| Back in 1991, Kentucky Fried chicken announced that | | | | Kentucky Fried Chicken were not the only ones who |
| it was officially changing its name to "KFC". I had | | | | bravely refused to knuckle under. The name of the |
| always heard that this was to eliminate the word | | | | most famous horse race in North America, held |
| "fried" from the name in a reaction to the "low fat" | | | | every year at Churchill Downs, was changed from |
| craze sweeping the country. Being from Kentucky, I | | | | the "Kentucky Derby" to "The Run for the Roses" |
| was disappointed that they chose to do this. | | | | for similar reasons; many seed and nursery outfits |
| I recently went looking for the reason for my blog | | | | that had previously offered Kentucky Bluegrass |
| and found almost as many answers as KFC has drum | | | | switched to a product known as "Shenendoah |
| sticks. This one seems to be the most likely. The | | | | Bluegrass" instead; and Neil Diamond's song "Kentucky |
| version here is from | | | | Woman" was dropped from radio playlists at his |
| The public relations reason given for the name | | | | request, as the licensing fees he was obligated to |
| change was that health-conscious consumers | | | | pay the Commonwealth of Kentucky exceeded the |
| associated the word "fried" with "unhealthy" and "high | | | | performance royalties he was receiving for the |
| cholesterol," causing some of them to completely | | | | airplay. |
| shun the wide variety of "healthy" menu items being | | | | Update: In November 2006, KFC and the State of |
| introduced at Kentucky Fried Chicken outlets. The | | | | Kentucky finally reached an undisclosed settlement |
| new title and image were designed to lure back | | | | over the former's use of the trademarked word |
| customers to a restaurant now offering foods | | | | "Kentucky," and the restaurant chain announced it |
| branded as "better for you," we were told. | | | | would be resuming its former name of "Kentucky |
| It sounded good, but the real reason behind the shift | | | | Fried Chicken." |
| to KFC had nothing to do with healthy food or finicky | | | | I hope that update is true. I like traveling around the |
| consumers: it was about money - money that | | | | world and seeing the name of my home everywhere. |
| Kentucky Fried Chicken would have had to pay to | | | | Here is a make-at-home version of KFC -- |
| continue using their original name. In 1990, the | | | | KENTUCKY Fried Chicken's -- heavenly Cole Slaw. |
| Commonwealth of Kentucky, mired in debt, took the | | | | KFC Cole Slaw |
| unusual step of trademarking their name. Henceforth, | | | | - 8 cups finely chopped cabbage (about 1 head) |
| anyone using the word "Kentucky" for business | | | | - 1/4 cup shredded carrot (1 medium carrot) |
| reasons - inside or outside of the state - would have | | | | - 2 tablespoons minced onion |
| to obtain permission and pay licensing fees to the | | | | - 1/3 cup granulated sugar |
| Commonwealth of Kentucky. It was an unusual and | | | | - 1/2 teaspoon salt |
| brilliant scheme to alleviate government debt, but it | | | | - 1/8 teaspoon pepper |
| was also one that alienated one of the most famous | | | | - 1/4 cup milk |
| companies ever associated with Kentucky. The | | | | - 1/2 cup mayonnaise |
| venerable Kentucky Fried Chicken chain, a mainstay | | | | - 1/4 cup buttermilk |
| of American culture since its first franchise opened in | | | | - 1 1/2 tablespoons white vinegar |
| Salt Lake City in 1952, refused as a matter of | | | | - 2 1/2 tablespoons lemon juice |
| principle to pay royalties on a name they had been | | | | 1. Be sure cabbage and carrots are chopped up into |
| using for four decades. After a year of fruitless | | | | very fine pieces (about the size of rice). |
| negotiations with the Kentucky state government, | | | | 2. Combine the sugar, salt, pepper, milk, mayonnaise, |
| Kentucky Fried Chicken - unwilling to submit to "such | | | | buttermilk, vinegar, and lemon juice in a large bowl |
| a terrible injustice" - threw in the towel and changed | | | | and beat until smooth. |
| their name instead, timing the announcement to | | | | 3. Add the cabbage, carrots, and onion, and mix well. |
| coincide with the introduction of new packaging and | | | | 4. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours before |
| products to obscure the real reasons behind the | | | | serving. |
| altering of their corporate name. | | | | Serves 10-12. |