I don't have a recipe but I do have a story. A looooong long time ago, I was at a movie with a couple of friends. I can't remember what the movie was that we actually did see, but afterwards we decided to sneak into another movie. The only thing we could figure out to sneak into was Manhattan which we had all seen but what the heck!

We sat there for about 15 minutes and up comes the scene where they are eating chinese food out of to go boxes in bed. All three of us were immediately in the mood for chinese. We left and went to a Chinese restaurant, only to arrive just before closing time. They didn't really want to serve us I don't think, but they did seat us! When the waiter wouldn't come back to take our order, one of us who carried a whistle, took it out of her purse and blew it! They came running. We STILL laugh about that.

Just looked it up and Manhattan came out in 1979. I told you it was a long time ago!

OMG, yes. I've been listening to the Commissario Guido Brunetti books by Donna Leon, set in Venice. And of course, he describes at least one meal a day that his wife prepares - it drives me nuts. Since I listen to them while I'm driving, I can't just jot down the foods he's eating, if I even knew what they were, but he uses the Italian terms; it sure makes me crave Italian food.

Oh yes..seeing or reading about good food often sets off a craving..so now what book are you reading that featured the chicken fricasee???
Joann

Alexa:
I think Ann C, or someone had that recipe in here a couple
of weeks ago.
Did you try " Search " ?
Lou

I do the same but usually it's from watching a movie. I went totally ITALIAN after watching "Big Night" (1996), cooking Italian every night for weeks.

Here's my NON-Italian fricassed chicken recipe:

COUNTRY FRENCH CHICKEN FRICASSEE

Serves 4 to 6

Ingredients

4 lbs chicken leg and thigh quarters

1 cup flour
2 Tbs kosher salt
Fresh-ground black pepper, to taste (I use lots)
1 tsp cayenne pepper, or to taste

1 cup bacon drippings
3/4 cup flour
2 cups onion, chopped
1 cup celery, chopped
1/2 cup green bell pepper, chopped
1/2 cup mushrooms, sliced
2 Tbs garlic, thinly sliced
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 quart chicken broth
1 whole bay leaf
6 sprigs fresh thyme, tied together
Salt, pepper, cayenne, to taste
2 Tbs fresh thyme, removed from stem, chopped
1 Tbs Worcestershire sauce
1 Tbs hot sauce
4 Tbs sour cream
1/2 cup green onions, thinly sliced

Directions

Heat the bacon drippings over medium high heat until a small sprinkle of flour quickly sizzles when tossed in.

While the fat is heating mix together the flour, salt, black pepper and cayenne.

Dredge the leg and thigh quarters in the flour mixture and shake off any excess; set aside on a plate.

When the fat is hot, brown the chicken until golden on both sides -- do not cook all the way through -- set aside.

When the chicken is browned and set aside, pour off the fat, leaving about 1/2 cup of it in the pan.

Over medium heat gradually whisk in the 3/4 cup of flour until incorporated and slightly thick, stirring constantly until a roux the color of peanut butter is achieved, then stir in 3/4 each of the onion, celery and bell pepper. Cook for an additional minute.

Add the mushrooms and a pinch of salt, turn the heat to low and cook for 8-10 minutes more, stirring slowly but constantly.

Add the white wine, increase the heat to medium and cook 5 minutes more.

Whisk in the chicken stock very gradually to avoid lumps. When it is all incorporated, bring the mixture to a full boil to bring the flour to itÂs full thickening power and then reduce the sauce to medium low.

Stir in the remaining onion, celery and bell pepper, along with the garlic, bay leaf, bundled thyme, Worcestershire and hot sauce. Season to taste with salt, black pepper, and cayenne.

Submerge the chicken in the sauce, cover and simmer for about 2 to 2-1/2 hours or until falling off of the bone tender.

Remove the bundled thyme and bay leaf and stir in the chopped thyme and sour cream; mix thoroughly. Adjust the seasonings if necessary.

Serve immediately over rice, topped with a generous portion of the sauce topped with green onions.

This also would go great with dumplings instead of the rice.

Joe

So, what are you reading right now?

Excelent sounding recipe Joe - I will work with that one (no fresh thyme right now, but I have everything else on hand and will sub dried for the fresh) since it is exactly what I imagine it should taste like. Needless to say, I have never had Chicken Fricassee in my life, so this is a culinary adventure for me LOLOLOL!

The book - which I amsolutely recommend - is "The Physick book of Deliverance Dane". Yes, it is fiction, but it is a delightful read (so far) and I am fascinated with the historical aspect and the Salem witch trial tie-in.

Anyway, thanks for the recipe, and for letting me know I am NOT the only crazy one that gets food cravings from books/movies! LOLOL!

