Today's Case

Li'l Dizzy's Fried Chicken Subject: Lil Dizzy's Fried Chicken From: Michael Date: 2/26/2023, 5:06 PM To: Phaedrus On 2/26/2023 3:13 PM, Michael wrote: Hello Phaedrus, friend of Socrates.  Do you have, or can you get, the fried chicken recipe from Lil' Dizzy's in New Orleans?  The restaurant is at 1500 Esplanade.  The brothers are sons of Eddie Baquet, who owned "Eddie's" on Law St. in New Orleans.  Eddie's had the best fried chicken in the world.  Richard Collins, the underground food critic, gave Eddie's the same rating as Antoine's and Commander's Palace.  Also, the best gumbo and bread pudding at Eddie's. Probably Lil' Dizzy's recipe is the same as Eddie's.  Please help!  Thanks Phaedrus, friend of Socrates.   -- Michael Hello Michael, I checked to see if there was anything new on the web about Eddie's while I was about it. No such luck. Our previous discussion of Eddie Baquet's fried chicken is here: 2-4-2013 During the worst of the pandemic, Li'l Dizzy's owner, Wayne Baquet Jr. and his wife Arkesha Smith Baquet decided that, since the Jazz Festival was being cancelled due to Covid, they would make his fried chicken recipe available, so that folks who usually ate their chicken at the Festival could make it at home. The method that they used for this was to make a video that was broadcast by WDSU TV, in which the two give a rather rough recipe and verbally describe the process of making the chicken. The key seems to be that the chicken must be ice-cold. You can see the video here: WDSU I have transcribed the recipe from the video below. Wayne Baquet Sr. published a cookbook of Baquet family recipes called "The Baquet Family Cookbook: Four Generations of Creole Cookin’ in New Orleans". There may be a fried chicken recipe in that cookbook, as well. You can probably find it at Amazon or on Ebay, or see: Li'l Dizzy's Cafe I have a couple of reservations about this Li'l Dizzy's chicken recipe being the same as Eddie's. First, the recipe seems awfully simple for it to have received all of the raves that Eddie's chicken has been given, and second, I've seen postings by folks who used to eat Eddie's chicken who said Li'l Dizzy's chicken was not the same. Phaed Li'l Dizzy's Fried Chicken Chicken - must be ice cold. Your choice of pieces white flour - enough to coat your chicken pieces. vegetable oil for frying salt & pepper mixture Salt & pepper mix ingredients: 1 cup salt 1 tsp onion powder 1 tsp garlic powder 1 tsp black & red pepper Wash & pat dry chicken, place in bag with flour and seasoning. Place in pan of hot oil and fry until brown. ------------------------------------------------------------- Hi Phaedrus. I'm glad you are alive and actively helping people. I know for certain that Eddie's fried chicken was not fried but cooked in the oven. My guess is that chicken pieces were soaked in brine,dried, and then coated with a flour-butter mixture, then baked. The chicken tasted just like it had been fried, but far superior to any fried chicken I've ever tasted. Thanks for the recipe. Take care, Michael.