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The most popular food of the Southern cuisine, fried chicken is the theme of many arguments where everyone involved seems to have a favorite, be it what their mothers used to make, a cult roadside eatery, or a bygone restaurant. However, it is universally agreed that the meat must be moist, succulent, and tender, coated with a crunchy, golden-brown crust.
It all started during the colonization period, when Scottish immigrants settled in the South, bringing their fried chicken recipes along. The African slaves then introduced new seasonings and spices, and the dish quickly gained popularity. Typical seasonings include salt, pepper, and hot chiles, and the pieces of meat should be edible by hand so that the consumer can bite both the crust and the meat at the same time.
MOST ICONIC Fried Chicken
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Having nothing in common with the actual buffalo nor the American bison, Buffalo wings are actually named after the place of their origin - Buffalo, New York. There are numerous stories about the origins of these mouth-watering chicken wings, but the one that seems the most authentic says that they were first served at the Anchor Bar in Buffalo.
In 1964, Teressa Bellissimo, the bar's owner, received a shipment of chicken wings by accident and didn't know what to do with them so she got an idea to deep-fry the wings and serve them in hot sauce with a blue cheese dressing and some thickly sliced celery sticks.
MOST ICONIC Buffalo Wings
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Potato skins are simple American appetizers consisting of unpeeled potato halves that have been hollowed out, deep-fried, then topped with cheese, bacon, or sour cream. They were originally invented as a way to turn potato peels into a profitable meal.
Depending on who you ask, there are three restaurants credited with the invention of this popular appetizer in the 1970s: R. J. Grunts in Chicago, TGI Fridays restaurant chain, or the Prime Rib restaurant in Washington, DC.
Today, potato skins are a staple of bar food and come in numerous versions, and there is even a fancy version of the appetizer with crabmeat, hollandaise sauce, and asparagus.