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Buffalo wings take off almost by accident at Anchor Bar
From the Tampa Tribune, Jan. 24, 1999 (Flavor cover story)
By DIRK LAMMERS
TAMPA - Most Buffalo, N.Y. residents remember the infamous "Scott Norwood incident" with dread.
The kicker's 47-yard field goal attempt sailed wide right at Tampa Stadium to seal a loss for the Bills in 1991's Super Bowl XXV.
But back in Buffalo, that moment was like a gold rush for Ivan Toscani. Within minutes, dejected fans would be calling the Anchor Bar to order buckets of original Buffalo wings and make good on bets with now-jubilant New York Giants fans.
"When the Bills lose, we win," says Toscani, general manager of the bar that invented the spicy delicacy.
Since Super Bowls and Buffalo wings go so well together, we decided to do a taste test to see who in Tampa serves the best wings. But first, we asked Toscani to explain how this whole wing thing got started.
Buffalo wings were created nearly by accident one Friday night back in 1964, he explains.
Teressa Bellissimo was working in the kitchen of her Italian restaurant when son Dom asked her to whip up something different for friends who had arrived to have a few beers.
"We want something that really is not on the menu," Dom told her.
Taking advantage of leftovers, Teressa soon emerged from the kitchen with a tray of spiced-up chicken wings garnished with celery sticks and blue cheese sauce.
The group must have thought, "Man, what the heck are those things?" Toscani says. "People at that time, didn't go out to have wings or poultry."
But the men loved them, and a legend was born.
Before you knew it, everybody was ordering wings," says Toscani, noting the bar now cooks thousands of wings each day.
When we told Toscani we were rating Tampa's best wings, he offered some tips on how to do it right. Restaurants should start with fresh - not frozen - jumbo wings. The wingtips should be removed and the joints split so the blood drains from the meat.
The Anchor Bar starts each day with a fresh batch of special oil, and that oil is changed twice a day.
Many bars serve breaded wings, so how about the Anchor? "Absolutely not," Toscani says forcefully.
Once the wings are out of the fryer and drained, it's time to add the sauce. The Anchor Bar's recipe, a family secret, hasn't changed from Day One, with wings offered at mild, medium, hot and "suicidal."
"There's nothing better," Toscani says, "when you're watching a sporting event on TV."
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From the Tampa Tribune, Jan. 24, 1999 (Flavor cover story)
By DIRK LAMMERS
TAMPA - Most Buffalo, N.Y. residents remember the infamous "Scott Norwood incident" with dread.
The kicker's 47-yard field goal attempt sailed wide right at Tampa Stadium to seal a loss for the Bills in 1991's Super Bowl XXV.
But back in Buffalo, that moment was like a gold rush for Ivan Toscani. Within minutes, dejected fans would be calling the Anchor Bar to order buckets of original Buffalo wings and make good on bets with now-jubilant New York Giants fans.
"When the Bills lose, we win," says Toscani, general manager of the bar that invented the spicy delicacy.
Since Super Bowls and Buffalo wings go so well together, we decided to do a taste test to see who in Tampa serves the best wings. But first, we asked Toscani to explain how this whole wing thing got started.
Buffalo wings were created nearly by accident one Friday night back in 1964, he explains.
Teressa Bellissimo was working in the kitchen of her Italian restaurant when son Dom asked her to whip up something different for friends who had arrived to have a few beers.
"We want something that really is not on the menu," Dom told her.
Taking advantage of leftovers, Teressa soon emerged from the kitchen with a tray of spiced-up chicken wings garnished with celery sticks and blue cheese sauce.
The group must have thought, "Man, what the heck are those things?" Toscani says. "People at that time, didn't go out to have wings or poultry."
But the men loved them, and a legend was born.
Before you knew it, everybody was ordering wings," says Toscani, noting the bar now cooks thousands of wings each day.
When we told Toscani we were rating Tampa's best wings, he offered some tips on how to do it right. Restaurants should start with fresh - not frozen - jumbo wings. The wingtips should be removed and the joints split so the blood drains from the meat.
The Anchor Bar starts each day with a fresh batch of special oil, and that oil is changed twice a day.
Many bars serve breaded wings, so how about the Anchor? "Absolutely not," Toscani says forcefully.
Once the wings are out of the fryer and drained, it's time to add the sauce. The Anchor Bar's recipe, a family secret, hasn't changed from Day One, with wings offered at mild, medium, hot and "suicidal."
"There's nothing better," Toscani says, "when you're watching a sporting event on TV."
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