Morning all.
Here is a regional favorite of mine. The history behind this. And it's original term, veal french, is a interesting topic up this way. I attached a story about how and where this dish came about.
Anyway, that was our dinner from last night. I served it with sauted asparagus with shallots and oven roasted baby reds with ranch dressing.
ROCFLAVORS
Is Chicken French really a Rochester thing? Five facts
Tracy Schuhmacher
Democrat and Chronicle
View Comments
Rochesterians like their Chicken French. That much is for sure.
After we published a story on Chicken French (or chicken franchese) being the most popular new recipe published in the New York Times this year, the response was enormous. More than 500 people posted their favorite place for Chicken French on our Facebook page, and readers flooded my in box with suggestions.
One question that was asked repeatedly: Is Chicken French really a Rochester thing? The answer is yes, mostly. Former food and drink reporter Karen Miltner traced the origin story in 2005.
Here are some key facts about the dish.
1. The "French" concept wasn't created here.
Vitello Francese is an Italian-American dish that was served in New York City after World War II, and is now served at restaurants around the country. When the dish made its way to Rochester, Rochesterians opted for the American translation, Veal French.
2. Rochester brought the chicken and the popularity.
James Cianciola, who was also known as Chef Vincenzo, served Veal French at the Brown Derby, a restaurant on Monroe Avenue in Brighton. After anti-veal picketers urged a boycott of the restaurant in the 1970s, Cianciola put Chicken French on the menu. It was a popular offering, and the restaurant added Artichoke French, Cauliflower French, Haddock French and so on.
Other Rochester restaurants followed suit, and the dish is now ubiquitous on Rochester restaurant menus.
3. There's a debate about a main ingredient.
Sherry or wine in the sauce? That is a debate among home cooks and chefs alike.
The Cianciola brothers used an assertive sherry in their sauce, according to Miltner's story. Others — including the one from Proietti's in Webster, below, use a dry white wine.
4. Rochester chefs wrote the book on Chicken French.
Nate Cianciola, along with his brother, James, wrote a book called Frenching Food Italian Style, highlighting 73 recipes from the Brown Derby including Veal French.
It is available on Amazon.com and BarnesandNoble.com.
5. You can even get a vegan French.
Elizabeth McDade emailed that when she switched to a vegan diet, one of the dishes she missed most was "French," especially artichokes.
She was able to get her fix at Cinelli's Pizza Ristorante, 840 Long Pond Road in Greece. It is "TRULY delicious and hits all the right notes," McDade said.
A Rochester Chicken French Recipe
While Julia Moskin's recipe in the New York Times recipe hits all the right notes, here's a local recipe courtesy of Webster restaurateur Whitey Proietti. It was originally published in the Democrat and Chronicle in 2005, and readers have indicated that it's still a favorite.
Ingredients
• 1 cup flour
• Pinch of salt and black pepper
• 6 eggs
• 6 tablespoons milk
• 2 heaping tablespoons grated Romano cheese
• 1 1/2 teaspoons dried parsley flakes or 1 tablespoon fresh chopped parsley
• 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 2 cups vegetable oil
• 2 cups white wine (Proietti recommends Chablis)
• Juice of 1/2 lemon
• 1 tablespoon chicken base
• 6 tablespoons butter
Here is a regional favorite of mine. The history behind this. And it's original term, veal french, is a interesting topic up this way. I attached a story about how and where this dish came about.
Anyway, that was our dinner from last night. I served it with sauted asparagus with shallots and oven roasted baby reds with ranch dressing.
ROCFLAVORS
Is Chicken French really a Rochester thing? Five facts
Tracy Schuhmacher
Democrat and Chronicle
View Comments
Rochesterians like their Chicken French. That much is for sure.
After we published a story on Chicken French (or chicken franchese) being the most popular new recipe published in the New York Times this year, the response was enormous. More than 500 people posted their favorite place for Chicken French on our Facebook page, and readers flooded my in box with suggestions.
One question that was asked repeatedly: Is Chicken French really a Rochester thing? The answer is yes, mostly. Former food and drink reporter Karen Miltner traced the origin story in 2005.
Here are some key facts about the dish.
1. The "French" concept wasn't created here.
Vitello Francese is an Italian-American dish that was served in New York City after World War II, and is now served at restaurants around the country. When the dish made its way to Rochester, Rochesterians opted for the American translation, Veal French.
2. Rochester brought the chicken and the popularity.
James Cianciola, who was also known as Chef Vincenzo, served Veal French at the Brown Derby, a restaurant on Monroe Avenue in Brighton. After anti-veal picketers urged a boycott of the restaurant in the 1970s, Cianciola put Chicken French on the menu. It was a popular offering, and the restaurant added Artichoke French, Cauliflower French, Haddock French and so on.
Other Rochester restaurants followed suit, and the dish is now ubiquitous on Rochester restaurant menus.
3. There's a debate about a main ingredient.
Sherry or wine in the sauce? That is a debate among home cooks and chefs alike.
The Cianciola brothers used an assertive sherry in their sauce, according to Miltner's story. Others — including the one from Proietti's in Webster, below, use a dry white wine.
4. Rochester chefs wrote the book on Chicken French.
Nate Cianciola, along with his brother, James, wrote a book called Frenching Food Italian Style, highlighting 73 recipes from the Brown Derby including Veal French.
It is available on Amazon.com and BarnesandNoble.com.
5. You can even get a vegan French.
Elizabeth McDade emailed that when she switched to a vegan diet, one of the dishes she missed most was "French," especially artichokes.
She was able to get her fix at Cinelli's Pizza Ristorante, 840 Long Pond Road in Greece. It is "TRULY delicious and hits all the right notes," McDade said.
A Rochester Chicken French Recipe
While Julia Moskin's recipe in the New York Times recipe hits all the right notes, here's a local recipe courtesy of Webster restaurateur Whitey Proietti. It was originally published in the Democrat and Chronicle in 2005, and readers have indicated that it's still a favorite.
Ingredients
• 1 cup flour
• Pinch of salt and black pepper
• 6 eggs
• 6 tablespoons milk
• 2 heaping tablespoons grated Romano cheese
• 1 1/2 teaspoons dried parsley flakes or 1 tablespoon fresh chopped parsley
• 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 2 cups vegetable oil
• 2 cups white wine (Proietti recommends Chablis)
• Juice of 1/2 lemon
• 1 tablespoon chicken base
• 6 tablespoons butter
