My mom always made really good fried chicken - just floured, seasoned, and fried in a cast iron skillet with some Crisco. I miss that stuff. I've tried to replicate it, but just can't make it as good as Mom's. Mom was sort of an 'iffy' cook - some stuff was great, other stuff was horrible, and you just never knew from day to day what kind of meal you'd get. She could ruin a steak better than anyone, though - THAT you could count on! I had no idea what a medium rare steak was until I was an adult. Great split pea soup and potato soup, horrible chili, wonderful beef stew (probably because she tended to over-cook all beef, so the meat was always tender!) Oh, and lamb shishkabob! Not sure what she put in the marinade, but it was wonderful - lemon/garlic/pepper deliciousness that Dad BBQ'd. Oh, Memory Lane has made me hungry, so I'm outta here and headed to the kitchen.
Farm folk, without a doubt. The 30's USDA absolutely TERRORIZED farmers with tales of the parasites in undercooked meat, so the reaction was to overcook everything.
LOL! No, no farming in her background. Just a pretty bad cook when it came to some things. She was a drinker and would sometimes get her timing screwed up, which is why lots of things were overcooked. She'd forget to set timers, forget stuff in the oven, forget to bake birthday cakes until 8 pm or so (I remember eating very warm cake just before bed on many birthdays). But she also make the best potato salad and lemon meringue pie! Oh, I also learned when I was an adult that vegetable didn't have to be mushy to be 'cooked' and could also be steamed, baked, and even raw rather than boiled to death! LOL! That was one thing my ex-husband was good for (other than my son) - he got me to enjoy veggies and med-rare steak!
I’m not sure what these newspaper folks expect from someone who is a political cartoonist. Do they not follow their own news stories? Why are they looking for feel-good, sunny cartoons? It’s a mystery to me.
I once had an upstairs neighbor who forgot he was filling his bathtub and water started coming through my ceiling around the light fixture in my dining area, which surprised me because I always assumed our apartments had the same floor plan. I ran upstairs right away, so the damage wasn’t serious. Turns out, his son had called and that was why he forgot about the bathtub filling up. But he was in his robe, so c’mon! He was a nice guy, so I was just glad he was ok. Your situation is totally different. Another apartment where I lived had a couple next door who liked to fight very loudly, and very late at night. As if that wasn’t bad enough, they also liked to make up very loudly, if you know what I mean. I’m not sure which was worse!
I don't really do fried chicken, though the Stater Bros grocery has great chicken - I'm not sure how they cook it, but it's really good. Used to like KFC, but I know they changed the recipe years ago, but it definitely went downhill after that. (They'll probably deny they changed it; my taste buds disagree.) Popeyes is miles away so I don't go there. There's a Mex chain here called El Polo Loco - smells divine. Can't eat it because it's marinated in citrus, and I'm allergic to everything citrus. Walked into Chick-a-Flic a few weeks ago. The offerings didn't impress me, so I left. If I want something like fried chicken, I go to Stater Bros.
Oh, El Pollo Loco is fantastic! Swoon-worthy, IMHO. You're right, KFC is not the same as it was years ago, Popeye's is too 'something' for me - I'm never happy with it. There's no Church's anywhere close, but I heard they're good. According to friends, Raisin' Cane's is a love/hate thing. I need to get over to the Crazy Chicken (El Pollo Loco) soon - it's been ages and now I have a craving!
Popeyes indeed! When I was in NOLA in 1980, I could turn left at Jackson Circle onto Divine, and if you waited 10-15 minutes, they would make you an extra spicy batch. Needed the largest Strawberry Fanta with that. Great stuff
Clay, If you ever get up to Philly, try LoveBirds (https://www.lovebirdpa.com/menu). It's gluten free, but don't let that put you off - it's delicious! (my wife and kids have to eat GF) The chicken itself is really good too - I think the batter and spices at KFC are used to mask the taste of the chicken. Don't get the "popcorn chicken" - it's really meh. Their closest location to downtown is the one in Bryn Mawr, which is only a block from SEPTA's Rosemont train station (so you don't need a car or Uber).
I do like Popeyes better since I lived in Texas a while. As for neighbors I also had a flood in my apartment because the guy above left his two big dogs locked in the bathroom and somehow they turned on the sink faucet. I thought the plink noise I heard was rain on my window and then checked it out. My bathroom was flooded from the ceiling fan grate. Also my closet and living room walls were streaming. To top it off maintenance had just put down blue ice solvent so when they came to see the flood it was tracked in. That stuff does not come off fake flooring. 😂
Excellent toon and blog....I learn so many new things from you. Fried chicken wars? Didn't know. I have never tried Chick-fil-A and never will, nor have I tried Zaxby's only because it's a drive for fried chicken (maybe for King Crab Legs or Lobster, not chicken). Yuk to Bojangles, never heard of Royal Farms...Popeye's and Church's are not in my area. BTW, your neighbor has to go. And if I ever see Pizza Rat outside of your toons, I will raise some hell. That goes for sippy cups, Russian flag lapels, and Wilson the volleyball, too. Stand Strong on your principles...as the planet goes to hell next year maybe opinions will change???
