Wings, wing-dings, wings!

As my hubby, James, expounded in a previous post, we adore buffalo wings. Mild, spicy, atomic spicy, seasoned with Asian inspired spices, sprinkled with old bay, or simply naked. My father-in-law affectionately calls naked wings, "wing-dings." I just like saying wing-ding. Admit it, you do as well.

Honestly, I just love anything that involves frying and chicken. But alas, I'm not getting any younger and eating healthier has been on my mind. So have I banished buffalo wings from my diet? Hell no! Here is just one of my health conscience wing recipes. It happens to be my husband's favorite! A word on my recipes, usually I just wing it (sorry folks, couldn't resist), so apologies in advance for the lack of exact measurements. Just have fun with it.

Austin's Wings

chicken wings (duh)

lemon

honey

butter (the real stuff, none of that low fat spread BS)

Texas Pete (substitute at your own risk)

Salt & pepper

Red pepper flakes

Preheat oven at 400 degrees. Spread baking sheet with foil if you like, and spray baking sheet/foil with some kind of non-stick spray, I use Trader Joe's canola oil spray. Arrange wings on sheet, season with salt, pepper, lemon juice, red pepper flakes. You can season the other side of your wings when you flip them mid-bake. Whack them in the oven for, oh, about 20 mins. Then flip them over and finish cooking until you achieve the golden brown you desire, say another 20 mins. This may seem excessive, but mama likes her wings thoroughly cooked and crispy. While the wings are baking. Mix Texas Pete, honey, butter, a bit of lemon juice in a medium sauce pan. So this is where it's all about preference. I like more of a glaze so I reduce the hot sauce until I achieve a thick, rich consistency. If that's not for you, add more hot sauce and simmer instead of reducing. I LOVE butter so I tend to be liberal with it, if you bulk at the thought, then don't add as much. Although, in my humble opinion butter tempers the heat and adds a creamy dimension, so don't nix it altogether. Same goes for the honey. My hunny likes his honey so I add a generous portion. Whew! This is getting LONG. After the wings are done, toss them in your delicious glaze/sauce. Serve and devour!

And, what to drink with your tasty wings? I like a refreshing white with a bit of fruitiness to dual with the heat. Since it is summer, my adult beverage of choice is Rose. If you are more into reds, try a plump, fruit-forward, red Zin, or a blend with your next buffalo wing feast.

Yummy in your tummy,

Austin

What to drink with (insert food)? Basic food pairings on the quick

I love Buffalo Wings!

Oh, I'm sorry, my love, we love Buffalo Wings.

Can't get enough. It's hard to be in a bar and pass up an order of wings, especially after a plate passes you buy and you get a whiff of that beautiful aroma. Mmmm. Used to be a time when I knew every wing special in town and where to find it on each day of the week. Kisling's used to have .10 cent wing night on Sundays, then Monday night at Fell Point Station for the meatiest .25 cent wings in town, etc.

Of course, now that I'm getting older, there's more of an emphasis on quality instead of quantity, so no more all-you-can-eat wing deals for $8.99 (which usually sucked anyway, because they always gave you the wing from an anorexic chicken). My stomach can't handle that wing onslaught anymore anyway. The advantages of youth and having a body that can rebound after eating and drinking binges have abandoned me as I've gotten older.

Now, just like most of our meals, it's all about preparing them at home. You not only save money, but the food and preparation are usually better than what you can get out.

And we can drink whatever we bring home from the shop. Yes.

So what to we drink with Buffalo Wings? In fact, what do you drink with most foods? What goes with what and what to drink with ______?

It's a common question we field here at Swirl.

I'm having such-an-such, so what wine would you recommend?
Hmmm, let's get a good one for you.

Throw all the rules out the window, and just drink whatever you want with whatever you're having. Sure, there's basic wine pairings that you can follow (big, red wine for meat, or a crisp, white wine for fish), but it really all boils down to what you like. What turns you on? What's going to make you happy? If you don't like reds, and you're grilling T-bones, a rich Shiraz, a fat Cabernet, or a dark Malbec wouldn't appeal to you, even though it might be the best appropriate wine for the job. It might be time to get you luxurious tasting, full-and-rich white that will tackle the job. Hell, maybe even a Champagne (they are notoriously the most food versatile wine available, didn't you know).

Ok, yes, there are some wines that match up beautifully with certain foods and cuisines, but for the most part, the common sense rule applies. If you're having delicate food, a big, full-bodied red probably won't be the perfect match. Light food = light wine. Hearty food ~ yes, you got it ~ a hearty wine.

For tonight's example: our Buffalo wings.

I'll be drinking a 6 pk of Dale's pale ale, from Oscar Blues Brewery in Colorado. Wings do go hand in hand with beer, and this is one of my favorite beers. So balanced with flavors and just the right amount of hoppy goodness and malty richness. Austin will probably be drinking either the Ponga Sauvignon Blanc, or the Ojai Rose (we got both in the fridge and I wouldn't be surprised if she didn't already have both opened for tonight). Austin has a great way of describing whites that makes me salivate, so I'll let her do the honors on that.

I'll let her chime in on anything else I didn't cover, which is usually a lot.

Can't wait to eat those wings.

James