To Fry Or Not To Fry?

Here's a little known factoid - did you know that KFC changed its image by retiring the slogan Kentucky FRIED Chicken. Instead, they became known as serving up Kitchen Fresh Chicken. Long are the days of Wesson Oil commercials that proudly encouraged yummy fried chicken for dinner. When was the last time you saw a splatter screen? How about a Fry Daddy? It must be a pretty big sin to eat fried foods these days. Or is it?

Look at the menu at Long John Silvers; nothing butfried foods. Look at any menu for that matter, deepfried beer battered shrimp, fried clams, french fries,fried potatoes, fried eggs. Outback restaurant has theBlooming Onion, that puppy is soaked in oil. FriedFried Fried.

So perhaps no one is trying to say that fried foods aregood for you, but nations sure are indulging in thegrease laden foods, especially Americans. Perhaps thisisn't a good time to bring up the Obesity statistics. But here's the kicker, "It tastes so good!" Granted,some fried foods are just too greasy, but a majority ofthem just taste delicious. That's why loads ofindulgers treat themselves to a so many artery-closingdelicacies!

First there were the french fries, now there are deepfried dill pickles and deep fried Oreos? How did THATleap happen? Don't forget deep fried ice cream anddeep fried peaches. Of course what menu isn't completewithout the deep fried mushrooms, deep friend cheesesticks, and deep friend cauliflower? Perhaps if youdeep fry vegetables, it's a little healthier? Is thathow it works? Or if you deep fry already fatteningnibbles, such as ice cream and Oreos, then it doesn'treally matter because you're already cheating?

Nevertheless it continues. There's deep friedstrawberries, Snickers, potato salad, zucchini, tofu,cheesecake, rice balls, bananas, corn, shrimp, and evendeep fried turkey. Product flyers claim the wingedbird is "so much juicier when cooked in a deep fryer!" So we got rid of the little table top Fry Daddy andwent for the floor model turkey fryer. Umm, ok.

Then there's the big decision about what kind of oil touse? Olive, peanut, vegetable, canola, lard, butter,margarine or Valvoline 10-40? Certainly don't forgetto check out your saturated fats against yourpolyunsaturated fats versus the monounsaturated fats.

Maybe you should say fats. Did we ever decide if friedwas a bad word? Perchance the better word is Sautéed. Indeed. Sautéed Oreos - much healthier!

Eileen Church is the webmaster for http://www.finechickens.com, a wonderful resource onthe subject of all things chicken. Be sure to visithttp://www.finechickens.com for more information onchicken!