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It is a baffling and sad day for Sallie Kincaid, when she is sent to stay indefinitely with her Aunt Faye after an accident that leaves her toddler half-brother banged up. In Jeannette Walls’s newest novel, Hang the Moon, we know immediately that, for Sallie, the sun rises and sets on her dad, Duke. But for the once-widowed Duke, he’s managing more than a bootlegging business in early 1900s Virginia; he’s also managing the notions of his wife. And so, Sallie is sent on her way. Nine years later, she’s sent for when her stepmother passes. And so begins her journey back into a world in which she doesn’t quite feel at ease, surrounded with a big family with big opinions. This latest novel by the author of The Glass Castle is transporting and thoughtful. You’ll love stepping back a century in time as you grow up alongside Sallie, through all of her struggles, troubles, and joys.

Hang the Moon

by Jeannette Walls

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Fried Chicken with crystal hot honey

Food Between Friends

by Jesse Tyler Ferguson and Julie Tanous

When Sallie returns to the Big House — her father’s Caywood, Virginia, home — the house is packed. The line runs straight out the front door as mourners wait their turn to express their condolences to Duke and his young son, Eddie. Sallie is on edge as she bypasses the line to seek out the Duke. Immediately out of place, she greets her immediate family and then turns in the direction of food. This won’t be the last time a platter of fried chicken turns up in this novel, and we imagine that this version from Food Between Friends by Jesse Tyler Ferguson and Julie Tanous would suit this setting perfectly.

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INGREDIENTS

MARINADE

4 cups water
1/4 cup Crystal Hot Sauce
1/4 cup kosher salt
2 tbsp sugar

CHICKEN

6 boneless, skinless chicken thighs
1 cup buttermilk
3 tbsp Crystal Hot Sauce
2-1/2 tsp kosher salt
2 tsp finely grated lemon zest
2 tsp fresh lemon juice
1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp garlic powder
3/4 tsp smoked paprika
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
Grapeseed or canola oil

CRYSTAL HOT HONEY

1/3 cup honey
1 tbsp Crystal Hot Sauce

STEPS

1. Make the marinade: In a medium saucepan, combine the water, hot sauce, salt, and sugar. Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat, stirring until the salt and sugar dissolve completely. Transfer to the freezer for about 30 minutes to cool.

2. Make the chicken: Place the chicken thighs in a large bowl and pour in the marinade. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour and up to 12 hours.

3. In a shallow dish or pie pan, whisk together the buttermilk, hot sauce, 1-1/2 tsp salt, and the lemon zest and juice. In a separate shallow dish, whisk together the flour, garlic powder, paprika, pepper, cayenne, and remaining 1 tsp of salt.

4. Working one at a time, remove the chicken thighs from the brine, letting any excess drip back into the bowl. Coat the thighs in the buttermilk mixture, then place them in the flour. Coat them to create a slightly wet, shaggy coating. Gently shake off any excess flour and transfer the chicken to a plate.

5. Heat 1 inch of the oil in a large, heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven over medium heat until it reaches 350°F on a deep-fry thermometer, or until a fleck of flour sizzles on contact with the oil. Working in batches to avoid overcrowding the pot, fry the chicken in the hot oil, flipping a couple of times, until deep golden brown and the internal temperature reaches at least 165°F, about 6 minutes. Transfer the chicken to a paper towel-lined plate to drain as you fry the remaining pieces. Let the oil temperature return to 350°F between batches.

6. Make the honey sauce: In a small bowl, whisk together the honey and hot sauce.

7. Drizzle the honey sauce over the fried chicken and serve hot or cold!

Reprinted from FOOD BETWEEN FRIENDS by Jesse Tyler Ferguson and Julie Tanous. Copyright © 2021 by Julie & Jesse Cook, LLC. Published by Clarkson Potter, an imprint of Random House, a division of Penguin Random House LLC. Photographs copyright © 2021 by Eva Kolenko.

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The sheer breadth of this novel takes us through so much of Sallie Kincaid’s scrappy and rich life, and still there’s so much that is begging to be explored. Once you’ve finished the book, enlist the guidance of these questions to get your conversation and contemplation started.

Get the questions.

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While the moonshine flows throughout the novel, we thought best to not provide a relevant recipe in that vein. Instead, we’re thinking back on a bit of sweet tea at some particularly tender moments in the novel. Here’s how to make it: Steep about a dozen black tea bags in a pitcher of boiled water. Depending on how strong you want your tea, the bags can stay in anywhere from 5 to about 20 minutes. Remove your tea bags, and begin with about a cup of sugar. Stir until dissolved, and take a teensy taste. Next, add in anything else you’d like to flavor your tea with. We like a bit of lemon juice and mint. Chill, chill, chill, and drink over ice with your toes exposed.

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Jeannette Walls first came onto our radar with her stunning memoir, The Glass Castle. In it, she recounts a childhood with two parents who took a nontraditional approach to parenting. Jeannette and her siblings become very self-sufficient very quickly, grow up, and move away to New York. Their parents follow, and opt to live without homes. As Jeannette finds her own way, her parents remain at her periphery, living their own lives exactly as they see fit. It’s the author’s own very unique coming-of-age story, writ perfectly.

The Glass Castle: A Memoir

by Jeannette Walls

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Frey Organic Syrah	Barboursville Pinot Grigio
Our red wine pick this week is inspired by its pairing potential. We’re looking for something that goes perfectly with our recipe and this Frey Organic Syrah is just the bottle. It’s super lush and super rich. Its boldness will stand up to food that carries a bit of heft. This one also tastes like it would drink best down south on a day you’re feeling just a little bit extra.	Prohibition is long behind us, and Virginia has since moved onto above-the-board winemaking. They’re turning out some fantastic wines, thanks to good soil, a proper climate, and some home-grown expertise. Take this Barboursville Pinot Grigio for instance. It’s dry in spite of its fruitiness, and is best enjoyed on an open-air porch early to mid-summer.

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