Taste of the south: Irresistible onion rings

Whether you prefer them thin and crispy or light and puffy, you can't eat just one of these deep-fried delights.

Ask folks where to find the best onion rings, and you'll get almost as many answers as there are places that serve them. Here are a few of the eateries that are on our list.

Atlanta's Varsity uses the recipe founder Frank Gordy originated many years ago. The cut of the onion and the batter make their rings "world famous," says his daughter, Nancy Simms. The restaurant's reputation has attracted many celebrities, from Presidents to The King. "I heard Elvis Presley loved our onion rings with his cheeseburger," Nancy says.

Texans dote on the monumental platter served at the four Clear Springs Cafes. "We serve an order of 70 to 80 rings," says owner Richard DeWitt. "You can't believe the look on people's faces when you serve them." Freshness is the key to Clear Springs' rings; good onions are also critical. "We try to use Texas 101 OlSs when they're available," Richard says.

Tiny Herby K's in Shreveport is best-known for its "Shrimp Buster" fried-shrimp dinner, but folks love the diner's large, lightly coated onion rings too. "We use a light batter," says Janet Bean, Herby K's owner. "I think most people prefer it because you can taste the onion." Her staff slices and batters the colossal onions every morning and evening, and then fries them to order.

The style is dramatically different at Bessinger's in Charleston, South Carolina. Here, the rings are encased in a sweet, sturdy batter that fries up fat and golden. "They come out nice and sweet, hot and fresh, like big doughnuts," says Tommy Bessinger, whose family has been making them since 1950. "We even use an old-fashioned doughnut machine to fry them in." Their combination of puffy coating and crunchy-soft onion makes them one of Bessinger's memorable best-sellers.

If you can't make it to any of these spots before a craving hits, try our wonderful recipe-one of the best in our archives. A crisp-tender interior is surrounded by slightly sweet, crunchy batter. Once you taste 'em, you might even revise your opinion about which rings are the best. DONNA FLORIO

BUTTERMILK BATTER-FRIED ONION RINGS

MAKES 4 SERVINGS

CUT onions into 1/2-inch slices, and separate into rings. Set aside. WHISK together flour and next 4 ingredients until smooth.

POUR oil to a depth of 2 inches into a Dutch oven; heat to 375 deg.

DIP onion rings in batter, coating well. Fry, a few rings at a time, until golden. Drain on paper towels. Serve immediately. Prep: 20 min., Cook: 10 min.

Copyright Southern Progress Corporation May 2002
Provided by ProQuest Information and Learning Company. All rights Reserved