How many of you have very specific images that popped into your head when you read the questions above? Depending on where you grew up and the way your mama or grandma cooked, there may seem to be only one answer to each of these questions. If you’re not from around here, then you may have no idea what I’m even talking about, so allow me to Claire…ify a couple of things for you.
We’ll start with the Chicken ‘n Dumplin’ vs Chicken Pastry debate. My Grandma Cameron made the best chicken ‘n dumplin’s, hands down, on the planet. Some of my fondest memories are of pulling up a stool so I could reach the counter to help her make them. First you had to cook a hen and debone and shred it, saving the broth. (A hen makes better broth because it has more fat in it.) You make your dumplin’s by sifting flour and a little salt into a bowl, add some water or chicken broth, and form a dough ball, being careful not to over work it. Then you roll out the dough very thin, cut it into strips, tearing the strips into pieces a couple of inches long and then drop them individually into the rolling boils of the broth, gently stirring occasionally to keep them from sticking to the bottom of the pot. Add salt and pepper to taste. Let it simmer while, adding the chopped chicken when it’s getting close to serving time. Let it sit awhile will to ensure that the broth thickens. When Grandma made dumplin’s we always had visitors and everyone brought a side dish and it was a feast! If you google Chicken ‘n Dumplings, all sorts of foreign foods show up. Some of them include peas and carrots and a suggestion of putting the dough in using a tablespoon scoop….horrors! I’ve found that further east in North Carolina, you’ll find that Chicken Pastry offers a strong resemblance, they didn’t get the title right, but we won’t hold that against anyone.
Next, let’s talk about slaw. Several months ago I was in a restaurant with a diverse group of friends. Each entrée included your choice of a long list of sides including “Southern Slaw” and “Mexican Slaw”. My Korean-American friend asked the waitress what the difference was in these two slaw choices. The waitress said “Well Southern Slaw is, well you know, “regular” slaw, and the Mexican one has some peppers and stuff in it. “ This young waitress probably grew up like I did where slaw typically contained mayonnaise, salt and pepper, a little bit of mustard and a little bit of vinegar and maybe some shredded carrots. But the slaw possibilities are endless!
The point is that we all have preconceived notions, stereotyping things and people and we unconsciously have all sorts of biases. If you are curious about your Implicit Biases, you might enjoy taking some tests to learn some things about yourself that might be surprising as our automatic preferences are revealed. Check out this free resource called Project Implicit through Harvard: https://implicit.harvard.edu/implicit/
Peace y’all,
If you would like to print or share this edition of Claire…ification,
you are encouraged to use this pdf:
Claire – Is it Chicken ‘n Dumplings or Chicken Pastry? What exactly is “regular” slaw?
To read past editions – you are encouraged to follow this link:
https://capitaldistrictnc.org/claire-ificaton/
