Upstate’s Fresh Take on a Familiar Dish
Elizabeth Wilson | March 11, 2015Editor’s Note: If the following post makes you just as hungry as it made us while we were writing it, we recommend casting your vote in this month’s contest. The prize is a $250 gift certificate to our featured Upstate eatery, Henry’s at the Farm! Select your favorite home here!
For such a comforting dish, there is a lot of risk involved in producing a well-received recipe for fried chicken. Take on this classic American meal, and you’re asking to be compared to every other Tom, Dick and Harry who has been slapping breading on poultry for years, just the way their parents did it, which is just the way their parents’ parents did it, etc.
So how do you go about winning the crowd over with your take on fried chicken? And what’s more, how do you get your interpretation to stand out from the crowd?
To find the answer, we head to the establishment that took the title of “Best Fried Chicken” last year in Hudson Valley Magazine’s annual “Best of Hudson Valley” ballot: Henry’s at the Farm.
Patrons of Henry’s will notice one thing about their country fried chicken – each ingredient can be traced back to a specific location, a point in/on the earth where the seed took root or the egg hatched. While we do not recommend using your time at Henry’s to interrogate General Manager CJ Hartwell or Executive Chef Gary Lucato about the origins of each dish, the team would be more than happy to tell you about the farmer who raised that egg or planted that seed. Or, they may simply point out the window to the farm sitting on the property, as Millstone is the source of many of their ingredients, including honey, grapes, and jalapeños.
In fact, it’s the novelty of having farm-fresh produce at his disposal that attracted Executive Chef Lucato to Henry’s to begin with. Known for his innovative menus, Gary’s MO as chef and food-lover (focus on the ingredients) is perfectly aligned with the sustainable practices in place at Henry’s. Together, Lucato’s passion for fresh ingredients and the commitment of Henry’s to a sustainably-sourced menu make for fried chicken worthy of its “Best of the HV” title.
So, referring back to our earlier question, maybe that’s the ticket – the reinforcement of a unique, compelling idea with a familiar dish. Or, maybe it’s the unavoidable allure of crispy breaded chicken and creamy mac and cheese. Or maybe it’s both! Reserve your table at Henry’s today and let us know!
P.S. Henry’s will be participating in Hudson Valley Restaurant Week, taking place from March 9th to the 22nd! More info on our favorite week here.
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