Forever Young

When I was little probably one of the first people I saw in movies who made me think, "Hey, I want to do that," was Shirley Temple. I can remember watching her movies on Saturday mornings back when we had 4 channels to choose from. She started her career in 1931 at the age of 3. In the films I remember most she was probably no more than 5 or 6, about the same age I was. In reality the films had been re-released, and she was actually 41 when I was watching her tap and sing as an adorable little girl. Shirley had a rare quality, something you don't see very often these days in child stars. She was extremely talented, yes, but she wasn't obnoxious and annoying as so many children with fame thrust upon them tend to be. She was the "biggest star in the world" at a very young age. What an awesome responsibility  She danced and acted with some of the greats of the 30's era, Buddy Ebsen, Jack Haley, Alice Faye and one of my hometown greats, Bill "Bojangles" Robinson as well as many others. With her signature golden ringlets and impish smile, she charmed her way into the hearts of generations. My own children were enthralled by her as well as I am sure many will be in the future. She was a true American Icon, and she will be missed but remain in our hearts forever young.

Just Like Mama Used to Make...Almost

I have to say, without a doubt, fried chicken is one of my favorite foods. My dad would often tell the story of how when we were traveling on the road for family vacations, I would often fall asleep in the back seat, as small children often do. I would stay asleep until we passed any Fried Chicken Establishment, and then I would raise my head up, eyes closed sniffing, like some infant puppy in search of food. I can't say I have ever had any fried chicken I didn't like, but certainly some rank above others. First and foremost, I loved my mother's pan fried chicken growing up. There is nothing quite like pan fried chicken, but there is an art to cooking it, and not everyone can do it correctly. My mother taught me how to fry chicken, and I added a few changes, and it became one of my specialties, my signature dish, if you will. But, as anyone who pan fries chicken knows, it takes time and attention, so my craving for fried chicken must often be satisfied by the eat-out variety. Hands down, my favorite take-out restaurant for Fried Chicken would be Bojangles. Sadly, there is not a Bojangles near me. :o( However, Popeyes runs a close second, and although I must travel to get to one, it isn't too terribly inconvenient to get a fix. My side of town offers slim pickins' when it comes to fried chicken. It's not that the chicken available is bad. It's just not good! That is until Hardees introduced the hand-breaded chicken tender. Now, the chicken tender is an entirely different breed of fried chicken. It is meant to be dipped in the sauce of your choice and consumed. Until now, to get a fresh chicken tender you would have to pay upwards of $10.00 in a sit-down restaurant, but now Hardees offers 5 pieces, fries and a drink for a little over $7.00. It's fresh and crispy and juicy, and it's my new favorite fast food thing. It still doesn't beat Mom's pan fried, but it's pretty close.