The White Gravy Chronicles

Welcome to the home of the White Gravy Chronicles, one man’s attempt to find the best Chicken Fried Steak and Biscuits and Gravy in America–with more than a few diversions into golf and golf equipment.

With any luck, I’ll find a reader or two who shares my passions for cream gravy and golf.

Why cream gravy?

I can only blame my Norwegian ancestors’ passion for food that’s white and tan. Oddly, I grew up in a place where neither chicken fried steak nor biscuits and gravy ever appeared on a menu.  Northern Minnesota is better known for lutefisk, lefse and potet klub.

As a fan of the last two, I would note that all three of those Norsk delicacies share a trait with cream gravy… they are all creamy white, with a few touches of brown.  So it should come as no surprise that when I first laid eyes on plate of biscuits and gravy–after moving to South Dakota in the mid70s–I knew immediately that it would suit my palate.

I’m also trying to stay away from chain restaurants whenever I can.  A friend of mine introduced me to the concept almost 25 years ago on a trip to Fat Tire Bike Week in Crested Butte, Colo., when he insisted that we hunt down a local restaurant whenever we could.  The trip delivered some of my favorite road-trip meals and I have tried to follow his lead ever since.

Ken1Putt

When in Texas Hill Country

You’ve gotta have some CFS. The Hardtail bar in Georgetown TX, delivered on it’s promise.  This is one of the best I have ever eaten.

Nothing like chicken fried steak for breakfast. John’s Villa restaurant in Mesa

It’s nice to get a really good CFS at 9 a.m.

Going to Montana…

A lovely, large, chicken fried steak at the Antelope Bar in Antelope, MT. Got a limit of ringnecks, too.

It must be BLT season!!

Vine – ripe tomatoes calls for the smoky goodness of oven – baked pig blankets. Yum.

Oliver’s in Hutchinson, Kansas delivers the goods.

Thin and crispy breading with the creamiest gravy I ever tasted. Waitress wouldn’t reveal the secret but admitted it might have some half and half in it.

One fine CFS at Texas Land & Cattle Co.

 

 

Yummm… despite looking like a catcher’s mitt, this CFS had nice thin breading and the gravy was excellent.  Excellent enough that I used all the extra gravy our waitress so happily delivered.

And those are garlic mashed potatoes, which have a mixed record with me.  But these were perfectly lumpy, creamy and the garlic didn’t overpower.

Garcia’s Chicharrone Breakfast.

 

Ummmm, let’s see, crispy chunks of pork belly, tortillas, eggs and potatoes.  What’s not to like about THAT?

Ever since I got my first taste of Garcia’ chicharrones by themselves, I’ve been waiting to get back for their chicharrone breakfast.  It didn’t disappoint.

Anyone who’s had the bagged chicharrones up north knows them as crispy, chewy pieces of fried pork skin. But these are nothing like that.  Small cubes of pork belly slowly stewed and then fried in their own rendered lard, these are crispy and flavorful, like bacon taken to a whole new universe.

For a recipe and an explanation of why they’re so good visit Chichi Wang’s blog, The Nasty Bits

I’ll be damned, Scottish food in New Mexico.

We were just planning to go to ABQ’s Freedom Fourth at Balloon Fiesta Park and look what we found!

A real Scottish sausage roll.

Only in New Mexico, apple pie and green chilies in one dish.

  One thing you learn quickly as a nortenõ in New Mexico is that the natives have NO idea whether something is spicy or not.  Anyone who puts chiles in their apple pie simply cannot be trusted.  Hell, the guys at my brother’s country club put Tabasco sauce on popcorn. But I like the food, just order the chile on the side.  FWIW, I’ve been told that the longer you live in the state the more likely you are to prefer red chile.  I must be an old soul because I prefer it red as well.

Scarpa’s in Albuquerque knows pizza

 

My wife and I both love thin-crust, brick oven pizza, but we weren’t expecting to find it in New Mexico.

Nevertheless, this pepperoni garlic pie from Scarpa’s just might be my all-time favorite pizza.  You can see how thin the crust is, and the toppings are more than adequate without turning the plate into an oil slick.

But what you cant get through the Internet is the divine, mellow garlic aroma wafting my way, or the beautiful roasted garlic flavor.

When I asked the waitress who the did it, she revealed the secret.  They roast garlic heads until they are soft, make a paste out of them and spread it on the pie before putting down the sauce….  AMAZING.