After reading this terrific piece I was hungry to see some photos of the place and the food. I found some yummy ones. (Does Salon allow links in letters? Let's find out): http://forums.egullet.org/index.php?showtopic=68391

Correction:

"Anonymous", as he/she may be a stickler for spelling over content.

...that sure as hell missed the forest for the pulled-out-of-one's-backside tree. As a Lebanese-American fried-chicken-loving native of Oxford MS with family ties to the region (two of my cousins lost homes to Katrina) all I can say is wake up and smell the regionalism, not to mention a real multiculturalism with which Anyonymous is unlikely to have soiled his/her dainty and wringing hands.

Congratulations, however, on having all those stereotypes at your immediate command.

One of the most predominately black cities in the USA, and all you can say is that it loves fried chicken? I suppose it also hearts watermelon, grape soda, Now-N-Laters, Bar-B-Q potato chips, crack cocaine, Olde English Malt Liquor, Newport cigarettes, Kool cigarettes, ham hocks, black eyed peas, and Kool Aid.

You know how those blacks love fried chicken! And you gave Don Imus a hard time.

In March, I attended an event cosponsored by the SFA in Chicago: The Fried Chicken Throwdown at Drew and Susan Goss's wonderful West Town Tavern. It was a fabulous evening. Having tasted Susan's approximation of Willie Mae's chicken, I can't wait to get down to NO again to taste the real thing

Nice to see as story out about this. I love quirky New Orleans. It is people like this that have made it such a unique and unforgetable place. I hope you continue to report on more New Orleans stories and helpkeep them on the radar screen.

Where I would be after the storm if not for the words of caring and inspiring journalists is anybody's guess, but having had the HONOR to be associated on the tiniest of scale with some of these amazing characters of post Katrina has made me a better person and I thank you all. Outstanding story. Keep it up/Keep us aware!

This sentence drew such a picture for me...

Less than four months later -- just two weeks after the storm, when the city was officially closed off to all residents -- police found her sitting in a folding chair in front of her flooded home with nothing but the clothes on her back and the Beard medal in her bag.

I just returned from New Orleans. With the exception of the French Quarter and a few other areas of relatively high ground, the city is still a disaster area. I would not have believed it if I had't seen it with my own eyes--mile after mile of ruin, debris, broken windows, gutted homes. Some areas have just gotten electricity back!

It's unfortunate that our government has billions to kill and maim, but after a year and a half has still not reconstructed New Orleans! Many people are trying to rebuild, but others are wary--the levees have still not been repaired! It could all happen again!

Willie Mae is one good example. Let's not forget the rest. Call your elected representatives, give money or work for New Orleans Habitat for Humanity, go down and spend your money. Let's not lose this great American city.

thank you.

Most people Don't know Miss Willie Mae, or about Dookey Chase (Leah Chase's authentic Creole restaurant). Those who have helped will be blessed.

Many, and not just old ones, have slipped out of this world while waiting and tying to rebuild. Heart attacks, etc have taken an enormous toll. The Road Home Program (paid for with federal funds, administered by the state) creates more papwrwork by the week while finding ways to block rebuilding (don't even start me on FEMA's role in obstructing building by refusing to set standards, etc).

Miss Willie Mae has lived long enough to deserve to see her house restored. I wish the other folk had received such help. I'm glad this article illuminates a part (trust me, it can be worse) of the obstacles against rebuilding going on at home. Thank you.

"Luckily, we backed into this without all the facts."

Oh, that is such a great line! I've got to remember that!

Ms. Joyce, you just made my day, and maybe my month. What a great article, and what a great pair of subjects, Willie Mae and John Currence. You are so right about New Orleans having to justify its continued existence, when for some of us, it's never stopped being just what it is - a strange and disorderly and loving experience of some very, very wet ground. That chicken is truly dusted in gold. Thanks so much.