Bake Sale Betty's: Best Fried Chicken Sandwich in the USA, Possibly the World

If you are ever in the East Bay between Oakland and Berkely on Telegraph Avenue, you must, absolutely must, stop for lunch at Bakesale Betty's. They make the very best Fried Chicken Sandwiches I've ever had. When time permits on business travel, I always try to stop in for a sandwich and a seasonal treat. I got to have lunch there on April 2, 2008.

Betty says the inspiration for the sandwich was the buttermilk fried chicken at Alice Waters' Chez Panisse Cafe, where Betty was a line cook for three years. It's one of two sandwiches currently offered at Betty's bakery. The other one is egg salad. I keap meaning to try the egg salad but, then I always weaken when I see the chicken sandwich. This thing is GOOD.

So don't be put off by Betty's fancy Chez Panisse restaurant pedigree. According to the San Francisco Chronicle Betty's picnic favorite chicken sandwich is easy to make at home. All the fixings - chicken breasts, buttermilk, cabbage, jalapenos - are available at the supermarket, and working with a chicken breast is perfect for nervous cooks who want to give deep-frying a go.

Betty gets as many ingredients as she can from the farmers' market, where she started her business selling baked goods she displayed on a couple of ironing boards.

From the beginning, the owner baker, whose real name is Alison Barakat, took on the character of "Bakesale Betty," donning the blue wig that she's been wearing ever since. She says that her customers instantly responded to her new persona. "And people definitely remember you," she says. And it wasn't only the customers who are drawn to her; she also met husband and business partner, Michael Camp, who was also working the Danville market. (He calls her Betty, too.) The couple had their first child, daughter Hazel in November of 2008. I got to meet baby Hazel this week. (No blue wig yet seen on Hazel who happily rests comfortably on a Betty's front load baby carrier )

Since most of my loyal readers don't get near the east bay much, if at all, I've located the recipe.

RECIPE:

Bakesale Betty's Fried Chicken Sandwich
Serves 4
You'll have some breading left over, even after dipping twice. This makes a hefty sandwich in all regards - you'll need two hands to eat it.
4 boneless skinless chicken breasts, about 6 ounces each
Kosher salt to taste
1 quart buttermilk
The vinaigrette
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
The coleslaw
1 small red onion, very thinly sliced
1 cup red wine vinegar
2 jalapenos, seeded, cut in half and sliced crosswise
1/4 cup chopped parsley
1/2 green cabbage, core and outer leaves removed, and very thinly sliced
Kosher salt
The breading
1 pound all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon cayenne pepper
1 tablespoon kosher salt + more to taste
11/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
2 quarts vegetable oil, for frying

4 Very Fresh Bakery torpedo rolls, sliced lengthwise

Instructions: Season chicken breasts with kosher salt. Let sit at least 5 minutes. Fill a wide, shallow nonreactive bowl or casserole dish with buttermilk. Add the chicken and soak in the refrigerator for 1 hour up to overnight.

For the vinaigrette: Combine mustard, vinegar and salt in a bowl. Slowly whisk in olive oil until well blended.

For the coleslaw: Macerate onions in red wine vinegar, and let sit at least 20 minutes. Remove onions and discard vinegar. Toss onions with jalapeno, parsley, cabbage and salt. Toss with vinaigrette until evenly coated.

To fry chicken: Pour vegetable oil into a large stockpot. Do not fill up more than halfway, or the oil could splatter. Bring oil up to 365°, using a digital thermometer/candy thermometer to monitor the heat. Prepare the the breading while waiting for oil to heat up.

In a wide shallow bowl, mix flour, cayenne, salt and pepper. Pull a chicken breast out of the buttermilk one by one, letting excess drip off, and dredge completely in flour. To create a thick crust, place in buttermilk and dredge in flour a second time. Do not drain or shake off excess buttermilk or flour during the breading process.

When the oil is at 365°, carefully place chicken pieces into oil one by one. Let it cook for a minute before disturbing chicken, then help it "swim" in the oil with tongs, until it is evenly cooked, about 5-7 minutes. Remove chicken from oil and drain on paper towels. Season immediately with salt.

For the sandwich: Place fried chicken breast

on bottom of torpedo roll and top generously with coleslaw.

I love this. It is the best lunch I've had all year. Thanks Betty Michael and Little Hazel.
For more information and directions see:

http://www.bakesalebetty.com/