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.
{ 59 comments… read them below or add one }
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?
I am quite jealous of your fried chicken dinner. I think we need to do that here.
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.
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).
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!
Crap, I was wrong.
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.
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
My BF often makes the roast chicken from Ad Hoc. It’s so simple, but so delicious.
YUM to fried chix!
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.
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!
the pictures in this post are all so lovely!
the food sounds great, and i love their carafe!
That fried chicken looks amazing!!!
If you ever make it to Toronto, you are welcome for dinner! You can even steal a cookbook. Just not my puppy Gunner!
I can’t be trusted around little kids. I try to steal them.
Oooh…that could be good or bad in today’s day and age
Chicken and waffles ROCK.
That is all.
Sounds like the perfect night to me!
Adicus is super duper cute
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
Looks like heaven on a table….waffles and rainbow sprinkle topped cupcakes-sign me up!
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.
OMG! I’ve never had fried chicken and waffles before. It’s definitely on my bucket list!
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.
Is it wrong that I simply like the fact that there is NOTHING green on that table!?
Looks like there were some seriously delicious dishes on that menu. Congrats on being the paper rock scissors champion.
That ad hoc cookbook is totally worth getting. I’m pretty sure it was written for you.
Atticus is adorable…a vizsla, perhaps?!
yes I’m curious to know what kind of dog because he is adorable. I love vizsla’s.
he’s a rhodesian ridgeback. So beautiful.
aww, SO cute — he looks like a very sweet boy!
Ahh haaa. No wonder why I thought he was so beautiful, we have a Ridgeback! They are so sweet and extremely lovable.
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.
mmmmm i might have to check that out! I love me a good french onion soup.
ooooh me too!! if you’re up for making onion soup sometime soon i will love you forever!
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’…
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.
mmmm sounds lovely!
Your posts always make me smile…and make me hungry
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
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!
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!
i love that dog!! adorable! and that fried chicken looks amazing…
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!
Wowy!
What a feast!
I can’t remember the last time I watched Dances with Wolves.
Looks like you had a great time! Hope you enjoy the rest of your holiday visits!
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?
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.
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
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! 
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…
I have NEVER had chicken and waffles…and I spent most of my life in the south! I need to make this happen, stat!
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
I could not think of a more perfect evening. My stomach is growling.
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!
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
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!
Sounds like a lot of fun!
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!