Did you know that Americans eat more chicken than any other kind of meat?I bought a small chicken the other day, stuffed it with onion and apple, and baked it. When I took it out of the oven, the baking dish was full of liquid, FULL. It was the weirdest tasting chicken I’ve ever had. I NEVER throw away food like that, but it went into the trash. SO – I decided to look into chicken. Here are some facts about chicken that you might find interesting.
- Chicken that isn’t organic may have arsenic in it.
- I like free range chicken best. Free-range chicken either lived outside or had access to the outdoors. Reminds me of the farms of my childhood.
- Eating chicken can make you happy. Chicken has high levels of tryptophan, an amino acid.
- I find chicken breast to not have much flavor, so I usually sauce it up or do something to it. I really like chicken in Mexican dishes, chicken salad, and fried (of course).
- When I eat chicken, I have to watch my portion size. The typical skinless, boneless chicken breast from my favorite store is 2 servings if I’m counting calories or just keeping a side-eye on the scale.
- Chicken is prone to bacteria. Even so, don’t wash it unless you are prepared to clean your sink and every adjacent area (counter, faucets with a disinfectant spray or wipe. Washing spreads the bacteria everywhere. (I rinse my chicken and start it cooking, then wipe down everything with spray and a paper towel, and put it all into the trash immediately.)
- I do not eat chicken mystery meat. I only eat chicken pieces that are whole, real pieces of chicken, like wings, breasts, thighs.
If you want more hints about the gospel bird or just soul food, here are a few links and some cookbook recommendations:
- The Truth About Chicken
- Gospel Bird: The Sacred Roots of Fried Chicken
- Gospel Bird Recipes
- What Defines Authentic Soul Food?
- How Black Culinary Historians Are Rewriting the History of American Food (Black food historians such as journalist Donna Battle Pierce, and James Beard Award-winners Michael Twitty and Adrian Miller)
- The Cooking Gene: A Journey Through African American Culinary History in the Old South by Michael W. Twitty
- The Jemima Code: Two Centuries of African American Cookbooks by Toni Tipton-Martin
- Jubilee: Recipes from Two Centuries of African American Cooking: A Cookbook by Toni Tipton-Martin
- The Rise: Black Cooks and the Soul of American Food: A Cookbook by Marcus Samuelsson , Osayi Endolyn , et al.
- The Taste of Country Cooking by Edna Lewis
- The African American Heritage Cookbook: Traditional Recipes and Fond Remembrances from Alabama’s Renowned Tuskegee Institute by Carolyn Quick Tillery
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