On Learning To Make Fried Chicken

     Page One Hundred-Seven.
     The 1936 Pulitzer-prize winning play, "You Can't Take It With You" is a wonderful piece of American comedy. I strongly recommend watching the 1937 movie, with Lionel Barrymore, whenever you want to experience life-affirming energy. 
     In a nut shell, the play is about a wacky, but exceedingly happy, family and how they make their way in a world which moves in a different direction than they do. For example, the mother acquires a typewriter much by chance, so she decides to become a playwright. "If you end up owning a typewriter, then you should become a playwright"... makes perfect sense to her. Essentially, she allowed the universe to make a decision for her. I also allow the universe to make some of my decisions as I believe that the universe knows just exactly what I need to have an interesting life. Like this afternoon.
     This week I hired myself out to a friend who's an estate liquidator. She needed somebody to do some down and dirty cleaning and light hauling, but also someone with a keen eye for antiques and collectables. I fit both bills so I've spent the last three days helping her. Besides the cash, we all know how fun it is to work a sale prior to any customers arriving, as in, we get first pick at the fun loot. I was well-behaved. I only purchased a couple of inexpensive items and put a bid on a 1920's straw hat.
     One item which I purchased is the strangest looking cast iron skillet ever. It's about ten inches across but about three inches deep. It's the deepest frying pan I've ever seen. I had to have it even though I need it like I need a hole in my head. She gave me a great price and I brought it home and began preparing for a long project of uber-cleaning when I found some descriptive words on the bottom, "chicken fryer". This thing was designed specifically to make old-fashioned fried chicken!
     I've made fried chicken exactly once in my life - a few months ago. It was passable. The family whom I work for enjoyed it immensely, but I was less than thrilled. It was almost too crispy, if you can believe that. So, now, I have a reason to really perfect my fried chicken recipe. I have a pan designed specifically for the purpose. How fun.