Behind The Butter

our saturday night

Last night, Adam and I were invited to our friends Brian and Nancy’s house for a fried chicken dinner.

Can you even think of a more glorious affair?

We originally bonded with our new friends a month or so ago when we realized our mutual passion and obsession for fried chicken. We then decided, since they are new in town and all, to go on a fried chicken tour of Northern California. An expedition, if you will. And the tour kicked off last night with dinner at their house. This is serious business, people. Serious business.

So last night, Brian made the chicken, courtesy of the Ad Hoc cookbook, which I tried to steal but Adam made me put back. I have yet to actually eat at the restaurant, yet dream about it at night.

Thomas Keller, you are a fried chicken god.

To go with the chicken, Nancy made raised waffles from the Fannie Farmer Cookbook.

Because, you know, you can’t have fried chicken without large, buttery waffles these days.

She also made this delicious chard with golden raisins and ham from Ad Hoc. It was delicious!

My contribution was cornbread and cupcakes. Unfortunately, Adam thought the cupcakes were appetizers. Sometimes we forget what it’s like to dine with others.

Adam also made stuffed mushrooms:

They disappeared fast.

After dinner we rolled into the living room and watched Dances with Wolves.

Atticus and I had a moment and I tried to steal him, too. I can’t be trusted around expensive cookbooks and puppies, I’ll tell you what. I’m just warning you now in case you ever happen to invite me over for dinner.

Then, I beat Adam in rock paper scissors. Twice. He’ll never admit to it though, but I don’t lie about those kind of things.

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  • Mary (Sisters Running the Kitchen)
    December 19, 2010 at 3:48 pm

    sounds like a fabulous dinner! The stuffed mushrooms sound good too even though there was no picture! haha I have never made stuffed mushrooms…what did Adam stuff the mushrooms with?

  • Jessica @ How Sweet It Is
    December 19, 2010 at 4:35 pm

    I am quite jealous of your fried chicken dinner. I think we need to do that here.

  • chelsey @ clean eating chelsey
    December 19, 2010 at 4:36 pm

    I’ve never gotten the whole fried chicken and waffles thing, but I’ll take your word on it… I would almost be afraid to challenge you on this sort of subject.

  • Laura
    December 19, 2010 at 4:40 pm

    Oh, a dog named Atticus, I love it! A Golden Retriever named Atticus is high on my list of Things I Want In Life. I think Atticus Finch is my fictional dream husband. 😀 (Or fictional dream father, but I like my actual dad well enough, heh).

  • A Teenage Gourmet (Sami)
    December 19, 2010 at 4:41 pm

    I feel your pain about The French Laundry. (I didn’t click the link. I’m assuming it’s the French Laundry.) One day, Jenna!

  • Sarah (Running to Slow Things Down)
    December 19, 2010 at 4:42 pm

    Fabulous! I love everything about this post. 😀

    And Atticus is such a wonderful name for a dog! To Kill A Mockingbird is my all-time favorite book. 😀

  • sofia
    December 19, 2010 at 4:57 pm

    oh wow. this looks delicious. funny, was just planning a thomas keller-inspired chicken dinner for a double date with friends this tuesday. not the fried chicken and waffle thing, but the chicken over the root veggies kind of deal. with a side of roasted brussels, i’m thinking, and plenty of wine and a luscious dessert. my kinda tuesday, or saturday night 🙂

    • Susan
      December 19, 2010 at 6:50 pm

      My BF often makes the roast chicken from Ad Hoc. It’s so simple, but so delicious.

  • blog is the new black
    December 19, 2010 at 5:03 pm

    YUM to fried chix!

  • Amelia
    December 19, 2010 at 5:05 pm

    Ad Hoc fried chicken is one of the best things that has ever happened to me. The ideal day? Champaign tasting at Domaine Chandon and a quick drive across the street to Ad Hoc on a Monday night. Bliss.

  • Averie (LoveVeggiesandYoga)
    December 19, 2010 at 5:07 pm

    omg dining at Thomas Keller’s restaurant tops my list of things I must do. But I am thinking more along the lines of French Laundry. Oh yes, oh boy, one day. I will do that! And Ad Hoc too 🙂

    Fried chicken, waffles, time with friends on a Sat nite..THAT’s what it’s all about!!!! Glad you had a blast!
    🙂

  • jenna k
    December 19, 2010 at 5:09 pm

    the pictures in this post are all so lovely!
    the food sounds great, and i love their carafe!

  • Megan
    December 19, 2010 at 5:17 pm

    That fried chicken looks amazing!!!

