The Buffalo Wing & It's Rise to the Ultimate Sports Food .

[Bruffalo]

3 minutes ago, Kiva said:

They sold out several years ago. Bar Bill picked up the slack. 

They were bad when I was a kid in the 90s. Bar Bill is one of the top choices for sure though. 

[Kiva]

2 minutes ago, Bruffalo said:

They were bad when I was a kid in the 90s. Bar Bill is one of the top choices for sure though. 

Yeah, ever since they started mass producing their sauce and filled it with preservatives and sh!t. 

[WhoTom]

42 minutes ago, Kiva said:

John Young made fried chicken whole wing with a bbq, pineapple sauce.  No relation to our Franks and Butter wings.  Why the history channel gave him any credit is a head scratcher, I’ll assume it’s some form of woke equity. 

The real original Buffalo Chicken wing was invented and perfected at the anchor bar.  

 

Or maybe, just maybe, Young was the first to make wings a featured menu item, regardless of the recipe, and the show wanted to include the complete history of wings as a delicacy. Not everyone wants their history filtered.

 

And yes, I agree that what we now know as "Buffalo Style" wings originated at the Anchor Bar, but that doesn't make Young's story irrelevant.

[Kiva]

Just now, WhoTom said:

 

Or maybe, just maybe, Young was the first to make wings a featured menu item, regardless of the recipe, and the show wanted to include the complete history of wings as a delicacy. Not everyone wants their history filtered.

 

And yes, I agree that what we now know as "Buffalo Style" wings originated at the Anchor Bar, but that doesn't make Young's story irrelevant.

Fried chicken and fried chicken wings were around way before this John guy.
 

Embarrassing for History channel to sneak that crap in and tarnish our great wing history. 

[Dopey]

Wings, brisket, oxtail, ribs all used to be considered throw away. Being poor, I grew up on that stuff. It's amazing how expensive they have become.

[mrags]

Just now, Dopey said:

Wings, brisket, oxtail, ribs all used to be considered throw away. Being poor, I grew up on that stuff. It's amazing how expensive they have become.

Brisket is in another stratosphere. Insane how much it’s been built up 

[T&C]

19 hours ago, Orlando Tim said:

Is that the Fredonia one?

That was Wings and Thangs...

[Orlando Tim]

1 minute ago, T&C said:

That was Wings and Thangs...

I was drunk everytime I went there- it was the best I ever had, at least in my "memory".

[T&C]

2 minutes ago, Orlando Tim said:

I was drunk everytime I went there- it was the best I ever had, at least in my "memory".

I'm an hour west of you and we only have 1 place that makes decent wings, Florida sucks for food.

12 minutes ago, Dopey said:

Wings, brisket, oxtail, ribs all used to be considered throw away. Being poor, I grew up on that stuff. It's amazing how expensive they have become.

Wait for chicken feet. Everytime I see a package of them it looks like little kids fingers... for $7.00

[Orlando Tim]

9 minutes ago, T&C said:

I'm an hour west of you and we only have 1 place that makes decent wings, Florida sucks for food.

Florida is not good for Buffalo food, hot dogs, sausage, pizza, wings, or donuts. Seafood is superior as is the breadth of different foods, at least compared to Buffalo when I left. Within 3 miles I have good Indian, Cuban, Mexican, and now a NY beer project. 

[nosejob]

21 hours ago, JakeFrommStateFarm said:

I like wings but only with ranch dressing 

GTFO🙄

[nosejob]

I used to go into a small bar where I grew up south of Buffalo (in the 70s when you could get served at 16) and loved the 10 cent wings and 50 cent Cream ale drafts.

In the mid 80's when I lived near West Palm beach I was at a bar and the bar maid never heard of them. I taught her how to make em with the Blue cheese dressing and then every one there wanted them. (No Franks there then so Tabasco, butter and a touch of garlic powder).

 

She wasn't happy to be that busy that afternoon, but I'm sure she made some very good tips. Don't know if it caught on right then cause I was only there once, but I felt like I did a public service.

[teef]

54 minutes ago, Orlando Tim said:

Florida is not good for Buffalo food, hot dogs, sausage, pizza, wings, or donuts. Seafood is superior as is the breadth of different foods, at least compared to Buffalo when I left. Within 3 miles I have good Indian, Cuban, Mexican, and now a NY beer project. 

how is the orlando beer project?  i'm right by the rochester one, and it's almost impossible to get a seat in there.  

