John T. Edge

Celebrates one of America's quintessential contributions to world cuisine, discussing fried chicken in all its manifestations across the country, from the Deep South, to a Jersey Shore hotel, and offering fifteen recipes.

An American Story

Fried Chicken

Melody Izard

What a pleasant surprise this was. It looks like a bargain bin book that would just be full of bland descriptions of people who really know how to fry up a chicken. I expected good recipes. The writing is as delicious as I imagine every single recipe listed must be. It even inspired me to try one of the recipes and to forget that I had declared that I would never fry chicken again. I got out my seasoned big iron skillet and made sure the oil was hot and the chicken was dry. It was yummy - no doubt. But frying chicken is just too damn messy. And then you have all that oil that you have to dispose of. Next time I must have fried chicken I will go out.

Fried Chicken An American Story