Widespread love for the Chicken Cone

By Alex Daniel
AMERICAN-STATESMAN STAFF
Thursday, September 25, 2008

Every year when masses of festival-goers hit Zilker Park for Austin City Limits Music Festival, they have one thing in mind: music. But as the day drags on and energy levels drop, a second consideration comes into play: food. For many, this presents a conflict between catching favorite acts and leaving the festival grounds to find affordable, substantial nourishment.

Since the second year of ACL Fest, however, Hudson's on the Bend has been at the scene with their famous hot and crunchy Chicken Cone, which, at a mere $7, helps keep the stomachs and wallets of festival-goers full.

Breaded in a mixture of almonds, sesame seeds, corn flakes, chile flakes and sugar, then fried and placed in a tortilla lined with a slaw that includes jalapeño and mango, this dish has developed a following among fest crowds.

"I love the chicken cone," said St. Edward's University Junior Ashley Lahr, who has attended ACL Fest for the past five years. "I get, like, two every year. They are so flipping good. I'm really picky about my chicken, but I love it."

Jeff Blank, chef and owner of Hudson's on the Bend, said he developed the Chicken Cone specifically for ACL Fest by adapting Hudson's hot and crunchy chicken dish into a food item that was easy to eat on the go.

"It's really just a great combination of flavors," Blank said. "It's spicy, sweet, crunchy and cold with the slaw."

This year, Hudson's will offer different chicken cone variations, including avocado, fish and combination.

The Chicken Cone has even become popular among some ACL Fest artists.

"Every year, two or three times now, Ben Harper and his crew come in the back door for a chicken cone," Blank said. "We also took some on Widespread Panic's bus."

Meeting demand for the product requires a lot of chicken. Based on previous years, Blank estimates that Hudson's will sell somewhere between 12,000 and 14,000 cones this year, which will require more than 3,000 pounds of chicken and fish.

The Hudson's crew is prepared.

They made the crunchy breading and slaw last Friday, and they started prepping the actual chicken on Monday. Hudson's employees bread the raw chicken, then freeze it until it's almost hard. By the time it gets to the festival, the chicken is thawed out. There, Hudson's employees fry the chicken in canola oil and serve it to the fest-goers.

Blank also confirmed the opening of the "Hot and Crunchy Shack," a Hudson's on the Bend food trailer scheduled to open next year in Austin that will sell the Chicken Cone and its many variations year-round.

As always, the Chicken Cone will be one of the trademark experiences of ACL Fest.

"It's the only time you can eat at Hudson's for $7," Blank said.