Edited March 21, 2023 by teef

[Augie]

1 hour ago, T&C said:

I'm an hour west of you and we only have 1 place that makes decent wings, Florida sucks for food.

 

 

53 minutes ago, Orlando Tim said:

Florida is not good for Buffalo food, hot dogs, sausage, pizza, wings, or donuts. Seafood is superior as is the breadth of different foods, at least compared to Buffalo when I left. Within 3 miles I have good Indian, Cuban, Mexican, and now a NY beer project. 

 

Casa di Pizza in Bradenton is from WNY and always had solid food when I visited. 

 

The is a lot of good food in Florida, as is often the case in resort areas. People spend vacation dollars like Monopoly money. Little Sarasota has better restaurants than giant Atlanta, IMO. 

[Orlando Tim]

41 minutes ago, teef said:

how is the orlando beer project?  i'm right by the rochester one, and it's almost impossible to get a seat in there.  

It is very large and usually you can get a seat. I watched Cinci playoff game there and got there an hour early and plenty of seats. I have never been to the Rochester one but I grew up 10 minutes from Eastview Mall so I know it's general location.

42 minutes ago, Augie said:

 

 

Casa di Pizza in Bradenton is from WNY and always had solid food when I visited. 

 

The is a lot of good food in Florida, as is often the case in resort areas. People spend vacation dollars like Monopoly money. Little Sarasota has better restaurants than giant Atlanta, IMO. 

There are a few good pizza places in Orlando just not like in Buffalo, where there is a good one every couple miles. Orlando has a ton of good restaurants but I live on western edge of Orange County and getting to them can be a pain and I am lazy 

[Dopey]

4 hours ago, T&C said:

I'm an hour west of you and we only have 1 place that makes decent wings, Florida sucks for food.

Wait for chicken feet. Everytime I see a package of them it looks like little kids fingers... for $7.00

First time I saw chicken feet for sale was at an IGA in good ole Woodville Fl.  1995. Freaked me out. 

[TC in St. Louis]

12 hours ago, coloradobillsfan said:

Thanks for the story!  I'm just curious how they are intended to be re-heated, if they are frozen while coated with sauce. 

 

We suggested that the tavern or restaurant let them thaw first, then pop them into a toaster oven.  They could be microwaved, but they weren't very good that way.  

 

Thanks for reading.  It was a huge deal in my life. 

Edited March 22, 2023 by TC in St. Louis

[BigAl2526]

I don't like the taste of Buffalo sauce.  Never have.  I like my wings in BBQ sauce.  

[pennstate10]

14 hours ago, T master said:

Wings now seem to be on every menu in about every restaurant you can go in butt here is 1 thing that every body thinks about wings like it is in general with most everything .

 

Bigger is better . Which if i wanted a chicken drum stick i would go to Kentucky fried chicken !! I can't stand the really huge what some consider chicken wings they are not what i conceder Buffalo wings & Buffalo Wild Wings are starting to get just about as bad the wings are just way to big .

 

But when i come home to WNY i aways go to get some because those in the area know how they were meant to be . I have traveled all over the US & there food in and around Buffalo is some of the best any where !! 

First time I’ve ever heard someone complain about wings being too big. 

[pennstate10]

10 hours ago, Kiva said:

John Young made fried chicken whole wing with a bbq, pineapple sauce.  No relation to our Franks and Butter wings.  Why the history channel gave him any credit is a head scratcher, I’ll assume it’s some form of woke equity. 
 

The real original Buffalo Chicken wing was invented and perfected at the anchor bar.  

I’m agreeing with Kiva here. I grew up in Tonawanda,left in 1968. Never heard of Buffalo wings at the time. 
 

Moved back in 1983. Wings and pizza were popular with my happy hour crowd. I heard the anchor bar story then. 
 

I’ve heard the frank and Theresa anchor bar story a billion times since. 
 

I’ve never heard about  this Young guy until this thread. I’m not saying it’s wrong, but I’d like to see a bit more evidence than a history channel special before I believe it. 

