Food news antipasto

This week’s theme centers on fried chicken in honor of the fact that July 6 was National Fried Chicken Day in the US. Up first is Eater’s series, The United States of Fried Chicken, which takes us all over the country to find the 27 best fried chicken joints in the nation. But that’s not all: you’ll also find an exploration of chicken cutlets, a guide to the best fast food fried chicken, four ingredients to make your homemade fried chicken better, plus several articles diving into the history of one of the US’s most iconic foods.

Now that your appetite has been whetted, pop over to Australian Gourmet Traveller to discover five unique fried chicken recipes that will suit any mood. The recipes range from chicken wings to Nashville hot chicken to a Melbourne restaurant’s take on a chicken Kiev, turned inside-out. That one is going on my must-try list.

This one is for the diehard fried chicken lovers: Portland, Oregon-based Salt & Straw has created fried chicken ice cream. It is one of several flavors based on summertime picnics that the company is offering this season. According to Salt & Straw owner Tyler Malek, “There’s a ton of umami from that chicken fat and the – like, a little bit of texture from the croissant,” adding that he thinks “this is one of the coolest flavors we’ve ever created.”

Okay, that’s enough fried chicken for one week. Our next story concerns the customs regarding returning borrowed Tupperware to its owner. The Guardian’s Jennifer Curcio writes that in many regions it’s considered rude not to return the Tupperware filled with food. It doesn’t have to be something homemade, although if you know the giver well that’s probably the best course of action. Where I grew up, this was not a common practice, but I adopted it after living in an area where this was expected. It’s a nice gesture even if not the standard where you live.

One of the most adorable stories I read this week comes from Saveur, where Prakrut Bhatt explores the art of kyaraben (also known as decorative bento boxes), which have become a pop culture phenomenon in Japan. Bhatt talks with bento box artist, mom, and cookbook author Maki Ogawa, whose books can inspire you to upgrade your kids’ (or your own) lunch box.