Buffalo wing explained

Buffalo wings
Alternate Name:Buffalo chicken wings
Chicken wings
Hot wings[1]
Wings[2]
Country:United States
Region:Buffalo, New York
Creator:Disputed; either the Bellissimo family of the Anchor Bar, or John Young of John Young's Wings 'n Things
Served:Hot
Main Ingredient:Chicken wing
Cayenne pepper hot sauce
Butter
Calories:90–110

A Buffalo wing in American cuisine is an unbreaded chicken wing section (flat or drumette) that is generally deep-fried, then coated or dipped in a sauce consisting of a vinegar-based cayenne pepper hot sauce and melted butter prior to serving.[3] [4] [5] They are traditionally served hot, along with celery sticks and carrot sticks, and a dip of blue cheese dressing or, primarily outside of New York, ranch dressing. Buffalo wings are named after Buffalo, New York, where they were invented, and have no relation to the animal. They are often called simply chicken wings, hot wings, or just wings.

Buffalo wings have gained in popularity in the United States and abroad, with some North American restaurant chains featuring them as a main menu item. The name "Buffalo" is now also applied to other spiced fried foods served with dipping sauces,[6] including boneless chicken wings (made from chicken breast meat rather than a chicken wing[7]), chicken fries, chicken nuggets, popcorn chicken, shrimp, and cauliflower. It is also used for other dishes, such as pizza, that are seasoned with the Buffalo-style sauce or a seasoning.[8]

History

Origin

There are several different claims about the invention of Buffalo wings.[9] [10] One is that Buffalo wings were first prepared in 1964 at the Anchor Bar in Buffalo, New York, by Teressa Bellissimo, who owned the bar with her husband Frank.[11] At the time, chicken wings were inexpensive and undesirable, and normally thrown away or reserved for stock or soup.

Several versions of the story of the invention have been circulated by the Bellissimo family and others, including:

Although an article published about the Anchor Bar in a local newspaper during 1969 does not mention Buffalo wings, a local competitor of the Anchor Bar, Duff's, began selling Buffalo wings in that year.[14] [15]

Another claim is that John Young, who moved to Buffalo from Stockton, Alabama in 1948 at the age of 13, popularized chicken wings in Buffalo.[16] Beginning in 1961, he began serving uncut chicken wings that were breaded, deep fried, and served in his own special tomato-based Mumbo sauce at his Buffalo restaurant.[17] [18] Prior to opening his restaurant, he had a conversation with a boxer who traveled; in a later interview Young recalled: "He told me that there was a restaurant in Washington, D.C. that was doing a good business with wings and I decided to specialize."[18] In the same interview Young stated that the Anchor Bar did not offer Buffalo wings as a regular menu item until 1974.[18] He registered the name of his restaurant, John Young's Wings 'n Things, at the county courthouse before leaving the Buffalo area in 1970.[9] [10] [19] In 2013, at the National Buffalo Wing Festival held in Buffalo, John Young's contributions were acknowledged when he was inducted into the festival's National Buffalo Wing Hall of Flame.[20]

Growth and popularity

In 1977, the city of Buffalo issued an official proclamation celebrating Anchor Bar co-owner Frank Bellissimo and declared July 29, 1977, to be Chicken Wing Day.[21] Throughout the 1970s and 1980s Buffalo wings gained in popularity as a bar food and appetizer across the United States and Canada.[22] Large franchises specializing in Buffalo wings have emerged, notably Buffalo Wild Wings founded in 1982 and Hooters in 1983.[23] McDonald's began selling Mighty Wings as an option in 1990 at their restaurant locations in the United States.[24] In 1994, following four Super Bowl appearances by the Buffalo Bills football team, the Domino's pizza chain added Buffalo wings to their national menu, followed by Pizza Hut the next year.[25] [26]

As the market for chicken wings expanded, restaurants began to create and use a variety of sauces in addition to buffalo sauce.[27] Some of these new chicken wing sauces were influenced by Chinese, Japanese, Thai, Caribbean, and Indian cuisines.[28] [29] Other flavors created by restaurants include unique combinations, such as Blueberry BBQ Wing Sauce and Maple/Bacon Glaze for example, to help keep customer interest and grow their businesses.[30] After the price of raw wings increased, and with a growing desire by some diners for a neater eating experience, restaurants began to offer a menu item called "boneless wings," sometimes marketed under the name wyngz.[31] [32] Boneless wings are essentially small pieces of skinless, boneless chicken breast that are coated in flour and spices, then fried or baked, like a chicken nugget. They are usually coated in or served with the same sauces as Buffalo wings. The growing popularity in recent years of Buffalo wing consumption, and of restaurants serving wings, have led to actual and perceived shortages of chicken wings in the United States during certain times.[33] [34] [35]

