"Harold's Chicken Shack with Jacquis Neal" is Episode 234 of Doughboys, hosted by Mike Mitchell and Nick Wiger. "Harold's Chicken Shack with Jacquis Neal" was released on January 16, 2020.
"Tomorrow..." - @doughboyspod
Synopsis[]
Actor/comedian Jacquis Neal (UCB, Culture Kings podcast) joins the boys to discuss cruise ship food and review Chicago's famed Harold's Chicken Shack. Plus, a new edition of Chips Inhale: Res-Chew Rangers, and a surprise drop-in from a special ghost!
Nick's intro[]
Chicago food is often compartmentalized as topping-loaded hot dogs, casserole-thick pizza, and sopping-wet beef sandwiches, but just as much a part of the Second City's culinary identity comes via a chain of eponymous fried-chicken shacks founded in 1950 by Harold Pierce in the historically black South Side neighborhood.
Pierce had a leg up on his competition by using a mixture of beef tallow and vegetable oil as cooking liquid and by employing the time- and labor-intensive practice of frying to order, a practice that continues to this day. His mild sauce-dowsed, breaded bird met a salivating audience and, recognizing the predominantly black areas ignored by the big players in the fast-food boom, Pierce savvily expanded within the South Side, becoming a neighborhood, and later a citywide, institution.
Harold's Chicken Cadillac
As his chain became a financial success, Pierce acquired an unmistakable vehicle: a white Cadillac fashioned to look like a chicken, complete with a papier-mâché'd chicken head, which contrasted with his understated, mild manner.
Pierce passed away in 1988, but the business remained a family one; today, operated by his daughter, Kristin Pierce-Herron. And its imprint on the South Side of Chicago is indelible. Much like Fatburger in LA hiphop, the chain became a go-to reference for Chicago area rappers. Chance the Rapper, Common, Kanye, and Kendrick Lamar are among those who have given a shout-out to the eatery in their verses.
And in a 2008 60 Minutes interview, reflecting on Barack Obama's old apartment on the South Side, Michelle Obama remarked, "that was a dump," to which the soon-to-be-President replied, "oh come on, it wasn't that bad. I lived right next door to a Harold's."
This week on Doughboys: Harold's Chicken Shack.
Fork rating[]
| guest / host | ordered | rating |
|---|---|---|
| Nick Wiger |
|
4.5 forks |
| Mike Mitchell |
|
4.5 forks |
| Jacquis Neal |
|
5 forks |
| shared |
|
All dinners at Harold's come with fries and coleslaw, but it seems that none of them received their coleslaw.
With these scores, Harold's Chicken Shack makes the Golden Plate Club!
Chips Inhale: Res-Chew Rangers[]
Keogh's Irish Atlantic Sea Salt Potato Chips
In Chips Inhale: Res-Chew Rangers, The Doughboys get a bunch of flavors of chips, and they eat them all.
However, for this episode, they just try one flavor, as Mitch brings Keogh's, an Irish brand of chips. There are a lot of different and interesting flavors of Keogh's; they have Irish Atlantic Sea Salt.
Mitch and Nick liked them, but Jacquis and producer Marissa were mixed.
| guest / host | rating |
|---|---|
| Nick Wiger | Snack |
| Mike Mitchell | Snack |
| Jacquis Neal | - |
| Marissa | - |
Roast Spoonman[]
Non-bearded Richard Jewell
| “ | Bearded Richard Jewell | ” |
–Foster Rhein | ||
Quotes[]
| “ | The only cruise in history where nobody takes their shirt off. | ” |
–Nick Wiger re: the upcoming Doughboys Cruise | ||
| “ | I thought you would bring out apps of like slices of gum on a plate to Natalie. | ” |
–Mitch re: Nick cooking for his wife | ||
| “ | I'm a Cake Shake Baby and a Pie Guy. | ” |
–Mike Mitchell likes desserts | ||
| “ | I've thought about getting room service before, but I just can't get up the gusto. | ” |
–Nick Wiger | ||
#hashtags[]
- #MintChewLip vs. #SuckOnThis
The Feedbag[]
| “ | I have a question about food and traveling. When I travel with my family, my Mom always wants us to go to an Embassy Suites because she loves the breakfast service there with an omelette station. Do you have any hotel breakfasts that you factor in when making travel plans? What's your breakfast routine when on the road? | ” |
–Lily T. | ||
Related Episodes[]
| Jacquis Neal episodes |
|---|
|
Photos[]