My mom always made really good fried chicken - just floured, seasoned, and fried in a cast iron skillet with some Crisco. I miss that stuff. I've tried to replicate it, but just can't make it as good as Mom's. Mom was sort of an 'iffy' cook - some stuff was great, other stuff was horrible, and you just never knew from day to day what kind of meal you'd get. She could ruin a steak better than anyone, though - THAT you could count on! I had no idea what a medium rare steak was until I was an adult. Great split pea soup and potato soup, horrible chili, wonderful beef stew (probably because she tended to over-cook all beef, so the meat was always tender!) Oh, and lamb shishkabob! Not sure what she put in the marinade, but it was wonderful - lemon/garlic/pepper deliciousness that Dad BBQ'd. Oh, Memory Lane has made me hungry, so I'm outta here and headed to the kitchen.
Farm folk, without a doubt. The 30's USDA absolutely TERRORIZED farmers with tales of the parasites in undercooked meat, so the reaction was to overcook everything.
LOL! No, no farming in her background. Just a pretty bad cook when it came to some things. She was a drinker and would sometimes get her timing screwed up, which is why lots of things were overcooked. She'd forget to set timers, forget stuff in the oven, forget to bake birthday cakes until 8 pm or so (I remember eating very warm cake just before bed on many birthdays). But she also make the best potato salad and lemon meringue pie! Oh, I also learned when I was an adult that vegetable didn't have to be mushy to be 'cooked' and could also be steamed, baked, and even raw rather than boiled to death! LOL! That was one thing my ex-husband was good for (other than my son) - he got me to enjoy veggies and med-rare steak!
I’m not sure what these newspaper folks expect from someone who is a political cartoonist. Do they not follow their own news stories? Why are they looking for feel-good, sunny cartoons? It’s a mystery to me.
I once had an upstairs neighbor who forgot he was filling his bathtub and water started coming through my ceiling around the light fixture in my dining area, which surprised me because I always assumed our apartments had the same floor plan. I ran upstairs right away, so the damage wasn’t serious. Turns out, his son had called and that was why he forgot about the bathtub filling up. But he was in his robe, so c’mon! He was a nice guy, so I was just glad he was ok. Your situation is totally different. Another apartment where I lived had a couple next door who liked to fight very loudly, and very late at night. As if that wasn’t bad enough, they also liked to make up very loudly, if you know what I mean. I’m not sure which was worse!
That making up loudly might be worse than the fighting loudly.
I don't really do fried chicken, though the Stater Bros grocery has great chicken - I'm not sure how they cook it, but it's really good. Used to like KFC, but I know they changed the recipe years ago, but it definitely went downhill after that. (They'll probably deny they changed it; my taste buds disagree.) Popeyes is miles away so I don't go there. There's a Mex chain here called El Polo Loco - smells divine. Can't eat it because it's marinated in citrus, and I'm allergic to everything citrus. Walked into Chick-a-Flic a few weeks ago. The offerings didn't impress me, so I left. If I want something like fried chicken, I go to Stater Bros.
Oh, El Pollo Loco is fantastic! Swoon-worthy, IMHO. You're right, KFC is not the same as it was years ago, Popeye's is too 'something' for me - I'm never happy with it. There's no Church's anywhere close, but I heard they're good. According to friends, Raisin' Cane's is a love/hate thing. I need to get over to the Crazy Chicken (El Pollo Loco) soon - it's been ages and now I have a craving!
No Church's near me for 50 miles or so. Would love to try El Pollo, but like I said, allergic to citrus. :-(
Popeyes indeed! When I was in NOLA in 1980, I could turn left at Jackson Circle onto Divine, and if you waited 10-15 minutes, they would make you an extra spicy batch. Needed the largest Strawberry Fanta with that. Great stuff
Clay, If you ever get up to Philly, try LoveBirds (https://www.lovebirdpa.com/menu). It's gluten free, but don't let that put you off - it's delicious! (my wife and kids have to eat GF) The chicken itself is really good too - I think the batter and spices at KFC are used to mask the taste of the chicken. Don't get the "popcorn chicken" - it's really meh. Their closest location to downtown is the one in Bryn Mawr, which is only a block from SEPTA's Rosemont train station (so you don't need a car or Uber).
I do like Popeyes better since I lived in Texas a while. As for neighbors I also had a flood in my apartment because the guy above left his two big dogs locked in the bathroom and somehow they turned on the sink faucet. I thought the plink noise I heard was rain on my window and then checked it out. My bathroom was flooded from the ceiling fan grate. Also my closet and living room walls were streaming. To top it off maintenance had just put down blue ice solvent so when they came to see the flood it was tracked in. That stuff does not come off fake flooring. 😂
Excellent toon and blog....I learn so many new things from you. Fried chicken wars? Didn't know. I have never tried Chick-fil-A and never will, nor have I tried Zaxby's only because it's a drive for fried chicken (maybe for King Crab Legs or Lobster, not chicken). Yuk to Bojangles, never heard of Royal Farms...Popeye's and Church's are not in my area. BTW, your neighbor has to go. And if I ever see Pizza Rat outside of your toons, I will raise some hell. That goes for sippy cups, Russian flag lapels, and Wilson the volleyball, too. Stand Strong on your principles...as the planet goes to hell next year maybe opinions will change???