Buffalo wings are on the menu of just about any casual American eatery and by the end of our 3 week American vacation I gave up trying to convince myself that I didn’t like them. Smokey, sweet and with a side of creamy blue cheese salad dressing and crunchy celery they were a temptation impossible to ignore. I started the trip just eating the celery off my husbands plate, politely dipping it in the dressing as I watched him demolish a tower of wings, caveman-style. I finished the trip bypassing the celery and going straight for the meat, leaving inhibitions aside as I devoured the flesh off the little bones, sauce around my face, in my own wing heaven.
I thought I’d whip-up some wings when I got home and researched how they are typically made. I was horrified to find that after deep frying, they are doused in Frank’s Buffalo Sauce and then commonly tossed in butter! Needless to say I’ve made a healthier version. The sauce has the same sweet and smokey notes of Frank’s but there’s no deep frying or butter tossing involved.
America can be criticised about unhealthy food and large portion sizes but I had some real epic food experiences while I was there. The beautiful sun-ripened fruit available in California is indiciative of it’s climate, Mexican food in San Fran which I can only imagine it being better in, well…Mexico and the variety food in NYC was truly reflective of it’s cultural diversity. In a nutshell I can’t wait to return.