In many areas of the United States, chicken wing festivals are held—with Buffalo wings being used in competitive eating events such as at Philadelphia's Wing Bowl and the National Buffalo Wing Festival.[36] It has also become commonplace for restaurants to offer a wing-eating contest.[37] Many bars and restaurants intentionally create an extra-hot sauce for this purpose, and customers are sometimes rewarded with their picture posted on the restaurant's wall or website, a commemorative T-shirt, a free meal or a combination of rewards for successfully completing the challenge.[38]

Preparation

Chicken

The chicken wings used for Buffalo wings are usually segmented into three parts: drumette, flat, and flapper or pointer, the last of which is usually discarded, although some restaurants serve them with this latter part still connected to the flat. Traditionally, the wings are deep-fried in oil, without breading or flour until they are well browned. Alternatively, they may be baked, grilled, or broiled.[39]

Sauce

Cayenne pepper-based hot sauce, melted butter, and vinegar are the standard base of Buffalo wing sauce, which may be made mild, medium, or hot.[40] Other ingredients are also common, although less dominant, such as Worcestershire sauce and garlic powder. Commercial ready-to-use wing sauce is made with varying levels of spiciness.[41] The cooked chicken wings are placed in a bowl or pot and shaken to coat the wings completely covering them in sauce before serving.

Service

Traditionally, Buffalo wings are served with small sticks of celery (accompanied sometimes with baby carrots or carrot sticks), and blue cheese dipping sauce on the side.[42] Ranch dressing, however, is the most popular wing dipping sauce in the United States.[43]