  • Tania
    December 19, 2010 at 5:18 pm

    If you ever make it to Toronto, you are welcome for dinner! You can even steal a cookbook. Just not my puppy Gunner!

  • Sana
    December 19, 2010 at 5:19 pm

    I can’t be trusted around little kids. I try to steal them.

    • Baking 'n' Books
      December 19, 2010 at 6:11 pm

      Oooh…that could be good or bad in today’s day and age 😉

  • Alexa @ The Girl In Chucks
    December 19, 2010 at 5:22 pm

    Chicken and waffles ROCK.

    That is all.

  • Estela @ Weekly Bite
    December 19, 2010 at 5:24 pm

    Sounds like the perfect night to me!

    Adicus is super duper cute 🙂

  • Sara
    December 19, 2010 at 5:26 pm

    How have I lived in Georgia for 18 out of 20 years of my life and never eaten chicken and waffles? The combo sounds glorious, especially with the addition of raisins – nice, sweet bite to balance the salty fried chicken 🙂

  • Kristina
    December 19, 2010 at 5:37 pm

    Looks like heaven on a table….waffles and rainbow sprinkle topped cupcakes-sign me up!

  • aubrey
    December 19, 2010 at 5:42 pm

    How fun! I recently had the fried chicken dinner at ad hoc. On that night, it came with thyme biscuits, collard greens with bacon and a pork gravy. Talk about heaven.

    I love ad hoc and the family style meal. Not to mention the amazing music choice and the fact that the menus are manilla folders.

  • Dee
    December 19, 2010 at 5:43 pm

    OMG! I’ve never had fried chicken and waffles before. It’s definitely on my bucket list! 🙂

  • grocery goddess jen
    December 19, 2010 at 5:43 pm

    I think it’s time for you to get a dog. Your very own dog. Or dress Dexter up like one, that would work, too.

  • Baking 'n' Books
    December 19, 2010 at 6:12 pm

    Is it wrong that I simply like the fact that there is NOTHING green on that table!?

    🙂

  • Imwaytoobusy
    December 19, 2010 at 6:23 pm

    Looks like there were some seriously delicious dishes on that menu. Congrats on being the paper rock scissors champion.

  • Amanda (Eating Up)
    December 19, 2010 at 6:31 pm

    That ad hoc cookbook is totally worth getting. I’m pretty sure it was written for you.

  • chelsea
    December 19, 2010 at 6:41 pm

    Atticus is adorable…a vizsla, perhaps?!

    • valerie
      December 19, 2010 at 6:46 pm

      yes I’m curious to know what kind of dog because he is adorable. I love vizsla’s.

      • jenna
        December 19, 2010 at 8:49 pm

        he’s a rhodesian ridgeback. So beautiful.

        • chelsea
          December 20, 2010 at 5:14 am

          aww, SO cute — he looks like a very sweet boy! 🙂

        • valerie
          December 20, 2010 at 7:47 am

          Ahh haaa. No wonder why I thought he was so beautiful, we have a Ridgeback! They are so sweet and extremely lovable.

  • Susan
    December 19, 2010 at 6:56 pm

    My bf gave me Ad Hoc for Christmas last year. It was a gift for me in the sense that he cooks for me out of it. He hasn’t made the fried chicken yet, but we’ve had it at Ad Hoc and it was delicious.

    I now want the Bouchon cookbook because I really want to make a big batch of their onion soup. It is the best french onion soup I’ve ever had.

    • jenna
      December 19, 2010 at 8:49 pm

      mmmmm i might have to check that out! I love me a good french onion soup.

      • kristin
        December 20, 2010 at 5:19 am

        ooooh me too!! if you’re up for making onion soup sometime soon i will love you forever!

  • Heather (Heather's Dish)
    December 19, 2010 at 7:00 pm

    there could not be a more perfect evening in my opinion…and atticus?! what better name for a dog that beautiful?! love me some ‘To Kill a Mockingbird’…

  • Diana @ frontyardfoodie
    December 19, 2010 at 7:13 pm

    You had me at the photo! That looks like so much fun!

    I’m personally not a fried chicken person but I do know that food can definitely bring people together and it’s a beautiful thing to see.

  • Sarah K. @ The Pajama Chef
    December 19, 2010 at 7:59 pm

    mmmm sounds lovely!

  • Lacey @ Lake Life
    December 19, 2010 at 8:11 pm

    Your posts always make me smile…and make me hungry 🙂

  • Mabelle @ Dance, Love, Dine
    December 19, 2010 at 8:33 pm

    I havent had fried chicken in about a year but I never forget how delicious it is!!!!! I see fried chicken in my 2011 future..:D

  • Wine Girl ( Kitchen Doesn't Travel)
    December 19, 2010 at 8:44 pm

    I was born and raised in the South and there is literally nothing I love more than fried chicken, mashed potatoes, and cornbread. A “fried chicken tour of northern California” sounds like sheer heaven to me. You must post all the juicy details of that tour!

