Something About Chicken

(Newser) - You might be well acquainted with the Colonel and his famous fried chicken, but beneath the crunchy skin lie some lesser-known facts. The Daily Green sides its poultry with a six-pack of trivia. It's a place: After toying around with the name "Ptarmigan," one town's handful of residents settled on Chicken, Alaska. Where to get it: If you follow Bon Appetit's advice, you'll take your chicken craving to Blackberry Farm in Tennessee, Price's Chicken Coup in North Carolina, or Willa Mae's Scotch House in New Orleans. More »

(Newser) - Faced with a heaping pile of chicken skin and fat after using the rest of the bird in some healthy dish? Those squishy, sallow leftovers, Francis Lam writes in Gourmet , present the perfect opportunity to cook up "the noblest form of chicken byproduct": cracklins. With that extra skin and fat all crisped up, Lam drools, "imagine … sneaking the best part of fried chicken into everything." More »

(Newser) - Breakfast sandwiches are the latest move in McDonald's plan to tie its fortunes to the chicken coop, the Chicago Tribune reports. McDonald's has identified poultry as one of four areas crucial to long-term growth, and has debuted a new chicken option every year since 2003. Popular in the South, the chain's betting chicken for breakfast takes flight in the North, too. More »

(Newser) - Dinosaurs are more closely related to birds than reptiles, protein extracted from a Tyrannosaurus rex bone suggests. T. rex collagen, the main protein in bones, is similar to chicken and ostrich collagen but much different than material from alligators and lizards, scientists say. The findings could remap the evolutionary tree according to molecular data rather than bone structure, the Washington Post reports. More »

(Newser) - Some Britons are choking on Hooters' plan to serve up another 35 locations in the UK, the Guardian reports. Britain has one so far, but feminists are already accusing the chain of importing misogyny and sexist entertainment with its chicken wings. "Without the sexualised waiters and the soft porn and sport on display, what would men go for?" one asked. "They can get better and cheaper chicken wings in KFC." More »

(Newser) - Dozens of chickens making themselves at home in the halls of a Philadelphia high school forced it to close for the day, the Inquirer reports. Staff members arriving for work this morning were greeted by the birds, which apparently were set free last night. "They let them loose and spread chicken feed all over the place to keep them fat and happy, I guess," says a district spokesman. "They've created quite a mess." More »

(Newser) - Mascots have danced, tumbled, and roused American sports fans for decades. Some have even gained a little prestige over the years. Forbes lists its Top 10: Phillie Phanatic. Around since '78, this green creature once scuffled with Tommy Lasorda and inspired an announcer to say that "baseball is being invaded by the Muppets." San Diego Chicken. The first modern mascot, he was fired by the Padres after (some say) he got too big for his feathers. He later sparked fans in other sports and became a mini-celeb in his own right. Mr. Met. This baseball-faced mascot has been soothing the pains of New York's "other" team for more than 40 years. More »

(Newser) - Top chefs are trying to change the way we eat by calling attention to how animals are raised for meat. In Britain, Jamie Oliver killed a chicken on live television, and supermarkets across the UK sold out of free-range chickens and eggs. The New York Times reports it’s part of a movement by some chefs to become more involved with their food—before it’s killed. More »

(Newser) - Modernity's full of fine inventions and healthy advice, but don't they really make us dimmer, sicker, and less prone to stumble on sex? So writes Nora Ephron in the New York Times , as she opines on hand-washing, breast-feeding, and rumors that chicken soup cures colds. "You have chicken soup; you get the cold anyway," she writes. "So: is it possible that chicken soup gives you a cold?" More »

(Newser) - Are chickens a city pet? Chicago’s city council is nearing a vote on a proposal to ban chicken ownership, even as green- and organic-minded citizens around the country increasingly keep the birds for eggs, yard work, and companionship. Among worries for Chicago politicians, the AP reports, are that chickens’ waste attracts rodents and that the birds might transmit avian flu. More »

(Newser) - Humans crave not only salt and sugar, but also a savory, satisfying flavor known as “umami,” the Japanese term for “deliciousness,” the Wall Street Journal reports. Umami (“oo-MA-mee”) describes the taste of stick-to-your-ribs dishes such as chicken soup or Caesar salad with Parmesan cheese and anchovies. Chefs and packaged food companies alike are seeking ways to add umami to meals. More »