Metro Man: Chicken, Good to the Bone

Cliff invented this for his Kappa Alpha fraternity brother Ernie Williams, who has owned and operated Time Out restaurant for 28 years in that basketball-crazed town. The eatery has a "hoops" theme featuring a chicken sandwich on a Four Corners square biscuit named for UNC’s famed offense designed to slow down the game to preserve a lead. Opponents and their fans hate the strategy, but people love the chicken sandwich.

The sandwich is made by ripping the meat off a fried chicken breast and placing it between the halves of the biscuit. Until Cliff came along, the breast bone and any remaining meat was discarded. Cliff, who is somewhat frugal, suggested Ernie sell the fried bones with some attached meat, and thus Box of Bones was born. Originally, the bones sold for 10 cents each, but today a box of eight costs $2.

It was only recently on a trip to Chapel Hill that I visited Time Out. I had tried my own version of bones, the only difference being that I skin and de-bone the breasts, then fry the bones until they are crisp enough to eat.

This is a compromise with my wife, who prefers boneless chicken breasts prepared other than by frying. I can grill the breasts to satisfy her and still have fried bones with pieces of meat hanging on to indulge my tastes. The only price I pay is occasional dental bills for damage done by gnawing on the bones.

There is another reason for my method. Boneless, skinless chicken breasts can sell for up to $5 a pound. Regular chicken breasts with skin and bones can sell for as little as $2 a pound. So I can please my wife, save money and still get what I want. I am somewhat frugal myself.

(There is an Atlanta and Georgia connection to this story. Ernie says he has sent three daughters to the University of Georgia, partially on what he has made from the bones. That is as impressive as the fact a Tar Heel would send three daughters to the home of the Bulldogs for an education. His daughter Meredith works in Atlanta in mergers and acquisitions at King & Spalding now.)

This whole food thing in Chapel Hill began innocently enough with lunch at the Rotary Club. Afterwards, Cliff suggested we try the double and triple-decker BLT sandwiches at Merritt’s Store. These BLTs don’t feature three or more slices of bread but stack the bacon, lettuce and tomato in two or three layers to make an awesome sandwich.

Inspired by the BLTs, we went on to Time Out, where they were out of bones, so we had to have a Four Corners chicken sandwich in order to generate a set of bones. While we were at it, we also had a Chipper sandwich, which is four scoops of vanilla ice cream between two very large homemade chocolate chip cookies. The thing must have 4,000 calories, but only costs $2.39. In this eating frenzy, I complimented Ernie on the turkey he bakes each day and mentioned "the wing is the thing" in my opinion. In a gesture of hospitality, he carved off the wings and sent me away with them.

Some of my friends say I have a discerning palate. My better-traveled friends say I am a true international gourmet, given my preference for Vienna sausages, French fries and English peas. I think they are putting me on, but give me a bone to gnaw on any day and I am as happy as my dog. Anyone want some fried chicken skin?