A Southern Farewell

There's something genuinely comforting about coming home and immediately feeling the warmth from the kitchen before you even step foot inside.  And with Gabe behind the stove it gets even better!  Such was the case when I returned from teaching yoga yesterday afternoon.  This Sunday's "Family Dinner" was in honor of our house guest Alex, one of Gabe's amazing friends who stayed with us for the past month while in search of a new residence. In case you didn't know, finding a place to live in San Francisco is about as hard as finding a parking spot!  Thus, to acknowledge his departure and new man cave, we named Alex the guest of honor, and Gabe pulled out the deep fryer for a Southern farewell.

On the menu was Fried Chicken, Buttermilk Biscuits, and Collard Greens.   Let me begin with the item most unfamiliar to me - collard greens.  Sure I had heard about them before but never in my life did I take a chance and try them.  The best thing I can liken it to is sautéed spinach, but something I would actually eat again and not try to force down for the sake of eating a vegetable.

Gabe first boiled a ham hock and sweet onion in water for about two hours. The greens were added and then he let them simmer for about an hour.

 That brown spot in there is the ham hock that Gabe added for a delicious flavor.

And of course, the buttermilk biscuits.  I don't even know where to begin!  They had layers of delicious fluffy, sweet cream goodness for a texture that melted in your mouth.  It's safe to assume there was plenty of butter and buttermilk but the real treat was the extra butter on top.

Yes, Gabe went the extra mile and made a homemade honey butter and glazed them once they cooled down.  (The missing one was the "sample"!)

And the main course!  Gabe marinated the chicken thighs in buttermilk, dill, cayenne pepper, kosher salt, fresh white pepper, garlic and onion powder.

 First juicy thighs in the fryer!  Fry, fry, fry, fry, fry!!

The thighs were crispy on the outside and juicy on the inside, exactly the way fried chicken should be.  Gabe added sauce made from mayo, whole grain mustard, honey and tabasco and put it together for one delicious Southern farewell.

Alex didn't want to be photographed but his iPhone is there for representation.  Dinner was, to say the least, worth the calories and definitely worth the occasion.

_Peace and Love