Monday, June 2, 2008

June, A Month For Dairy

Like I state in my "About Me" section I really love dairy. It might have to do with the fact that I was raised on it since birth or that I just am extremely partial to anything fatty and cholesterol filled. Any way you cut it I am majorly hooked. So it comes as no surprise that I am overjoyed that June is national Dairy month!

You might ask: What does Dairy month mean? Is eating Dairy celebration enough? Or do I need to do something more drastic like seek out Dairy cows and praise them for their contribution to the world? The National Dairy Council along with the Midwest Dairy Association have all the answers to these questions and much more on their website. They state that the month is used to, "highlight the benefits of dairy foods which are the focus of the season... and to get out the message of supporting the nation's farmers to the public." So it is my duty as a champion of the dairy industry to put the word out and make you aware of the Dairy industry and how important it is to support them! So get out there and eat some dairy...mmmm ... ice cream.

Ho What??? Hodak's

One thing I miss when I am home in Springfield is Hodak’s Chicken. The small establishment is located on Gravois near Soulard in St. Louis. They are known for their fried chicken, reasonable prices, and kitchy décor. Any patron can tell you that the food is served fast and hot and the waitresses are generally friendly. I have been eating there regularly for the past 2 years and still haven’t grown tired of their flavor.

Every time I go I have a huge struggle. Whether I should switch it up and order something that isn’t their ½ a chicken for 6.95 or not. I scour the menu searching for something that sounds good enough to make me switch, but I always come up empty handed. It isn’t that everything else sounds bad or I am afraid it won’t be good. It is just that their chicken is just SO GOOD.  I know chicken, and I used to think I knew what I liked when it came to fried chicken. Before I went to Hodak’s I was only a fan of flour breadings. I just didn’t like the taste and texture of cracker or penko. That was until I tried Hodaks. As far as their recipe I don’t know it for certain. So when I talk about the recipe it is simply conjecture without any actually proof, but from what I know and what I have eaten Hodaks uses a dense cracker coating that is seasoned lightly. This coating allows the chicken to retain moisture really well after it is fried. The moisture is what sets them apart. The ½ is served with heaping helping of fries and cole slaw. The cole slaw is also done really well. For those that don’t like either fries or coleslaw they are more than happy to substitute. I definitely recommend Hodak's for anyone looking for some good food for a low price