  • Stacie
    December 19, 2010 at 10:15 pm

    I would never consider having waffles and fried chicken together, but they both are amazing so it has to be delicious!!! 🙂 Sounds like a really fun night!

  • Christine @ The Pantry Drawer
    December 20, 2010 at 12:13 am

    i love that dog!! adorable! and that fried chicken looks amazing…

  • retro sweets
    December 20, 2010 at 12:46 am

    Awww, I’m so sad, I didn’t even got a look at those mushrooms! Mushrooms? Fried Chicken and those gigantic-looking waffles? I’m supposed to be dining with you too!

  • Cara Craves...
    December 20, 2010 at 1:23 am

    Wowy!
    What a feast!
    I can’t remember the last time I watched Dances with Wolves.

  • Carol
    December 20, 2010 at 2:56 am

    Looks like you had a great time! Hope you enjoy the rest of your holiday visits!

  • Courtney
    December 20, 2010 at 4:21 am

    4 years ago my husband and I were traveling to Napa and called to make reservations at the French Laundry and, of course, were wait listed. A few weeks before the trip my cell phone rang and I missed the call. It was the French Laundry with a table available for us, but in the 3 minutes it took me to call my voicemail and call them back, they had already given it away to someone else. I almost cried.

    We own Ad Hoc and my husband cooks things out of it on special occasions and everything has turned out ridiculously delicious, but the things I have baked from it are always so-so. It is user error, or do Keller’s talents not extend into the world of dessert?

  • Paige @Running Around Normal
    December 20, 2010 at 5:14 am

    What a spread! All on a Saturday night. How fun:)
    And how much do you love the name Atticus?! I want to have another dog and cat some day and name them Scout and Jem.

  • Nelly
    December 20, 2010 at 5:57 am

    That chard looks pretty spectacular! I know you can’t share the recipe, so oh darn it’s a reason to go buy another cookbook 😀

  • jassy
    December 20, 2010 at 6:34 am

    i didn’t know that fried chicken is matched with waffles 🙂 but then again…maybe the waffles will bring out the taste of fried chicken making it all the more delicious! 🙂

  • Ann @ Day by Day
    December 20, 2010 at 6:36 am

    Driving around Memphis, I’ve seen the occasional restaurant flashing “Chicken and Waffles” or I guess to be more accurate, it’s usually “Chikn” and I bet those places know what they are doing! I’ve never had it though. Such a cute picture of Atticus and you. I also LOVE that reference. I may have to pull out To Kill a Mockingbird over Christmas…

  • Kristen @ That Hoosier Girl
    December 20, 2010 at 7:19 am

    I have NEVER had chicken and waffles…and I spent most of my life in the south! I need to make this happen, stat!

  • Camille
    December 20, 2010 at 7:27 am

    You guys should keep a running tally of how many games you win a lose. My boyfriend and I do that and keep it on our refrigerator. Let’s just say that Team Sith (aka, me) is kicking Team Jedi’s (his) ass 🙂

  • Lisa
    December 20, 2010 at 9:23 am

    I could not think of a more perfect evening. My stomach is growling.

  • Clare @ Fitting It All In
    December 20, 2010 at 10:44 am

    ALMOST beats my saturday of red wine and chocolate while watching House Hunters. Almost.

    Kidding – sounds SO fun!! And boxed funfetti is the best, so homemade must be even better!

  • Erica
    December 20, 2010 at 11:14 am

    I don’t have any fried chicken or puppies to offer, but how ’bout cute kids and a commercial stove?! 😉

    Ha! Gotcha! I knew that would work! I’ll pick you up in St. Louis next week! Heehee

  • Kristi
    December 20, 2010 at 3:57 pm

    I’ve never had fried chicken and waffles together, but I’ve been seeing and hearing about it lately, and I’m going to have to try it. It sounds so good!

  • Annie@stronghealthyfit
    December 20, 2010 at 4:12 pm

    Sounds like a lot of fun!

  • Kim
    December 21, 2010 at 9:37 am

    I love, love, love themed dinner parties. Fried chicken and waffles is a great idea.

    My boyfriend and I are hosting monthly dinner and a movie parties to watch all 7 Harry Potter movies counting down to the last one in July. Fried chicken and waffles would be so much fun at one of them!

    Also, I’ve never heard of this cookbook before, but it looks fantastic!