Al Copeland, the creator of World Famous Popeye’s Fried Chicken died Easter Sunday after a fight with cancer.
I wanted to write because of my love for Popeyes. I still remember the first time I had some Popeyes chicken. It was in Baton Rouge, at the Popeyes (still there btw) near my mother’s house on Florida Blvd near Sharp Rd. This was a very long time ago. How long? Geez, the Popeye Olive and Whimpie characters were still being used by the company so I would guess sometime in the last 70’s was my first taste of Popeyes.
Its the spicey chicken that gets you to the store, but the sides and the biscuits are really what keeps you coming back. The red beans are some of the best red beans in the world, the biscuits are incredible and I’ve always loved the dirty rice as well.
I also loved Copeland’s the Restaurant. When I was getting ready to move to New Orleans for my first year of college, my family came down and helped find a place to live etc….I was 17. Lord what were they thinking letting me move to New Orleans at 17 years old!!!! Hahahahaha, anyway, we ate at a Copelands in Metairie after the apartment search and stuff. One of those things that just stays with you thru the years, may not remember until someone dies but the memories are in there.
The memories of Al Copeland are part of what makes New Orleans one of the greatest cities in this country. Sure other cities have self made multi-millionaires. But the city today is frankly in mourning. We recognize our “special” citizens here, they help make us who we are as a people and they have helped make this city the gumbo that it is. When we lose a guy with the history & character (not all good by the way but we are all pretty imperfect) of Al Copeland, it gets us down. It reminds us that no one has forever and that tommorrow is not guaranteed.
Next time your craving some chicken, go to Popeyes and think of Al. Love that chicken man, love that chicken.