Alexa

Absolutely....and may I suggest "The Baker's Apprentice" by Judith Ryan....and Bread Alone by the same author.
Chicken Friccassee...the way Linda does it.
1 ( or some extra pieces too) cut up fryer.
Brown just a little in a Dutch oven ( Le Cruset is always very nice!) and nestle the pieces of chicken closely in the pot salt and pepper gently, add a yellow onion cut into wedges, a stalk of celery or 2 a couple or 3 of carrots, peeled and cut into 2 inch chunks.
Add 1/4 cup white wine and enough chicken broth to cover all in the pot, add a bay leaf and cover and simmer very slowly for about 40 minutes, or until the carrots are almost done ( please don't use those bagged baby carrots!)
Meanwhile ( don't ya just love that?) make some bisquick biscuits according to the recipe for drop biscuits on the package ( of make your own from scratch!) adding 1 tsp of chopped dried parsley or 2 Tablespoons of fresh chopped parsley to the 2 cups of dry mix.
Drop globs of cough into the pot so that it sits on top of the chicken or veggies that are just above the simmering broth in the pan....cover and continue simmering for 25 minutes without lifting the lid!!!!
Enjoy!
Linda c

Here is the recipe I have used a few times. I always omit the carrot, makes it too sweet for our taste.

http://www.easy-french-food.com/chicken-fricassee.html

Here is a link that might be useful: Chicken Fricassee Recipe

Alexa:
I didn't put in a recipe, because I thought you would get a few.
This is a very easy dish to make, I do it often.

I just brown the Chicken with flour,in Butter and into the oven until it looks like the Photo,

Add some Chicken Broth with your favorite Spices plus 1/4 cup of Wine
The only White wine I have on hand is Chateau La Salle.

I use Parsley , Rosemary, Garlic, Bay Leaves, Black Pepper
( Leave out the Potatoes.)

I add some Half and Half
Put the lid on and back into the oven

Bake until the Chicken is tender.

If it needs to be thickened I use Powdered Chicken Gravy mix.
If you want to make it Italian add some Tomatoe Sauce at
the start.
You can serve it over Rice or thin Spaghetti.
LOU

I'm not sure I would want to add "GLOBS OF COUGH" on top of the chicken.Thats a new one.Doesnt sound very appetizing.

Shelley

So the question is, what did Linda really mean should be dropped, by globs, on top of the chicken? LOL

Some terrifying thoughts, but I would guess she meant biscuit dough!

Globs of cough, yuck. Must have been dough. Funny that those two words don't rhyme.

I am reading The Book Thief and everyone is starving. I have no urge to run and get the soup made with one potato that is supposed to serve four -- for a week.

You better not read Julie and Julia, or you may never get out of the kitchen!

We saw a movie last week that made us hungry. "Hancock." Will Smith was scarfing down spaghetti and meatballs like they were going out of style!

Both of us got serious cravings, so the next night, guess what I made for supper -- yum!

I was just reading a book and had to look up a recipe she was making for dinner. I had never heard of it or had it before. It is called Low Country Boil and is a seafood dish that is a combination of shrimp, sausage, corn, and potatoes. I might want to try it someday.
Clare

OMG we LOVED the Chicken Fricasee! Thanks so much Joe for the recipe! I am not done the book yet, but it is definitely a winner - I would recommend it!

Okay, now I want a Low COuntry Boil also.... LOLOLOL!

Alexa

Joe - this sounds so easy & divine. But it's in the upper 90's here, so I think I'll save it to try in the fall. Thanks for posting it!

Joe - made your Chicken Fricassee today. OMG - it is wonderful. It's really hot here in FL, but I couldn't resist. I look forward to making it again in the fall/winter when the weather will be a lot more cooperative and I can heat up the house without considering the power bill!

Thanks again.

Just on the subject of movies inspiring food cravings - a couple of years ago when the movie "Ratatouille" came out, my friends and I went to see it. We decided that beforehand, we MUST eat french. So we went to a lovely french bistro, but were dismayed that ratatouille was not on the menu (and it was summer, so it should have been!). We mentioned our ratatouille craving to the waitress, and that we were off to see the movie after our meal. She told the chef, and voilà , he made--just for us--ratatouille, off the menu! It was delicious. Also, one of my friends, who isn't much of a foodie, had never had ratatouille before, so really wanted to eat it before seeing the movie so he could know what the movie's title meant. What a nice chef to indulge our cravings!

aptosca.
You'll never be sorry for trying a low country boil. Try some cornbread and cole slaw along side. :)

The end of Fried Green Tomatoes features several of the recipes for the food served at the Whistle Stop Cafe. We had a party at my house and served all the food - fried chicken, okra, biscuits, mashed potatoes, pie, etc., prepared exactly from the recipes. It was delicious, and an absolute ton of fun to do. We're thinking of doing it again.

Come October, we're going to have a Godfather party with spaghetti and all the trimmings. I can't wait!

And, yes, I always want the food in the books I'm reading.

Sherry

My mother's "fricken chicken" was just a pressure cooked chicken with onion, s&p, thicken the stock and then when she served it she squeezed lots of fresh lemon in - with Linda C's cough dumplings and/or white rice. Hardly a recipe but really good and we all still love the name.

Akchicago:
That's an Italian Dish also. Always thought of it as a Vegtable Stew. The French name sounds better.
Lou