When a Craving Takes Flight

Recent weeks have been peppered with a sense of longing. I'm not sure that 'nostalgia' is the term I'm looking for because that implies a lingering sentimentality, whereas these moments were fleeting-acute but not weighty enough to bring out the Linus security blanket and a pint of Ben & Jerry's. Though I DID recently purchase some Dalesford Organic vanilla to try...

One food memory in particular came to the fore on Friday afternoon. I wanted buffalo chicken, and I wanted it bad.

In the town where I went to college, there was a pub called Wendell's. They were famous for their wings, and the small operation supplied myself and friends many much-needed pitchers of beer and bowls of wings towards the time our theses came due. Wendell's was the kind of place where locals grudgingly shared the greasy air with the 'gown' crowd; the fact that a website for the place is even in existence is a bid odd. However, their wing reputation clearly precedes their 'Two fryolaters, one grill, and only one cook'.

A quick search for the 'ultimate' buffalo recipe led me to the Anchor Bar's recipe, arguably the 'original'. The next major hurdle was to track down some Frank's Hot Sauce in Oxford. After posting a desperate message on Facebook, the sauce was sourced from Waitrose--just a short bus journey away--and I was determined to make these wings.

At just 1.75 GBP for a package of two dozen chicken wings, I decided to splurge and get some tenders as well. After discovering chipotle paste in stock, how could I not?

I stuck as close as possible to this variation on Anchor Bar's recipe; I lightly oiled the wings, tossed them in flour and baked at 425, turning over once, for about 40 mins. I followed the sauce recipe as closely as possible, too, though I had to substitute chili powder for cayenne and fresh garlic for garlic powder. A toss in the sauce and there they were--in their spicy, vinegary glory. Nothing beats that singe-your-nostril-hair acidity cut with tangy heat. Having oven baked them with just two Tbs. of vegetable oil, and having used half-fat bleu cheese dressing, I felt almost guilt-free about all that crispy chicken skin.

For the tenders, I coated them in 1 Tbs. of oil, 1 Tbs. of Frank's, and 2 Tbs. of chipotle paste, followed by a quick egg wash and, finally, a coating of breadcrumbs and baked them in a similar manner.

I'm thinking these will be great throughout the week in wraps and salads.