Today is National Chicken-fried Steak
Day. What? You missed it? I used to know a man who insisted that the word steak
was redundant. All you had to say, he claimed, was “Chicken-fried.” I always
wondered what would happen if he ordered that way at my favorite Star Café and
they brought him chicken-fried chicken.
There’s a local Facebook page that
features memories of Fort Worth, and today someone asked about favorite
chicken-fried steak. The trouble with that question is twofold: it rolls around
so often, it’s repetitive. Seems to me we just listed our favorites. And by far
the most votes go to Mary’s Café in Strawn—a bit of a drive from Fort Worth and
today one woman said she had the toughest piece of meat ever there. But the
other winner is always Massey’s, a beloved down-home restaurant that has been
out of business for at least fifteen years. What’s the sense of naming that? It
doesn’t tell us where to go today for good CFS. As an aside, on Fridays Massey’s
used to serve salmon patties, and I loved them.
As for CFS, my favorite is the Star
Café, and Fort Worth Star-Telegram writer
and food critic Bud Kennedy always rates it highly. Yes, of course I’m prejudiced—good
friends own it. But it is still the most mouth-watering, tender CFS. The
breading sticks to the meat, and the gravy has legs. Try it sometime.
Individually battered, not frozen, pre-cut pieces of meat. All fresh and all
good.
Otherwise today was a doctor day. I
had an 11:00 appointment with the cornea specialist who claimed, way back in
January, that I would have to have cornea replacement surgery after my surgery
to fish out the wandering lens. But my vision has been so good, I was prepared
to stand my ground and say no more surgery. I needn’t have bothered. She
practically did a happy dance over the improvement of my eyes, said I probably
only need over-the-counter readers. My vision is 20/40 in both eyes. Hooray! The
surgeon dismissed me to go back to my regular eye doctor and I feel like a great
burden has been lifted.
Poor Jordan did not fare so well in
the doctor’s office. She has a stomach bug for which they gave her medications
and recommended isolation. Poor Christian said, “But I’ve already kissed her
this morning.” Last I heard tonight she does not feel a whole lot better. And
the worst of it is that this weekend is her 25th high school
reunion. They were to go to the football game tonight and a dinner tomorrow
night. I am really sorry for her—and hoping none of the rest of us get it. I hesitate
to check on her because I don’t want to wake her.
Beautiful weather coming this
weekend—in the low 80s and sunny. Just perfect. Enjoy!
3 comments:
So glad you got a wonderful report from your eye surgeon!
Chicken fried steak and cream gravy is such a comfort food for me. Where I live, Goshen, Indiana, I normally go to Cracker Barrel to find it. There is a place several towns over that does it better. It is in Middlebury at Das Essenhaus. The place is my favorite outing.
Hope your family feels better soon.
Deb, I'm glad you get good CFS. Of course we Texans are quite sure nobody outside the state does it right. For instance, be sure the gravy is on top, not under the meat. A freind of mine once wrote a hilarious essay on how people get it wrong.
Wish I could go back to Texas for the food alone! I do miss it so much, Texas and the food!
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