Why is it that things that taste good are usually contain nothing nutritious at all?
As a student at Auburn University in the late 1970's, I remember the quintessential dish, the entrée of perfection...even beat out Domino's Pizza...delivered yet. It was known at War Eagle Cafeteria as Maryland Turkey.
This was not turkey as we know it during this month of November....fresh and brown out of the oven, with giblet gravy (I still don't like it), and cranberry sauce out of the can.
THIS is Maryland Turkey.
What they did was take pieces of real turkey....not the pressed, granulated stuff, but REAL turkey, dip it in a VERY thick batter, lower it into popping, boiling grease, fry it until golden brown and then dump it on brown paper to drain at least half of the grease from it. The crowning touch was an inch of salt sprinkled on it.
I loved Maryland Turkey. It was so salty made you retain water for several days, sometimes producing tides during a full moon, but it was worth it. They served it a lot and I can remember being sad when they didn't...and it couldn't possibly have been good for us... but 35 years later I start to salivate just thinking about it. I tried making it... here is a picture, but it just wasn't the same...neither is War Eagle Cafeteria....it's gone too.
But we can remember....as we eat our healthy salads and lean broiled chicken that once there was a spot that served a culinary piece of art...
Maryland Turkey. I will never forget you.