Today is National Fried Chicken Day!
I don’t know anyone who doesn’t appreciate some nice, crispy, fried chicken. Fried chicken shows up at every family gathering, except Thanksgiving when the turkey, naturally, is front and center. While most people like the white juicy meat of the breast, my mother loved the leg. She’d eat the bone clean (I really mean clean. She’d strip it of gristle and the small tendons. It was clean.) and then hand it over to the nearest teething baby.
Here in the south, fried chicken is a staple. There are just as many restaurants famous for their fried chicken down here as there are restaurants famous for their bar-b-q. As it should be, I suppose, but we really need to be thanking the Scots.
According to National Day Calendar, “The Scottish immigrants brought their tradition of deep-frying chicken in fat to the southern United States. After it’s introduction to the American South, fried chicken soon became a common staple. Over time, seasonings and spices were added to enrich the flavor of the chicken.”
Like most things, those who perfect the discovery or invention garner more praise than those who actually discover and invent.
Today I join with all the other fried chicken lovers of the world (and the memory of my mother) to to raise a freshly fried chicken leg and say, “Thank you, Scotland, for wondering all those years ago for what would happen if you tried frying a chicken in super hot lard. We salute you!”
Now let’s eat!
Nincompoopery 