[pennstate10]

7 hours ago, Augie said:

 

 

Casa di Pizza in Bradenton is from WNY and always had solid food when I visited. 

 

The is a lot of good food in Florida, as is often the case in resort areas. People spend vacation dollars like Monopoly money. Little Sarasota has better restaurants than giant Atlanta, IMO. 

Is that the Casa do Pizza that used to be on the corner of Hodge and Elmwood?

[WhoTom]

7 hours ago, pennstate10 said:

I’ve never heard about  this Young guy until this thread. I’m not saying it’s wrong, but I’d like to see a bit more evidence than a history channel special before I believe it. 

 

https://www.nytimes.com/2021/01/28/dining/buffalo-wings-john-young.html

 

https://buffalobiketours.com/mumbo-wings/

 

https://buffalobiketours.com/bestwings/

 

https://buffalobiketours.com/how-a-buffalo-food-tour-came-to-be/

 

[Nextmanup]

What would TSW be without a chicken wing thread once a week?

 

I swear to God people who actually live in Buffalo aren't this obsessed with chicken wings.

 

 

[mrags]

16 minutes ago, Nextmanup said:

What would TSW be without a chicken wing thread once a week?

 

I swear to God people who actually live in Buffalo aren't this obsessed with chicken wings.

 

 

Nope. We just order them and eat them. It’s really not that big of a deal. It’s the people that don’t live here that make some big thing of it. 

[T master]

10 hours ago, pennstate10 said:

First time I’ve ever heard someone complain about wings being too big. 

 

Well you say tomato i say tomaughto 😂 it's all in personal preference just like some like their steaks like shoe leather & some like it rare or medium .

 

I like my wings extra crispy too i got sick on some once that were under cooked because they were to big which was not fun ... 

[Augie]

1 hour ago, Nextmanup said:

What would TSW be without a chicken wing thread once a week?

 

I swear to God people who actually live in Buffalo aren't this obsessed with chicken wings.

 

 

 

I don’t think it’s just Buffalo, or just wings. We tend to elevate the memories from our youth. Wings (and pizza) were a treat when I was a kid. It’s part of the fabric of my younger years. 

 

But this applies more broadly as well. I don’t know about you, but any time I go back to somewhere I used to live it’s mostly a tour of my favorite foods. There are restaurants and bars I will make a point of hitting every time I go back to where I used to live. Three meals a day is not adequate to hit all the places I want to visit on most trips. 

[Ridgewaycynic2013]

10 hours ago, pennstate10 said:

I’ve heard the frank and Theresa anchor bar story a billion times since. 
 

I’ve never heard about  this Young guy until this thread. I’m not saying it’s wrong, but I’d like to see a bit more evidence than a history channel special before I believe it. 

Ironic that Mrs. Bellissimo's granddaughter went to grade school with me (Buffalo P.S. 80), it was her uncle carping there was nothing to eat that prompted Mrs. B to invent her well known version of the snack.

 

In the late 1970s, I worked across the street from Art's Hoagie Hut on Hertel Ave., and Art already maintained that John Young was well known on the east side for capitalizing on a part of the chicken that few others deemed worth using, aside from soups.

[Augie]

10 hours ago, pennstate10 said:

Is that the Casa do Pizza that used to be on the corner of Hodge and Elmwood?

 

I have no idea how many locations they had or where they were located. It was just a taste of home for me while living in Florida. They even carried Canadian beer. 

[teef]

11 hours ago, pennstate10 said:

Is that the Casa do Pizza that used to be on the corner of Hodge and Elmwood?

i would get take out from this place on the regular.  

[jethro_tull]

20 hours ago, Dopey said:

Wings, brisket, oxtail, ribs all used to be considered throw away. Being poor, I grew up on that stuff. It's amazing how expensive they have become.

It's an annual tradition for us to make wings for my family on super bowl sunday.  

this year's batch cost basically a buck a wing, from the supermarket!  $60.00 for uncooked wings for a family of 4 not including oil, sauce or accessories! 

[WhoTom]

2 hours ago, Nextmanup said:

What would TSW be without a chicken wing thread once a week?

 

I swear to God people who actually live in Buffalo aren't this obsessed with chicken wings.

