The great 'Chicken and Waffle' quest.

Marriages are interesting; Two people with different backgrounds, quirks and idiosyncrasies come together and say  "OK - this is it! It's just you and me baby! Till death do we part, either by natural causes or Iron Skillet!" Often times, individual likes and dislikes become fodder for disagreement and anguish. There ARE times, thankfully that these individuals share some commonalities and these shared pleasures become reason for travel, experimentation and great conversation.

Such is the case with us! WE....LOVE.....CHICKEN AND WAFFLES!!! (CW) If I asked my husband Herb what is ultimate comfort food would be, he'd no doubt say..."Chicken and Waffle". We should probably have bumper stickers that say "I Brake for Chicken and Waffles".

Now let's get something clear from the beginning, we don't mean IHOP's version, which is Chicken Strips and Waffles - NOOOOO...SO not acceptable. TRUE CW can ONLY be enjoyed at small individually owned establishments and cooked by Chefs who KNOW the history of CW and play within the guidelines of this treat.  The theory here follows the same for Red Velvet Cake. ANYBODY who thinks it's Chocolate Cake with Red Food Coloring is just WRONG and needs to be seriously schooled and/or whooped!!!!

Historically speaking, there are a few schools of thought regarding the inception of both CW and Red Velvet. Interestingly enough, both histories are steeped in cultures from both above and below the Mason/Dixon Line! (Hmmm...maybe these were causes for the Civil War - LOL).  Some say Red Velvet is a product of the Waldorf-Astoria hotel in NYC and many claim it's a Southern tradition in which most recipes are secret and only passed down orally. I promise you though, if you go to ANY southern family reunion and bring your version, it better be right because your survival in that family may be hinged on your prowess! Particularly if you're trying to MARRY into the family. Thank God mine was well received!  We may not have my little cupcake if I'd jacked it up! 

I have, for a few years have been trying to create the perfect Red Velvet cake. There's a recipe in my book, but alas, that iteration is no longer good enough. I think now I have a good profile and formula for the crimson delight, but, that could change.

I digress! Back to CW!!! SO....many people are familiar with Roscoe's Chicken and Waffles. They became famous in the 70's and 80's for bringing this dish to widespread popularity. Kinda like Arnold Palmer with the 1/2 Sweet Tea 1/2 Lemonade.  HE didn't invent it by a LONG shot! But he sure did make it famous! Gladys Knight also had a version of CW. Both places serve it the way it's SUPPOSED to be served!  Bone-in fried chicken atopor alongside a waffle. According to Wiki....CW was created by Slaves as a special treat on the rare ocassion they received poultry scraps from their masters and usually served for Sunday morning breakfast. That certainly does seem to still be the case in Southern African American culture.  Anytime you say CW....hearts race, eyes get big and folks jump!

Enter Herb and I! Our love for CW truly is steeped in tradition and a desire for gooood ole fashioned comfort food!  We are ALWAYS on the look-out for CW! Especially here in DC. You'd think that since we're below the Mason Dixon Line, there'd be places aplenty!!! But, alas, NO!  Many places have fallen short of our expectations and we've left many a place slamming our napkins down and decreeing "Welp...scratch THIS place off this list.....NEXT!!!"

That is....until....one FINE Saturday morning...August 18, 2012 in fact. While in Durham, NC we were sightseeing and foraging for food before preparing for his cousin's wedding.

Picture it....He's driving....I'm riding, taking in the sights and talking on my cell phone when on the left....I see it...a sign bearing: "Dame's (Almost) World Famous Chicken and Waffles". Immediatley, we pull into a parking lot, not DARING to pass up an opportunity to have CW! Especially in NC! He puts our name on a looong list.  But we don't care and I pass time in a boutique next door. 

FINALLY, it's our turn. We're seated at this wonderful table and admiring the restaraunt's decore. I open the menu and begin to salavate! Rather than boasting 100% pure maple syrup for the waffles (which, is my favorite), the boast 'shmears'. Butters infused with wonderful flavors like Apricot/Peach and Orange Honeycomb.  My eyebrows raise in intrigue as I further read their offering of Panko breaded chicken breast served with Creme Whiskey Sauce. Wha..wha...WHAT??!!! You're KIDDING??!!

Then....my eyes begin to well up as I read "Pick your waffle flavor": Classic, Sweet Potato, Gingerbread. *sniff...sniff* Say it ain't sooo!!!

Our jaws DROP as we watch plates being  delivered to other customers.  Excitedly....we order.  Herb Classic Chicken and Waffles with a side of Macaroni and Cheese.  Me: Panko breaded chicken cutlet with whiskey cream sauce, Sweet Potato Waffle with Orange/ Honeycomb shmear, cheese eggs and grits!

As we wait, we laugh and joke as we play hangman and tic tac toe on the white paper on the table and I draw Kendal's name in an obvious display of missing her.

Our food has arrived!!!!!!

We damn near cry as we savor every bite. THE MACARONI AND CHEESE was THE BEST I HAVE EVER EATEN. And lemee tell ya, with THESE hips and my forty years of life...I've eaten ALOT of Macaroni and Cheese!  I tried to bribe and bat my eyes to get the recipe, but alas, even my smile and batting eyes were futile.  All I can say is that it was creamy, delicious and I'd drive ALLLLLL the way back to Durham, NC JUST for that macaroni and cheese!!!!!!

The waffle and shmear...sigh....There are NO words!!! Fan-ta-bu-lous!!!!!!!!! PERFECT in every way!!!! Served hot....thick....tongue poppin flavor and the shmear....OOHHHH!!!! Syrup on THAT waffle with THAT butter, would have been blasphemous!

