Kentucky Fried Goodness!

The most famous recipe in the history of Kentucky is Col. Harland Sanders’ fried chicken. Colonel Sanders first served fried chicken in a Corbin lunchroom in 1930. After a fire destroyed the cafe, Sanders rebuilt the restaurant and added a motel. In 1959, Sanders started selling franchises at a time when skeptics asked: “Who’ll go to a restaurant to buy what they can cook at home?”

It’s hard to imagine that 50 years ago, planning a fried chicken dinner included going to the yard and catching a young hen. Frying chicken today is a lot easier, but few people do it.
The best Kentucky fried chicken has two verities:
One: The pan-fried kind tastes better than the deep-fried kind.
Two: The best cooking vessel is a black cast-iron skillet.

And it is almost always true that if it’s restaurant fried chicken, it’s the deep-fried kind, probably cooked in an electric fryer. Sometimes it is even partially cooked, by steaming or braising, before it is thickly battered and dropped into bubbling oil.
After technique and choice of pan, there is room for debate over how best to fry chicken. Some cooks like to presoak it in sweet milk or buttermilk. Some use a relatively sturdy breading. Others say seasoned flour is the only coating needed.

One of Central Kentucky's most famous cooks, Patsy Bergeon of Paris, was noted for her fried chicken. Bergeon, who died at the age of 82, cooked for Stoner Creek Country Club and the Iron Rail Restaurant in Paris.

Known as “Miss Patsy,” she guarded her secret for years. But when she became ill, she changed her mind. “I can't take it with me,” she told Charles Ramey, who cooked chicken like Miss Patsy’s at the Iron Rail. Here are her instructions for frying chicken at home.

Miss Patsy’s fried chicken

Cut up chicken. Place several pieces into a pot, and sprinkle with salt and vinegar. Cover with lukewarm water; let stand for about 30 minutes. Drain.

Combine self-rising flour with salt, garlic powder and black pepper. Melt solid vegetable shortening in an iron skillet. You should have about 1 inch of grease.

Place chicken into hot grease. As it cooks, “tickle” the chicken. Gently move it around with a vegetable lifter. If you have enough grease, you won’t have to turn it. Listen to the chicken. “When it gets quiet, it’s ready to come up,” she said. When golden brown, about 20 minutes, lift from grease and drain on racks.