By Paul G. Tuennerman
Download the article as seen in F&B Magazine

There are few foods that dominate the American culture and generate as much fervor as fried chicken. Simply put, the triumph of fried chicken as an icon of American culture is incontrovertible.

I’ve been a freak of sorts about fried chicken for as long as I can remember. Growing up as a child in the 60’s and early 70’s, I never could quite grasp my siblings’ fascination with the Golden Arches. Why would anyone forgo an opportunity to partake in the truly indescribable experience of sinking one’s teeth into the deep-fried, crispy crust of eleven herbs and spices, only to discover a tender, juicy piece of chicken? I could barely contain myself, sitting next to my father in the front seat of his station wagon, gliding down Blind Pass Road in St Petersburg Beach, Florida as the salt breeze mingled with the aroma wafting from the bucket of bird. On those rides home from, you guessed it, Kentucky Fried Chicken, I always called “dibs” on the legs. Perhaps this why my siblings and I no longer speak with one another?

While we probably owe the Scottish a debt of gratitude for bringing to America the technique of frying chicken, it was our southern ancestors who perfected the recipe and created what is an indelible mark in American and culinary history. Though one could deliberate the intrinsic worth of marinating, seasonings, coatings, oils, bone-in verse boneless and the like, what is indisputable is the supremacy it holds over our emotions and the symbolism it carries to our dinner tables. There was once a time when chicken was reserved for the affluent, and set aside for special occasions and holidays. But what other foods can conjure up old childhood memories, Sunday dinners, road-trips and family outings than that holy grail of southern-style cooking; fried chicken?

Often referred to as durable, fried chicken is not only portable and travels well; it is just as enjoyable cold as it is straight from the frying pan. Dredged in flour and fried in a skillet of hot oil until golden brown, fried chicken appears in boxes and on dinner plates, in variations of this basic recipe, around the globe.

While the American palate has become increasingly more sophisticated over the past few decades as a result of global influences, there is simply no denying American’s love affair with comfort food as variations continue to emerge on menus, even more so, during the tough economic times of 2009.

There are few delicacies that require little more than a napkin for enjoyment, can bring generations together, and have the ability to insight such hearty debate and competition as fried chicken.

Did you enjoy this article? Click here to subscribe to the magazine.