Diary: The Illusion And The Reality Of Nate. A Cruise Comes Together.

Sunday, October 8, 2017 (continued from yesterday). Not only is there no sign of the tropical storm that weather geeks like me have been obsessed with for the past week, but it's a perfectly beautiful day. Clear skies, just a trace of wetness on the lawnI walk around the entire Cool Water Ranch without encountering any soft spots. Mary Ann wants to have brunch at Ox Lot 9, her favorite Sunday breakfast spot. But the Ox Lot was closed. So too were the next three restaurants we called. This is a reaction to what we were told all day yesterday: the entire New Orleans area was supposed to be hit by heavy rain, winds, and tides. Instead, we have sunshine. [caption id="attachment_49141" align="alignleft" width="480"] Puppy drum meuniere-amandine.[/caption] We wind up at Forks and Corks in Terra Bella. They are getting a good bit of business from other seekers of open restaurants. We begin with a spinach salad topped with shrimp remoulade (white style remoulade sauce). Mary Ann has a crabmeat omelette with some excellent grits. I'm eating a black drumfish fillet with a brown-butter-style meuniere sauce. Green beans are in the backgrounds, but aren't they always wherever seafood is served? All of this is right on the buttons of our appetites of the morning. A few weeks ago I declared in this space that I will not chase the Marys around on Sundays as they ferry the dog Bauer from the South Shore to the Mandeville shore so Bauer can play in the water. Then they go to La Carreta, but who knows where or when. And if I want to join them I may, but I run the risk of their having already finished when I arrive. MA says that's my tough luck. I should eat my avocado salad with cilantro dressing at La Carreta and the black bean soup and count myself lucky to be there. Which I guess I am. By the way, Mary Leigh, who lives in the center of New Orleans, reports the same absurdly mellow weather overnight that we saw in Abita Springs. So if Great Disappearing Tropical Storm Trick was only an illusion, it was a very effective one. I return home to get ahead on the deadlines that will not be extended because of an absent storm. Through the afternoon, Mary Ann and I have a meeting by phone with Debbie Himbert, our travel agent. After going back and forth on the plans for our next Eat Club cruise, we have decided to run our fifth trip to New England and Canada. It's been two years since the previous one, and it gets a surprising amount of interest from my readers and listeners. I love it too. It's very relaxing, we get to eat a lot of food that doesn't show up in New Orleans, the leaves are often in brilliant autumn colors, and I know the itinerary so well that I can be a good host. We have many pieces to assemble, but what we know are these facts: Schedule: October 12-19, 2018 Ship: Norwegian Gem, a newly-refurbished ship with many restaurants Ports: Boston (where we embark); Portland, Maine; Halifax, Nova Scotia; Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island; Gaspersie and Saguenay en route to Quebec City, where we will disembark. Fare: Should have that in a week or so. But at last I will have something to tell the many people who like our cruises. Best news: Mary Ann--who will not have to chase our kids around, because they aren't kids anymore--will be traveling with us for the first time in many years. 1Forks & Corks. Covington: 141 TerraBella Blvd. 985-273-3663. [divider type=""] [divider type=""]

Perfectly Cooked, Golden-Brown Fried Chicken At Home.

[dropcap1]Q. [/dropcap1] I have a problem I can’t seen to correct. The problem is getting golden brown fried chicken. I monitor my oil temp, and I use a instant read thermometer for the chicken, but it comes out burnt looking, but delicious. My oil is at 350 degrees before I put the chicken pieces in, I rotate the pieces a number of times, and I cook till the internal temp is 165. I use an egg wash and a all purpose flour seasoned with sea salt, black pepper and garlic power. I’ve tried a number of off the shelf oils, but I get the same result. Delicious chicken, juicy inside, burnt looking outside. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.--Louie. [dropcap1]A. [/dropcap1]Actually, I love chicken that way, especially the dark coating. The color of fried chicken is a function not of the chicken itself but the coating. I think the best coating is cracker meal. (Ground up saltine crackers, without the salty coating). However, this may leave the chicken underdone. You don't say whether you bring the chicken to room temperature before you fry it. Try that. Also, if you're going for internal temperature of 165, that will be perfect for the breast, but underdone for the thigh. Get the thigh up to 180. Finally, I would dump the egg wash and flour components from the coating. Try all that along with the cracker meal and give me a report, which I expect will be excellent. Tastefully yours, Tom Fitzmorris [divider type=""]