made no more.  The recipe disappeared a number of years ago, with the passing of the cook. It was actually found here in MA. Second, third and fourth best, all in Florida.    Rounding out the top ten in no particular order, I have found places in NY, CT, AR, IL, WI and VA.

What brought this on?  I had some "good" friend chicken the other night, but it only brought on a yearning for the "must have" stuff that falls into the "very good" or better class.  That and the fact it was either write about the friend chicken or the metaphorical bird.

What makes it "very good"?  Moist meat.  Even the breast.  To do that someone has to actually know about frying food.  Temperature, clean oil.

Then it is the batter and skin.  A good batter bonds with the skin. The result should always be crispy but not tough or chewy.  It should taste so good, you wish you could just buy the batter cooked fried skin.  

Finally, the never to be under estimated seasoning.  I know this goes kind of hand and hand with the batter, however I have had some "very good" batter-less but superbly seasoned fried chicken (have made it myself when I deep fry the whole bird).

The right seasoning can elevate otherwise just "decent" to near "very good".

Very hard to find a good cook who can handle a good recipe.  Seems to be a problem at so many places.  Probably why you don't see actual fried chicken on too many menus (the stuff with bones and skin).  Let's not forget the fact that the real stuff takes time to cook right also.  Seats need to be turned over and most people don't have the patience to wait for good food (and that is one area where I am as patient as any person when I know what is coming).

What to do for the meal to make it into my food heaven, add the right sides.  One can be either mashed potatoes with a nice southern style gravy, or potato salad (the real stuff for both, not someone's version of cheap and/or easy and/or mass. production).  Never both for the same serving (although alternating for seconds is just fine).  

This is where the fast food places, and too may restaurants, always go really down hill.  To many places look at side servings as just a plate filler, rather than something of substance.  I guess they figure no one really cares about what the side things are.  Good sides can get me back as long as the chicken is at least good.

Second side depends on what's offered.   Something unique if it is an option. If not, coleslaw usually.  If that isn't an option, collard greens. 

But it really is about the chicken.  Plain and simple.  Lousy sides can be quickly forgotten, even ignored if there is "very good" chicken; but lousy sides with only good chicken, does not put anyplace on my return list.

Better to do one thing very good, than make an entire lousy meal.

Just another example I suppose of life truly being for the birds.  

Know someplace with "very good"? Let me know.