BUFFALO CHICKEN WINGS

According to most, the modern "buffalo" wing was first served up at the Anchor bar in Buffalo, New York on October 30, 1964. Since then the buffalo or chicken wings have become a mainstay of bars, restaurants and kitchens around the world. There are literally thousands of recipes for chicken wings ranging from the traditionally "hot" wings to sweet and savory wings and every flavor and ethnic variation in between.

Cutting: To start out with, buy some chicken wings. You'll want a lot, so it's best to buy them in "family packs" or large bulk packs. You can buy chicken wings already cut up or whole wings and do the cutting yourself. If you don't mind the time and the cutting it can be cheaper to buy them whole. Cutting chicken wings is easy once you get the feel for it. Start by holding the wing at the base upright. Spread it out a bit and with a knife slice gently in between the bones. If you softly move the knife around you'll find the easiest way through. This way you don't splinter the bones. A little practice and you'll fly right through them.

Grilling: As difficult as it might sound, grilling is about the best way to cook chicken wings. Grilling allows the fat to drain away and gives you a nice, crispy wing without a lot of excess fat. Of course the real challenge in grilling chicken wings (beside them falling into the fire) is flare-ups and burning. To resolve this keep a medium flame. You don't want too high of a temperature. You will also need to turn the wings frequently to avoid burning. It will mean standing by the grill, but you can cook a lot of chicken wings in about 15 to 20 minutes.