Chicken And Much More

Real barbecue aficionados know the difference between Texas ‘cue and the stuff from Kansas City. The former is famous for brisket smothered in a tomatoey, vinegar-spiked sauce, the latter for ribs slathered with a sticky-sweet, smoky concoction.

But if you’re lacking expertise on the subject, Bob Hemphill will gladly explain.

“It’s like doctors and lawyers and preachers. Everyone’s got their own style,” Hemphill said.

At Chicken-n-More - a 10-seat restaurant in downtown Spokane - Hemphill truly deserves the overused title of chief cook and bottle washer. He does it all and still makes time to jaw with his customers. (Although his son, Robert Winston, occasionally helps out behind the counter.)

A native of Fairfield, Texas - prime barbecue country, Hemphill says - the gregarious 55-year-old is a self-taught cook.

“When I first came here 21 years ago, I was selling appliances over at Montgomery Ward, where the city hall is now,” he said. “Five years ago, I decided to try something I’ve always wanted to do and I love it.”

He read cookbooks, asked friends for suggestions and took the plunge.

“There’s really no secret. I started with somebody else’s recipe and added my own touches,” said Hemphill. “I take the little knowledge and skill I have and try to improve all the time.”

Through trial and error, Hemphill has mastered all manner of sauces - from a spicy Carolina-style sauce to a Hawaiian mixture livened up with citrus juice and pieces of pineapple. His standard, the sauce that sits in gallon jars in his tiny kitchen, is part Texas by way of Tennessee.

“It’s got a little less vinegar than most Texas recipes,” he said.

Hemphill is gearing up to put his special sauce on the market. He’s going to call it Old South sauce.

“The recipe is right up here in my head,” he said.

Because he has limited space, Hemphill barbecues his meats in a smoker, a stainless steel box about the size of a dorm-room fridge. He loads hickory wood into a compartment in the bottom of the box where it smolders and gives the meat its smoky flavor.

“Real barbecue uses no direct heat,” he said.

One reason his barbecue tastes so good is the way he prepares his meat. “I rub it real good with salt and other seasonings,” Hemphill said.

For his version of Southern fried chicken, Hemphill soaks it in cold water sprinkled with seasoning salt for at least 30 minutes before cooking.

“The salt draws out impurities and adds flavor to the meat,” he said.

Over the years, he has tried various coatings for his deep-fried bird, but has settled on a simple flour mixture seasoned with paprika, garlic salt, onion salt and pepper.

“After I coat it, I let it sit for a few minutes. That helps bind the coating to the chicken,” he said.

To deep-fry chicken at home, Hemphill suggests heating any vegetable oil to 325 degrees in a fairly tall pan and then letting the meat cook for 15 to 17 minutes.

“You don’t need any special equipment. It’s very easy to do,” he said.

Of course, the food is just part of the draw at Chicken-n-More. The place is like a social club where everyone is welcome. Hemphill greets regulars and fresh faces with equal enthusiasm.

“I’m always asking people how do they like their food,” he said. “It’s kind of like a marriage. You’ve got to ask what works well if you want to keep it going.”

Chicken-n-More is located at 502 W. Sprague. For take-out orders, phone 838-5071.

Southern Sweet Potato Pie

This classic dish gets a tropical twist with the addition of coconut. To make it a darker color, Hemphill suggests adding 1/4 cup brown sugar.

4 or 5 small sweet potatoes or yams

1-1/2 sticks butter, warmed to room temperature

1 cup sugar

1 tablespoon nutmeg

1 tablespoon vanilla

1/2 cup evaporated milk

3 eggs

3 ounces coconut, optional

Pinch of allspice or cinnamon

Prepared unbaked pie crust

Boil potatoes for 20 to 30 minutes until fork-tender; let cool just until potatoes can be handled. Peel and place in a mixing bowl. Add butter and stir until melted. Add sugar, nutmeg and allspice and beat at medium speed with a hand-held mixer (rinse beaters a couple of times to remove any strings from the potatoes that collect on the beaters). Mix in milk and eggs. Add coconut and blend. Finally, add the vanilla.

Pour the mixture into prepared crust and bake at 350 degrees for 45-60 minutes, until set. Let cool before serving.

Yield: 8 servings.

Nutrition information per serving: 320 calories, 10.3 grams fat (29 percent fat calories), 6 grams protein, 52 grams carbohydrate, 74 milligrams cholesterol, 214 milligrams sodium.

, DataTimes ILLUSTRATION: Color Photo

MEMO: Chef du Jour is a monthly feature of IN Food that profiles area chefs and provides one of their recipes for readers to try at home.