It seems that my announcement to start this year's QFALB has brought an otherwise known as act of cajolement from some of you dear readers. One even proposed that I gather on a weekly report on the progress, along with the before and after visual evidence of it. Well, before we, or rather I, plunge into that kind of heavy commitment, let's talk about something crispier.

'What do you think about fried chicken?', I asked a Chinese collegue of mine casually the other day.

'Well, it is for sure no *insert some type of meat here, clue: K9 lovers everywhere, unite!* meat dish I had when I was a little child. The taste still lingers on the tip of my tounge, uhmm... specially the skin. You know, its combination with some special chinese vegetables and spices makes the most succulent meal I've ever had in my life.'

I look at him, utmost horrified. 'Well, that's a "nice" story but you are digressing too much. We are talking about fried chicken here. What is your true opinion on it?'

'Oh, I don't like chicken, tastes funny', he said sauntering back to his laboratory.

{Btw, from now on, I'll use the abbreviation FC instead of fried chicken. Just to make it a bit easier to type.}

Two nights ago, I kinda interviewed one of the world's leading authority on FC, my sister, Ndoro Yadda. "Sis, hon, why do you like FC so much?" At this point, Ndoro was already curling under her purple comforter, but she still answered the question joyously. 'Enak sih!! Lemak itu sebabnya', imitating an Indonesian brand detergent's TV commercial a while back. She then proceeded to sleep, leaving me behind with my reading, What Would Machiavelli Do? The Ends Justify the Meanness (HarperBusiness, 176 pages).

The FC we're discussing here, btw, is the one prepared by diving the chicken meat in to some kind of flour and spices batter and then deep fried it (sometimes, in a pressure cooker). This kind of cooking method preserves the meat's flavor and juiciness inside, while providing the crispiness of the flakes outside. Ultimately, this brings us to the world's most well known FC restaurant started by a Colonel (by his FC culinary virtue) from Kentucky. Since its beginning in 1952, the chain has evolved into 11,000 stores in 80 countries, caterred to almost 8 million people each day. That needs a whole lot of chicken to serve.

Sweeping the business aspect and PETA resistance to the FC industry aside, Southerners have been the ones that champion the "tradition and memories" meaning of FC. I've come across many sentimental eloquent accounts on FC picnics, Sunday brunches, and family gatherings. A great African-American leader/educator and a respected writer include this long-rooted tradition in their respective mas ter pieces.

On the musical side, the greatest band on earth slipped in an FC at the end of its Une Visión.

So, so, do you have your own FC moment? Do you even like FC? Share share...