Cut into breasts, two thighs, two drumsticks and two wings. Reserve the backbone and any fat to make your chicken stock later, with the bones, after you picked 'em clean at supper! Give the raw giblets and gizzards to your cats...they will thank you for it by behaving themselves for exactly 23.6 minutes.

Rince off the chicken and pat dry. Sprinkle very lightly with salt and white pepper. Set aside for 15 minutes, or seal in plastic bad overnight in the 'fridge.

Place in bowl:

3/4 cup of buttermilk
Chopped fresh herbs (either dill, oregano, marjoram, chives, parsley, rosemary or any combination thereof)

2 cups flour
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. white pepper
1/2 tsp. spice island beau monde seasoning
Dash or two paprika

Heat to 350 degrees in heavy 12" frying pan (cast-iron skillets work best):
1 cup lard (vegetable oil will do for the diet conscious) ...a 12" pan should hold one bird quite well. Dip each piece of chicken into the buttermilk/herb mixture, then into the flour. Be sure each piece is well covered with the flour. Lay out all prepared chicken on a tray in preparation for frying.

The temperature of the lard is very important: Hot enough that a drop of water sizzles when dropped in. Place large pieces in first, then fit in the smaller pieces around them. Cover frying pan, reduce heat to medium, and brown chicken on one side, approx. 8 - 10 minutes. Turn chicken over, cover and brown opposite sides, 8 - 10 minutes.

Add slowly and carefully to the pan:

1/2 cup of water
Cover pan and steam for 5 minutes. Remove cover, turn chix over once again to make crust crisp, cover and let go for another 5 minutes. Serve at once.

Fried Chicken Gravy:

This is made from the drippings after cooking the chicken. Remove all chicken from the frying pan, pour off the grease and scrape the pan down, being sure to get all the little "crumbles" from the pan, and strain out from the grease with a slotted wooden spoon. Remove "crumbles" to a warm platter.

Melt in the same frying pan:

2 tbsp. lard (or vegetable oil)

2 tbsp. flour

Now is the time to decide wether you want to make the gravy with water, chicken stock or cream. The old-fashioned way is to use water, letting the chicken drippings make the chicken flavor. I mostly prefer water, with just a bit of cream or whole milk and maybe some homemade stock (which I keey in my freezer) added.

Stir in at least:

2 cups of water (or stock, etc.)

The gravy should be smooth and brown. If cream is used, the gravy will have a lighter color. Flavor the way you like it. I occasionally like to add some finely minced garlic and either white onion or shallots to the fat and saute them 'till they are just beginning to brown, before adding the flour and making the roux. I also occasionally add things like white pepper, chive, parsley, thyme, a small dash or two of worchestershire sauce, and maybe some rosemary, or any combination of the proceeding.

Do not use wine or Kitchen Bouquet in this gravy, or you will suffer the Death of a Thousand Crotch Crickets. Let the damn chicken flavor hold its own, bubba!

Finally, when done, add the chicken "crumbles" you have saved, and pour gravy over lots of steamed rice, home made 'taters (whole or mashed), biscuits, and of course chicken.