Adventures in Eating: Buffalo Wings & Blue Cheese Dressing

A friend and W.O.M.C. member, Maureen Amberg, recently sent me a rec­ipe for Buffalo Wings, knowing how much I adore this food. The season for indoor entertaining is around the corner and I know this will make a hit with your friends. Two stories have crossed my path regarding the creation of Buffalo Wings. One is that Buffalo wings were first served as an appetizer in 1964 at Frank & Therea’s Anchor Bar in Buffalo, N.Y. Theresa dredged the wings in flour, deep fried them, and served them with blue cheese dressing and celery sticks (a must). Another one says that a restaurateur in Buffalo ran out of his daily blue plate special, and created this dish from items in his larder. Both make good stories. The following recipe stems from the first story. I will also suggest a more healthy way to prepare this dish, if you wish to deviate from the original.

BUFFALO WINGS- THE REAL ONE

24 (about 4 pounds) chicken wings
Salt, optional
Freshly ground pepper
4 cups peanut, vegetable or corn oil
1/4 cup butter or margarine
2 to 5 tablespoons hot pepper sauce
1 tablespoon white vinegar
Blue cheese dressing
Celery sticks

Cut and discard small tip of wing. Cut at second joint, season wings with salt and pepper. Heat your oil in whatever pot you use, place half the wings and cook about 10 minutes, stirring a bit. When wings are golden brown and crisp, re­move and drain well. Cook the rest. Melt butter in saucepan, add hot sauce and vinegar. Place wings on a warm platter and pour butter mixture over all. Serve with blue cheese dressing and celery sticks. Can be served as an appetizer or main entree.

A healthier method, instead of fry­ing, would be to coat the wings with the oil, and baking them in the oven at 425 degrees, turning once in a while until brown and crisp. About 20-25 minutes. You might try malt vinegar instead of white it is much milder.

BLUE CHEESE DRESSING

1 cup mayonnaise (I use lite)
2 tablespoons finely chopped onion
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1/4 cup finely chopped parsley
1/2 cup sour cream (I use non fat yogurt)
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 tablespoon vinegar(white wine)
1/4 cup crumbled blue cheese
Freshly ground pepper
Cayenne pepper
Optional: 1 teaspoon dry dill

Combine all ingredients in a bowl and mix well. Let chill 1 hour or longer. Makes about 2 1/2 cups.

 

This is” finger lickin’ good.”