Hello, my fellow fried food lovers. I’m sorry it’s been a bit of a hiatus. New York Fashion Week craziness got the best of me and I barely had time to eat, let alone eat something so glorious that it was worthy of writing about. But don’t despair — Fried Fridays is back, and it is here to stay.
Now, for those of you who missed the first go-around, Fried Fridays will profile my love of outrageously unhealthy foods that happen to be the most delicious drops of heaven in the world. Refer to our introduction entry in case you have any more questions. Anyway, let’s just get to it. Today, I’ve chosen to highlight one of my favorite meals of all time: the Special, an item made famous by Garden Catering — which has numerous locations in Westchester, New York and Connecticut.
When I was in high school, this was known as the “High School Special” and I will never forget the first time I had it. I was resistant, but one of my friends insisted, and I sat there in an old Honda CR-V completely silent. All I could do was focus on the joy in front of me. Now, when I get a Special, I opt to make it a “Home Run.” A regular Special contains chicken nuggets and fries caked in Cajun seasoning. These are not your grandma’s chicken nuggets though, honey. They are balls of fresh white meat chicken, fried in an elegant tempura. When you make something a “Home Run” though, it’s a whole different ballgame.
The Home Run basically just means that they will cover your meal in chili and cheese (you can refer to the above photograph for reference). And unless you’re kosher, vegetarian, or completely crazy, there is no reason not to do this. The chili is all-meat and as spicy as the seventh circle of hell. This can be perfectly offset by one of their delicious sauces. I prefer the honey mustard, but many of my peers opt for a sweet and sour or barbecue sauce.
I know many of you do not live in the area, so a trek to New York or Connecticut may be tough. But I’m here to tell you that it’s not only completely worth it, but completely necessary in order to truly understand what quality cuisine is like. Check out their site so you can plan your trip accordingly.
All I can hope for is that you’ll check out Garden’s menu and either fantasize about it or make it happen. I know this wasn’t anything groundbreaking, but I needed to share with you how a petite lad like myself really got my start in this industry. And by this industry, I of course mean the fried food industry, which I might as well be in.
Stay tuned next week for an extensive feature on dipping sauces and how they can make or break your meals, and thus, your entire life. Happy hunting, bitches.
