This is a cookbook for everyone who feels passionately about chicken wings—whether you’re famous for a wing recipe or an untested cook who orders chicken wings at every restaurant. Chicken wings are inexpensive, rich tasting, easy to cook and reheat beautifully. The wing bones distribute the heat and contribute a wonderful sweetness to the meat while the skin gradually becomes crisp and protects the meat from ever becoming dry.

Until October 30, 1964, chicken wings were thrown away or used for making stock. But on that fateful stormy night in Buffalo, Teressa Bellissimo faced pleas from her son, Dominic, and his teenage friends, who were desperately hungry. With nothing available but a package of chicken wings, Teressa went to work frying the wings and then dipping them in a sauce of melted butter, cayenne pepper, white vinegar, garlic and salt. What a triumph of great taste! Boys talk, especially about Mom’s food, and within days the fad for “Buffalo Chicken Wings” swept the nation.

Since then, according to the National Chicken Council, wing sales have soared. In 2006, 11 billion chicken wings, weighing 2.2 billion pounds, were marketed by themselves and not as parts of the whole chicken. Of that, 7.5 billion were sold through food service channels, and 3.5 billion were sold by markets. Chicken wing sales are strong throughout the year and across the country, although there is a frenzy of chicken wing eating on Super Bowl Sunday when 450 million wings are consumed.

Chicken wing lovers are everywhere. Every connoisseur knows the ideal cooking method, a secret blend of seasonings and where to find the best wings served by restaurants. These recipes take just minutes to prepare, require no obscure ethnic products, and all the sauces and marinades can be made days in advance.

Every wing recipe makes a great appetizer or entrée. For appetizers, serve 2 wings per person, and for entrées, increase this to at least 6 wings per person. Because of their rustic nature, accompany wings with other simple dishes such as garden salads and garlic bread, and for dessert, ice creams, cobblers and pies.

We hope you have the same pleasure cooking and serving these wings as we had creating these recipes at our home. Gather your family and friends, open some icy drinks, cook generous amounts of chicken wings, and enjoy the pleasure of all those gathered as they relish one of the world’s most satisfying foods.

Publication date June 2008
160 pp, softcover, from Ten Speed Press

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