See also

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: O'Shaughnessy. Caitlin M.. What is the Difference Between Hot Wings and Buffalo Wings?. Chowhound. 30 April 2017.
  2. News: Nicks. Denver. Who Actually Created Buffalo Wings?. The Daily Beast. September 28, 2016. 30 April 2017.
  3. Web site: Horwitz. Jeremy. Chicken Wings, or, Why people Know About Buffalo. Buffalo Chow.com. January 1, 2008. November 18, 2009. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20091231030443/http://www.buffalochow.com/2008/01/chicken_wings_or_why_people_kn.html. December 31, 2009. mdy-all.
  4. Web site: Chicken Wings – A Hot Topic! New 2012 Wing Report!. National Chicken Council. 30 April 2017.
  5. Web site: Birdsall. John. America, You're Getting Two-Thirds of the Hot Wing. Chowhound. 30 April 2017.
  6. News: Horovitz. Bruce. Spicy buffalo flavors stampede into gobs of new food products. 30 April 2017. USA Today. 8 October 2009.
  7. News: Anthony . Ted . 2023-02-10 . How the 'boneless wing' became a tasty culinary lie . Associated Press News .
  8. Web site: Banfield. Kelsey. 17 Hot & Spicy Buffalo Sauce-Flavored Foods. babble.com. 30 April 2017.
  9. Web site: On the Wings of a Buffalo or "Mother Teresa's Wings". January 20, 2008. Harmon. John E.. Atlas of Popular Culture in the Northeastern United States. July 28, 2012. https://web.archive.org/web/20120728233935/http://www.geography.ccsu.edu/harmonj/atlas/buffwing.htm. dead.
  10. Web site: An Attempt To Compile A Short History of the Buffalo Chicken Wing . 2008-01-22 . Trillin. Calvin . August 25, 1980 . The New Yorker Magazine.
  11. Primal Grill with Steven Raichlen, PBS, August 8, 2008
  12. Web site: AnchorBar - Origins of the original Buffalo Chicken Wing. January 6, 2008. AnchorBar.com. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20080129092706/http://www.anchorbar.com/original.php. January 29, 2008. mdy-all.
  13. Web site: Buffalo Wings History - The origins of Buffalo Chicken Wings. Peggy Trowbridge Filippone. January 20, 2008. About.com. January 25, 2009. https://web.archive.org/web/20090125160547/http://homecooking.about.com/od/foodhistory/a/buffwinghistory.htm. dead.
  14. News: Galarneau. Andrew Z.. At 50, the Buffalo-style chicken wing has conquered the world. 1 May 2017. The Buffalo News. 1 March 2014.
  15. Web site: Clemens. Chris. Duff's Famous Wings – Buffalo, NY. ExploringUpstate.com. May 18, 2015. 23 May 2017.
  16. Web site: 2020-02-01 . Family stakes John Young's claim as the originator of the Buffalo wing . 2024-02-09 . WKBW 7 News Buffalo . en.
  17. News: The Story of John Young . Rachel Wharton . February 3, 2021 . . D8.
  18. News: Okun. Janice. John Young Stakes His Claim To The Chicken Wing. 4 May 2017. The Buffalo News. 6 February 1996.
  19. Web site: James Beard Foundation . January 20, 2008. THE 2003 JAMES BEARD FOUNDATION COCA-COLA AMERICA'S CLASSICS AWARDS. https://web.archive.org/web/20080103154411/http://www.jamesbeard.org/about/press/newsdetails.php?news_id=24. January 3, 2008.
  20. Web site: Buffalo Wing Hall Of Flame John Young "Wings and Things". National Buffalo Wing Festival. 4 May 2017. August 24, 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20170824014222/http://buffalowing.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/WingFest-2013-final.pdf. dead.
  21. News: Claiborne. Craig. Franey. Pierre. Food; Winging It In Buffalo. 30 April 2017. The New York Times. August 30, 1981.
  22. Web site: Harmon. John E.. On the Wings of a Buffalo or "Mother Teresa's Wings". Atlas of Popular Culture in the Northeastern United States. 1 May 2017. August 17, 2016. https://web.archive.org/web/20160817062054/http://web.ccsu.edu/faculty/harmonj/atlas/buffwing.htm. dead.
  23. News: Carlyle. Erin. Buffalo Wild Wings and the triumph of the chicken wing. 5 May 2017. City Pages. 9 March 2011.
  24. News: Sozzi. Brian. McDonald's Brings Back Mighty Wings. 5 May 2017. The Street. 30 April 2016.
  25. Web site: Stromberg. Joseph. A Brief History of the Buffalo Chicken Wing. Smithsonian.com. 30 April 2017.
  26. Web site: Upton. Emily. Why Buffalo Wings Are Called That. Today I Found Out. October 21, 2013. 30 April 2017.
  27. Web site: Brox. Denene. Winging It. QSR. October 15, 2012 . 30 April 2017.
  28. News: Brownell. Claire. Why the once worthless chicken wing is now worth billions. Financialpost. 30 April 2017.
  29. Web site: Our 33 Best Asian-Inspired Finger Food Recipes. Saveur. 30 April 2017.
  30. Web site: Cansler. Cherryh. Now trending: Why unique chicken wing flavors are hot. Fastcasual.com. July 30, 2015. 3 May 2017.
  31. Web site: Myers. Dan. We Need to Come Up With a Better Name for Boneless Wings. The Daily Meal. December 6, 2016. 3 May 2017.
  32. News: Neuman. William. 'Boneless' Wings, the Cheaper Bite. The New York Times. October 13, 2009. 30 April 2017.
  33. Web site: Bennett. Dashiell. Chicken Wing Shortage Threatens To Destroy Super Bowl. Deadspin.com. 30 April 2017.
  34. Web site: Yglesias. Matthew. The Great Chicken Wing Shortage of 2013. Slate.com. February 2013. 30 April 2017.
  35. Web site: Taylor. Kate. Don't Panic:There Will Definitely Be Enough Chicken Wings for the Super Bowl. Entrepreneur.com. January 24, 2014 . 30 April 2017.
  36. Web site: Wing Festivals Across America in 2015. Bring the Wing.com. 3 May 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20170702091549/http://www.bringthewing.com/2014/11/wing-festivals-across-america-in-2015/. July 2, 2017. dead.
  37. Web site: Chicken Wing-Eating Competitions Across America. 2015-08-24. https://web.archive.org/web/20150827224733/http://tailgatefan.cbslocal.com/2015/04/30/chicken-wing-eating-competitions-across-america/. August 27, 2015. dead.
  38. Web site: Wing Eating Challenges in Restaurants Across America. Bring the Wing.com. 30 April 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20170505115416/http://www.bringthewing.com/2012/04/wing-eating-challenges-in-restaurants-across-america/. May 5, 2017. dead.
  39. News: Barrow. Cathy. These wings are called 'irresistible' for a reason. The Washington Post. 17 September 2017.
  40. Web site: Pittman. Christine. What's the Difference Between Hot Sauce and Wing Sauce. The Cookful. February 24, 2017. 30 April 2017.
  41. Web site: Zimmer. Erin. Taste Test: Buffalo Wing Sauce. Serious Eats. 30 April 2017.
  42. Web site: Saladino. Emily. Why Do We Eat Celery with Buffalo Wings?. Tasting Table. February 2, 2017. 17 September 2017.
  43. Web site: Ranch Is The Most Popular Wing Dip (POLL). January 30, 2013. Huffpost. 17 September 2017.

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