by Jeff Guinn
8. Remove and dip it in the flour.
9. Sprinkle lightly with salt and fresh-ground pepper or other spices, as desired. Return seasoned, floured chicken to lemon or lime ice water.
10. Remove quickly and re-dip it in the flour.Note: Be ready to pour more flour over chicken for the second dip to get even coating. But even single-dip chicken will be crunchy and tasty.
FRYING
1. Slip floured chicken immediately into the hot oil.
2. If oil gets too hot, it will pop or splatter out of the pan. If so, slightly turn down heat.
3. Keep constant watch on frying chicken. As it begins to brown on one side, turn it over. As it browns on other side, turn again. Turn at least two more times for even frying on both sides.
4. Chicken is ready when it’s rich, golden brown, and crisp on both sides, and the sizzle begins to wane. Remove chicken and place on paper-towel-covered platter. Turn over once to let oil drain off both sides. Dab with towels as necessary.
5. If frying a lot of chicken, put second pan of oil on another burner and preheat the oil. As the first oil’s frying capacity breaks down, switch frying to the pan of fresh, hot oil. Then empty, clean, and refill the first pan, and preheat another batch of oil for more frying.Note: Don’t let oil get old and weak while frying.
Caution: Don’t cover chicken while it’s frying. Don’t put finished chicken in warm oven or under heat lamp. Don’t cover finished chicken.
6. Serve immediately, fresh fried and hot from the platter.Note: This is also good as a cold snack later from the fridge. Ask Santa.
Resources
Ball, Ann. A Litany of Saints. Huntington, Ind.: Our Sunday Visitor, Inc., 1993.
Barraclough, Geoffrey, ed. The Times Atlas of World History. Maplewood, N.J.: Hammond, Inc., 1989.
Crichton, Robin. Who Is Santa Claus? The True Story Behind a Living Legend. Edinburgh, Scotland: Canongate Publishing Ltd., 1987.
Cross, F. L. The Oxford Dictionary of the Christian Church. New York: Oxford University Press, 1957.
Del Re, Gerard, and Patricia Del Re. The Christmas Almanack. New York: Doubleday and Company, 1979.
Ebon, Martin. Saint Nicholas: Life and Legend. New York: Harper and Row, 1975.
Encyclopedia Americana. Danbury, Conn.: Americana Corp., 1980.
Garraty, John A., ed. Encyclopedia of American Biography. New York: Harper and Row, 1974.
Goldsmith, Terence. Saints. New York: Blandford Press Ltd., 1978.
Humble, Richard. The Travels of Marco Polo. New York: Franklin Watts, I 990.
Ickis, Marguerite. The Book of Religious Holidays and Celebrations. New York: Dodd, Mead, and Company, 1966.
Imbert, Bertrand. North Pole, South Pole: Journeys to the Ends of the Earth. New York: Harry N. Abrams, Inc., 1992.
Jackson, Kenneth T., ed. Atlas of American History. New York: Charles Scribner’s Sons, 1978.
Jones, Charles Williams. Saint Nicholas of Myra, Bari, and Manhattan. Chicago, Ill.: University of Chicago Press, 1978.
Jones, E. Willis. The Santa Claus Book. New York: Walker and Company, 1976.
Metford, J. C. J. Dictionary of Christian Lore and Legend. New York: Thames and Hudson, Inc., 1983.
The National Christmas Tree Association, Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association, Colorado Springs, Colorado.
Sanders, Dennis. The First of Everything. New York: Delacorte Press, 1981.
Snyder, Phillip V. December 25th. New York: Dodd, Mead, and Company, 1985.
Taylor, Michael J. H., and David Mondey. Milestones of Flight. Alexandria, Va.: Jane’s Information Group, Inc., 1983.
Weis, Frank W. Lifelines. New York: Facts on File, Inc., 1982.
Whyte, Malcolm. The Meanings of Christmas. San Francisco, Calif.: Troubador Press, 1973.
The World Book Encyclopedia. Chicago, Ill.: World Book, Inc., 1993.
Acknowledgments
Two people above all others deserve special recognition for helping Santa and me write this book. Besides Layla, it was Mark Hulme who originally urged that it be written. Back in 1994, Susan Besze Wallace was absolutely invaluable, doing an amazing amount of research and making sure all our dates and facts were accurate.
Other special Santa’s helpers include Sara Carder, my editor, and Ken Siman, my publicist, at Tarcher/Penguin; Robert Fernandez; Felix Higgins ; Del Hillen; Mary Arendes; Art Cory; Don Jesse; Dot and Frank Lauden; Zonk Lanzillo; Rich Billings; Wilson McMillion; Scott Nishimura; Doug Perry; Julie Heaberlin; Rick Press; Charles Caple; Marsha Melton; Mary and Charles Rogers; Ira Hollander; Kelly Goss; Dorit Rabinovitch; Michael and Barbara Rosenberg; Jerry Flemmons; Mike Cochran; Ralph Lauer; Cecil Johnson; Karen Potter; Anita Quinones; John Ryan; Bob and Betty Burns; Jim and Barbara Firth; Buck, Debbie, Jeanne, and Jonathan Firth; Speaker Jim Wright; Sandy Smith; the Reverend Linda McDermott; Max and Cissy Lale; and Larry Wilson.
Santa dedicates this new edition of his book to everyone who keeps Christmas in his or her heart. I agree, and also dedicate it to Louis and Marie Renz.
Everything I write is always for Nora, Adam, and Grant.
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