Last Call: A Peek Behind The Curtains Of America's Greatest Fried Chicken

Throw the words "Best Burger" or "Best Pizza" up on the internet and it's like throwing a carcass at a pack of vultures. You're inviting people to scream share their deeply held opinions and defend it to their deaths.

But on the subject of best fried chicken in America, I will not concede that the race is even close. The greatest fried chicken in these United States, in my humble opinion and the opinions of many well-traveled food folks, can be found at Willie Mae's Scotch House in New Orleans. I'm not here to start an argument, I'm only making a statement of fact. If you've been lucky to come to Treme, brave the lines and dine here, you know. Just look at this screengrab:

What I'd like to share today is a regrettably brief peek behind-the-scenes at Willie Mae's kitchen, courtesy of the New Orleans Times-Picayune. Here we find out a few of its precioussecrets: The cayenne wet batter is responsible for its incomparable smooth-and-craggy crust, and it's fried in oil at 350 degrees Fahrenheit. And that's all we get. But watching this video gives me the warm and fuzzies, and it makes me yearn—for fried chicken, New Orleans, and one of the most essential restaurants in our country.

(Oh, and the second best fried chicken in America? For my vote, I'm going with these guys.)