In the habitat of the American diet, fat is an endangered species. Steak and potatoes once roamed free, but have been displaced by chicken and vegetables. Hungry Man, once the alpha male of ready-to-eat dinners, has succumbed to an onslaught from Healthy Choice and Lean Cuisine. Even sacred goodies like cakes and donuts can't keep up with Snackwell's and energy bars.
Despite the low-fat craze, Americans are getting fatter. Susan Nitzke, UW professor of nutritional sciences, is concerned.
\Although we're learning more and more about what's healthy, statistics show that we're getting more and more obese,"" she said.
One key factor in our contradictory low-fat, weight-adding diet is restaurant food. Grossly oversized and generally unhealthy portions from our favorite locales nullify any gains that we might be making with our heart-healthy diets at home. Think for a moment: When was the last time you left Uno's or Parthenon without feeling ready to burst?
Restaurants are not the sole culprits in the fattening of Americans. Indeed our own eating habits perpetuate the sale of artery-clogging fare while eating out. Since we already eat well at home, the food service industry knows its niche in our diet is to offer up the nasty stuff we can't get in our own kitchens. Or, as professor Nitzke simply puts it, ""for every age group, eating away from home lends itself to bad eating.""
While people can do without the large portions of restaurant food, it is actually essential to have some fat in the diet. ""You'd be dead without a certain amount of fat in your diet,"" Nitzke said.
Since we need fat anyway, it might as well taste good, right? One palate-pleasing way to get the fat essential to your diet while controlling portion size is to bring restaurant food to your own kitchen. And what better way to bring restaurant food home than to start deep fat frying in your own kitchen?
Like Salisbury steak TV dinners and glazed crullers, deep-fat fryers used to be a main part of American eating. While fryers like the Fry Daddy used to churn out hearty, crispy dishes with regularity, they were eventually forgotten with other has-been appliances like the Fondue cooker and the Crock-Pot.
Now is as a good a time as any to dust off the old fryer and crank out your favorite restaurant staples. French fries, unlike the dry, cold disappointment of their oven-cooked brethren, come out hot and crispy, with a moist, luscious center. Essentially, you can make yourself what you would get at a restaurant, for much less money and in much less intimidating portions.
While deep-frying is not the healthiest way to prepare foods, the occasional plate of fries or veggie tempura won't cause any major health emergencies. Kathi Stratton, an expert in ""hearty cooking,"" agrees. Stratton says she grew up on fried food and turned out just fine.
""I come from a time when you would drain the grease from breakfast bacon and use it to fry up potatoes for dinner??the same diet as the rest of my family and I've got relatives that lived to be over a hundred,"" she said.
Stratton has worked as a cook at Bennett's on the Park ever since ""King of Smut"" Richard Bennett hired her eight years ago. She notices that fried foods are consistently popular when the crowds pick up during evenings and weekends. Stratton has a simple explanation why fries and mozzarella sticks are so popular: ""They just taste good.""
Due to her extensive frying experience, Stratton has developed quite a repertoire of hearty, breaded foods. Ask her what she likes to eat out of the fryer and she will ask in return if you mean the fryer at work and her own fryer at home. At work, she likes traditional french fries, but she experiments at home, combining a variety of batters and oils with an ever-changing selection of meat and vegetables.
While professor Nitzke also admits to enjoying some french fries every now and then, she encourages those interested in deep fat frying to use caution when preparing the food. For instance, avoiding batter all together will save a lot of calories, as breading tends to soak up the oil it is cooked in.
At Bennett's, Stratton is also aware of health concerns. She notes the difference between healthier natural oils and deadly chemical oils. Stratton likes the light, neutral favor of peanut oil, and thinks cottonseed oil is only fit for ""old-time movie popcorn poppers.""
So, with some attention to preparation, you can have tasty fried food at home and avoid becoming an obesity statistic at the same time.
Those without a fryer or not in the mood are always welcome to stop by Bennett's and enjoy Stratton's cooking with some smut. Just remember to bring your ID.