FINALLY!!!!!!! We had arrived at Chicken and Waffle Nirvana!!!! (que heavenly music and opening skies)

I cried as I discover that my belly can't hold anymore and that I must take my waffle with me. I tried, but then I realized that in two hours, I must put on a pretty dress (that I'd NEVER worn) and sit comfortably through a wedding ceremony.

TRUE bliss was experienced that day!  Ture Bliss!  Our quest for delicious CW lives on, for sure, but atop our list now: Dame's (Almost) World Famous Chicken and Waffles in Durham, NC!!!!!!! Guy Fieri.....Road trip to Durham is required of you!!!!!

As an aside, I DID make it into my dress (whew) and Natalie and Ashley's wedding was beautiful!

The Sweetest Cupcake Ever!!!

WELL! It has been more than a year since my last post....and for good reason I might add! On December 14, 2011, at 10:09 pm, THE SWEETEST CUPCAKE EVER.....Miss Kendal Simone Seward was born! My beautiful little cupcake weighed 6 lbs. 3 oz. and was 19 3/4 ins. long. I also had the pleasure of becoming MRS. Kimberly Renee-Veney Seward on September 17, 2011...WHEW!!!! WHAT....A....YEAR!!!!

 

 

Giving birth to my daughter is THE greatest thing I've ever done in my life! For most of my life I feared that I would endure many calamities regarding pregnancy and delivery. I am SO honored to say that NONE of them transpired. I had a GREAT pregnancy and WONDERFUL delivery. I got my wish to do deliver her the old-fashioned way....push her out...shove her out.....waaaaay out! (Hommage to Bill Cosby - LOL)! I got to feel the greatest joy in the world - giving birth to another life. NOTHING in this world can even come close to how awesome that feels!

I look at her everyday, kiss her, hug her and Thank GOD for the blessing she is to me! She is now my greatest inspiration and best reason to ACT on my dreams. I have a dream so vivid that I can touch, smell and yes, TASTE it! It's a dream of running a business where not only are people recipients of delicious food, but they become creators of delicious food! I am not only a purveyor, but also teacher. I dream of writing more, doing more and being AMAZINGLY happy! I need this dream to be reality for us! For me, so that I can truly live my dream life and for her to see that she can do ANYTHING she wants. I need to be her most important example; And I intend to do so. I am Mommy after all - LOL and THAT'S what Mommy's do! Just as mine does for me! She inspires me with love, conviction, pusurverence and a candidness that corrects yet soothes. That's the Mommy I want to be for Kendal!

In THAT vein new flavors have sprung! New ideas and increased passion! For instance, KSS - my newest cupcake flavor that brings together lucious chocolate, spicy cinnamon and sweet caramel into one delicious bite! Then there's Lemon Loves Chocolate.....Rich chocolate cupcake filled with a sunny yummy meyer lemon filling and topped with a buttercream so lucious it melts not only in your mouth, but ushers in a bliss not often acheived by a dessert!

I'm also playing around with different flours and sugars so that I can mass produce cakes and not have to make the batter each time. I pride myself on making everything from scratch, so I need to find a way to mass produce my cakes using a mix that I concocte. One idea I have is to replace granulated sugar with powdered sugar. I tried this with not so good results. The cake was drier and a bit less sweet than my normal. But I was also using 6x confectioner's sugar instead of 10x. That might have made the difference. I intend to try again.

Something else I have been DYING to perfect is the buttercream in chocolates. I now have a theory. MAYBE it's one of the European buttercreams. Maybe Swiss...it's definetly not Italian, although it could be a variation. In any case, I have to also find a stabilizer (preservative) for them for shelving. Unless I intend for them to always be eaten within two weeks (as is the case with The Chocolate Box in St. Martin)

In regards to actually DOING my dream and not just dreaming, I recently got an opportunity to provide desserts to a local company once a month.  April was the trial month and I'm proud to say it was a success and I get to do it again this month!! YAAAAAY ME!

Now that I have my cupcake, planning and scheduling are crucial.  I've not been much of a scheduler in my life soooo...this is alll new to me  - LOL.  ANY great suggestion on mastering this would be greatly appreciated! I'm also in another new life event......an employee!!! WHEW! For the last 12 years of my life I've been a Freelance American Sign Language Interpreter which meant I could set my schedule any way I wanted, even though I worked a ton of hours, they were still on MY terms.  NOW, I'm going to the same place everyday. While I am SOOOOOOO glad for the MUCH needed opportunity, it's a bit of a foreign concept to me, but so far so great! This is a great opportunity for me to GET on a schedule and sticking with it! Way to go God for answereing a prayer.  He doesn't always answer them in the manner we expect, but rather in the manner we need!  It is comforting to know that there is a plan for my life even though my way may need to be re-directed at times.

The website is still coming along and I'm proud to say it is now LIVE!!!!!!! WOO HOO!!!! . Book sales have been at ZERO - but Heck....I had a baby!!!! So I am looking to kick that up again As well as prepare for the next iteration. I don't have a title yet, but I know tons of ways I intend to improve upon the first one!

Excitedly, I look forward to all this newness in my life!  Being Mommy to my beautiful baby girl is almost MORE than I can fathom and everyday I hold her is the best day of my life.  KNOWING that my husband truly loves and supports me is truly one of my greatest blessings and having the opportunity to roll up my sleeves and do what I want is astounding. So....EXCITEDLY, NERVOUSLY and GLEEFULLY I put back on my white jacket, tie on my purple head scarf and shout: LET'S PLAY WITH FOOD!!!!