 

1 hour ago, Augie said:

I don’t think it’s just Buffalo, or just wings. We tend to elevate the memories from our youth. Wings (and pizza) were a treat when I was a kid. It’s part of the fabric of my younger years.

 

Ditto. People who still live in WNY have a ton of options for good wings. Those of us who moved away still think of them as a treat - hence, the obsession.

[I'm Spartacus]

1 hour ago, Ridgewaycynic2013 said:

 

In the late 1970s, I worked across the street from Art's Hoagie Hut on Hertel Ave.

Ahhh, Arts Hoagie Hut! Went there all the time for steak Hoagie with peppers, after a night at Gables.

[Ridgewaycynic2013]

5 minutes ago, I'm Spartacus said:

Ahhh, Arts Hoagie Hut! Went there all the time for steak Hoagie with peppers, after a night at Gables.

California Coolers, $.50, Wednesday nights.  One of the original Mighty Taco locations was the same side as Gabels, a bit further west.

Art went to North Buffalo, after years of running Artones in South Buffalo with his brother Tony. Artones still exists, with many menu staples that Art also featured.  Art passed away in the 1980s.

[T&C]

13 hours ago, pennstate10 said:

Is that the Casa do Pizza that used to be on the corner of Hodge and Elmwood?

Yep, same family has the ones in Bradenton and they will have the Bills games on. It's good for sure but what Florida lacks in is good independently owned Italian restaurants. Seafood is not all it's cracked up to be... I hate to say this but the seafood is better in Boston. 

6 minutes ago, Draconator said:

It's really not football related. This is a football forum, first and foremost, the last time I checked. But if SDS wants to turn it into a food critic forum, I'm down. 

A lot of us eat wings watching Bills/Sabres games so imo it does blend in well. Did you happen to catch the episode on the History channel?

[T&C]

11 minutes ago, Draconator said:

I did not, to be honest. 

 

My point is that football-related threads have been moved to Off The Wall. This remaining in TSW just speaks to a lack of moderation consistency. I am not getting on your case for starting the thread. 

You should try to find it if you can, they show the old Rockpile, War Memorial Stadium in it too. 

[GreggTX]

They even sell them here in Manila, but some horrible people call them New York Style and their restaurant walls are replete with pictures of NYC landmarks. Back in the suburbs of Dallas, they opened a new Duffs a few years back, so I go there once in a while.

 

 

[Buffalo716]

 I literally eat too many chicken wings 

 

I still love a good hot wing but I’ve been making my own sauces for years so I usually do some crazy stuff now 

 

like a hot honey Cajun wing 

 

or a hot pit honey bbq

 

or a honey Cajun old bay bbq

[Dopey]

On 3/22/2023 at 12:54 AM, pennstate10 said:

First time I’ve ever heard someone complain about wings being too big. 

I had an issue once with the wings being bigger than usual. The cook didn’t compensate for more cooking time. They put them back in the fryer a little longer and they came out really good. Living in Florida, I can say there is such a thing as an oyster that’s too big. 

[Wacka]

On 3/22/2023 at 1:48 PM, Ridgewaycynic2013 said:

California Coolers, $.50, Wednesday nights.  One of the original Mighty Taco locations was the same side as Gabels, a bit further west.

 

THE original location. Right down the street from the synagogue.  No sot down.  In the summer, take your tacos and sit on the steps at night to eat.Was down Hertel last year. The synagogue is now restaurant I believe. Mighty Taco is 50 this year.

[Charles Romes]

On 3/22/2023 at 11:53 AM, Ridgewaycynic2013 said:

Ironic that Mrs. Bellissimo's granddaughter went to grade school with me (Buffalo P.S. 80), it was her uncle carping there was nothing to eat that prompted Mrs. B to invent her well known version of the snack.

 

In the late 1970s, I worked across the street from Art's Hoagie Hut on Hertel Ave., and Art already maintained that John Young was well known on the east side for capitalizing on a part of the chicken that few others deemed worth using, aside from soups.

I want to give John Young all the credit for being the primary wing inventor based on his naming his restaurant “Wings and Things” highlighting wings as the featured dish. But I can’t find any photo evidence or menu evidence that his restaurant was actually named that. One John Young site shows a photo of the restaurant but the photo is actually of a San Diego restaurant in the 80s.