The food lab better home cooking through science ( PDFDrive ) 1060

HONEY,
IF
YOU’RE

READING
THIS,I’M
COMING

CLEAN:


I

’vebeenhidingthefriedchickenfromyou.

Now I know what you’re thinking:How could you do
such a thing to me? My love for juicy chicken coated in a
crisp crust knows no bounds. Whether it’s a thick, crunchy
coating with eleven secret herbs and spices or paper-thin
crackling skin that unites with the flesh underneath to
achieve that cosmic oneness so coveted by fried chicken
aficionados like myself, there is nothing—I mean nothing—
I’dratherbedoinginthissweet,fairworldrightnowthan
sinkingmyteethintoagoldenbrownthigh,feelingthesnap
oftheskinagainstmylips,thesaltygoldenjuicesdribbling
downmychin.Ifyou’donlyletme,I’deatfriedchickenfor
breakfast,lunch,anddinner,andseveralmealsinbetween.
Andthereinliestheproblem.AspassionateasIam,I’ma
man of science, and in order for me to perform truly
scientifictestsonfriedchicken,thestuffhastostickaround
at least long enough for me to document and measure it.

Thissimplydoesn’thappenwhenyou’reinthevicinity.For
the past year, I’ve resorted to waiting until you’re out of
town before cranking up the deep fryer to do my testing.
Youcomebackfromtripswiththesmellofchickenfatstill
lingering in the air, the bony remains of my experiments
sittingatthebottomofthetrashcan.
It’scruel,Iknow,andIpromise,dear,thatIgainonlya
smallbitofsadisticpleasureoutofdoingit.DoInotmakeit
up to you by supplying you with increasingly better
versions of fried chicken on special occasions like
ChristmasorColonelSanders’sbirthday?Factis,you’renot