A vendor was selling “$6.50 chickens”. I thought, damn not bad for a farmer grown free range chicken. Then came the beautiful blessed nightmare. The guy in front of me started freaking out. The lady gave him an amount I didn’t hear. Turns out she said $47 for one chicken. I quickly realized it was $6.50 a pound. My first real life thought was “Is she serious!” I watched the guy storm off and before I could escape the line, I heard her ask “What can I get you?”

I looked at the poor woman near tears and said, “I will take the smallest whole chicken possible.”

She laughed “You Americans don’t understand the pound sign do you?”

I laughed, “I guess not.” I forked over my $27and walked off thinking this better be the best damn chicken ever. My family devoured it. I asked them if they noticed anything different about it. Then I leaned back in my chair and told them my farmer’s market story. My spouse’s mouth dropped at the price tag. All I can say is this chicken is delicious, and no I didn’t taste the difference between the free-range chicken and my normal chicken. Bon Appétit.

• R1 whole chicken, rinsed and patted dry
• 4 garlic gloves
• 3/4 C butter, softened
• 2 whole lemons
• 4 sprigs rosemary
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• Herb’n Farm Rainer Rub
• Jalapeno
• Scallions

Preparation: Zest one lemon or peel skin and place in a food processor, with half of a jalapeno (remove seeds), scallions, garlic, one rosemary sprig strip from the stem (this is your mirepoix). In a bowl, combine melted butter, mirepoix and one heaping lid full of Herb’n Farm Rainer Rub. Mix well. Season chicken liberally with salt, pepper, and Herb’n Farm Rainer Rub. Take the zested /peeled lemon and cut in half and squeeze the juice of one lemon all over the chicken. Stuff the cavity of the chicken with the remaining lemon halves, jalapeno slices, and the three remaining rosemary sprigs. Place chicken in bowl with butter and mirepoix mixture and give your chicken a lovely butter bath all over. Let marinate overnight or up to four hours in fridge (yes, the butter will harden this is fine). Heat cast iron skillet in oven at 400. Butter skillet, place chicken inside, and baste with butter from bowl every 25 minutes- cooking chicken a total of 1 hour 15 minutes. Skin should be deep golden brown and juices should be sizzling.