FRIED CHICKEN
It’s that time of year again when the weather cools down enough in South Florida to have a pleasurable picnic...an outdoors picnic where you don’t have to bring a change of clothes after you’ve sweated through your first outfit. It’s also the time of year when Slow Food Miami hosts its annual Thighs & Pies Pie Contest & Picnic at The Barnacle Historic State Park. On Saturday, November 3rd, the historic house in Coconut Grove - which is interesting enough to warrant a visit any other time of the year - will be celebrating that All-American dessert, the pie, with a competition featuring up to thirty different pies submitted by South Florida locals. Along with the competition, there will be a delicious picnic featuring natural, antibiotic-free fried chicken from FreeBird, as well as tasty sides and sweet treats donated by Whole Foods Market in Coral Gables. This family friendly event will also include live music by Matthew Sabatella and the Rambling String Band to get things into a festive spirit.
Looking for a last minute bite to eat this Independence Day? Check out the spread at Lowcountry! This southern restaurant and bourbon bar is offering up all day specials with the most American dishes you can find.
Stop by at 1pm when the fun begins and happy hour pricing will continue on throughout the day.
Bon apetit...or as we say here in the USA, dig in!
EAT: Fried Chicken Basket with Roasted Corn and Potatoes,
Buttermilk Ranch Dressing, Corn Bread
& a Complimentary Carafe of John Daly
5 pieces for $28
10 piece for $50
DRINK: $5 Draft Beers, Wines by the Glass and Select Cocktails
WHEN: July 4th, 1 pm-close
WHERE: Lowcountry 142 W. 10th Street
A Miami summer tradition since 2009, Michelle Bernstein's signature restaurant, Michy's, has launched its yearly endless fried chicken dinners on Wednesday nights. For $38, diners get a veritable cornucopia of what has come to be known as some of South Florida's finest deep fried foul served up with as many helpings of Chef Bernstein's impeccably crafted sides that you care to eat, such as salads, cole slaw, and homemade biscuits. Of course, no dinner at Michy's would be complete without one of Chef Bernstein's addictive desserts, and her fried chicken smorgasbord is no exception as it includes one of her tasty, innovative, and comforting sweet endings.
Earlier this week Burger King released a commercial on YouTube featuring Mary J. Blidge singing about a new crispy chicken wrap. Shortly after, the ad drew tons of criticism on Twitter for playing off a stereotype about African-Americans and chicken.
Now Mary J. Blige is doing damage control and explains she never signed off on that version of the controversial fried chicken ad that was blasted on the Internet.
Mary J. tells TMZ, “I agreed to be a part of a fun and creative campaign that was supposed to feature a dream sequence. Unfortunately, that's not what was happening in that clip." She goes on to say, "I understand my fans being upset by what they saw. But, if you’re a Mary fan, you have to know I would never allow an unfinished spot like the one you saw go out."
There is no dessert more quintessentially American than a pie. Although the English gave us the tradition, we Americans seem to have taken it to a whole other level with as many varieties as there are people living in the United States. Almost every region of this country has its own particular pie or style of pie-making, including South Florida with its signature Key Lime Pie. However, given the extensive variety of tropical fruit that calls South Florida home, it’s nothing short of a wonder why there are not more pies that celebrate our local produce. The Miami chapter of Slow Food USA has set out to change that with its first annual Thighs And Pies event this Saturday, September 10, at The Barnacle Historic State Park in Coconut Grove.
Up to thirty pies will compete in a pie contest that features fruit and ingredients grown in South Florida and must be sweetened only with locally-grown sugars or honeys, as well, in the hopes of promoting local cooks to turn to their lush, tropical backyard for their baking inspiration. Judges will include Lee Brian Schrager (founder of the South Beach Wine & Food Festival), Hedy Goldsmith (pastry chef of Micheal’s Genuine Food & Drink), and Arianna Kumpis (president of Les Dames D’Escoffier Miami). Prizes are being donated by Whole Foods Market in Coral Gables and Breville Appliances.
After winners are announced at 1:00 PM, there will be a pie sale to benefit Slow Food Miami’s Edible School Garden Program. On top of experiencing the excitement of a pie competition amid the beautiful grounds of this historic Old Florida house, attendees will also be partaking in Sustain Restaurant + Bar’s organic Tanglewood Farms fried chicken, as well as side dishes and other goodies provided by Whole Foods. There will be entertainment throughout the event, too.
Thighs & Pies Annual Pie Contest
When:
Saturday, September 10, 2011
12:00 PM to 3:00 PM
Where:
Barnacle Historic State Park
3485 Main Highway
Coconut Grove, FL
Admission:
$35 for adults
$15 for children 5 to 15
For more information, please visit http://www.slowfoodmiami.com/thighsandpies.htm
The weekend looms and we've got picnics on the brain, so we're scouring the web over here at Joonbug headquarters for the best summertime recipes to enjoy indian-style in the grass. Sandwiches and salads are a little tired, deviled eggs are a bit dangerous due to their mayo content, and fresh fruit tends to lose it's luster in the sweltering heat. Our ideal alternative- fried chicken. This soul food classic tastes good hot, great cold, and just fine at room temperature. Fried chicken doesn't require silverware or serving utensils and is relatively easy to prepare. Bring along some cornbread and your favorite 6-pack, and plenty of napkins, to complete the meal.
It's a no-brainer. When browsing a menu and unable to decide what to order, always go with the chicken. Nine times out of ten, it will be edible. If there is fried chicken, nine times out of ten, it will be delicious -because who doesn’t like fried anything? Here a few local spots (in no particular order) for some soul-satisfying fried chicken.
1. Buttermilk Channel - 524 Court Street
Not only does this establishment have buttermilk-fried chicken, but they also serve fluffy cheddar waffles drizzled with balsamic syrup alongside it. Visit during Monday night and order this signature dish as part of a $25 prixe fix menu where an additional salad or soup and a dessert will have you in a food coma within minutes.
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