Wanted: Best Wings In Lakewood

[Joan Roberts]

Staying out of the debate.
But I am proud to say I have been to the Anchor Bar in Buffalo, the place that "invented" the wing.
Their sauce is available at Pizzazz, the new hot food store over in River. I have some, but I use it only on chicken breasts. Wings were meant to be enjoyed out.

OK. I'll put my two cents in. Can't have a legit "wing off" withtout ATC.

[Jim O'Bryan]

Joan

Or you can get all the ingredients here in Lakewood.

Ingredients:
30 chicken wing pieces
6 tablespoons (3 oz.) of FRANK'S Louisiana Hot Sauce (now Durkee's)
4 tablespoons margarine (not butter!)
1 tablespoon of white vinegar
1/8 teaspoon of celery seed
1/4 teaspoon of Cayenne pepper
1/4 teaspoon of red pepper
1/8 teaspoon of garlic salt
dash of black pepper
1/4 teaspoon of Worcestershire Sauce
1 teaspoon of Tabasco Sauce

I do believe I read somewhere that the original recipe was butter and Franks Hot Sauce, as the wings caught on at the Anchor Bar the recipe was fine tuned and made to this recipe.

I personally substitute "Texas Champagne" or "Dr. J's Hot Sauce" for Frank's. I have found them to be the tastiest of all mild pepper sauces such as Tabasco and Frank's.

FWIW

[David Lay]

Staying out of the debate.
Their sauce is available at Pizzazz, the new hot food store over in River.

Where is that place???? I'd be interested in making wings with that sauce...

[Joan Roberts]

At the risk of incurring Mr O's wrath, I'll tell you it's in the plaza where Michael's Restaurant is on Detroit, in the small "outbuilding" with Hollywood Video and Penn Station.

I was told the owners live in Lakewood, so the money does come back in a sense. And remember to get the CHICKEN in Lakewood.

[David Lay]

And remember to get the CHICKEN in Lakewood.

I usually get my meat from Fligner's in Lorain.

[Jim O'Bryan]

At the risk of incurring Mr O's wrath, I'll tell you it's in the plaza where Michael's Restaurant is on Detroit, in the small "outbuilding" with Hollywood Video and Penn Station.

I was told the owners live in Lakewood, so the money does come back in a sense. And remember to get the CHICKEN in Lakewood.

Joan


I am not as crazy as you think on this. My only belief is how can I ask others to support Lakewood businesses if I don't. How can I tell people to moves businesses to Lakewood if I do not at least try to shop there. Ken is much more fanatical than I. I go to Borders, I go to the Apple store, I go to Microcenter. But if I can get it here I get it here.

To me that only makes sense.


.

[Shawn Juris]

Great discussion, didn't know that wings could be dissected like this. At any rate I wanted to throw back in to the conversation that this is a Wing Cook Off with the end in mind to raise money for the many Youth Programs in Lakewood. I certainly hope that it will be considered as "legit" as it can with the contestants that come out. Based on the discussion so far, I really hope that ATC choses to participate. They seem to be the one to beat. This contest isn't as much a matter of who is selected to compete as much as its which restaurants decide to compete. I have done my best to give an opportunity to the many establishments in Lakewood. What they do with that choice is up to them.
I just hope that I don't hear on June 19th, the day after the event... I coulda been a contender. And if so there's always next year.

[Joan Roberts]

I am not as crazy as you think on this. My only belief is how can I ask others to support Lakewood businesses if I don't. How can I tell people to moves businesses to Lakewood if I do not at least try to shop there. Ken is much more fanatical than I. I go to Borders, I go to the Apple store, I go to Microcenter. But if I can get it here I get it here.

To me that only makes sense.

Just so you know, I don' t think you're crazy at all. Patronizing hometown businesses whenever possible is a totally honorable and rational thing to do.
I try to do it myself, believe it or not.
I DO draw the line at making wing sauce from scratch when I can get the Anchor Bar's one town over. Maybe in my next life.

Also, to Shawn, I'm sure your charity event will be "legit" no mattter who shows or doesn't show. ATC remains Lakewoods' Premeiere Wing in my book however. I really hope they join the effort But I'll be getting orangne fingernails at your event in any case.

[Stan Austin]

Shawn-------

Let's get down to it

under the judicial panel--- local notables--- whom do you have in mind

Yours Very Truly,
Stan Austin

[Jeff Endress]

Shawn

I might be completely off-base here, but I have a "gut" feeling that Stan is hotter than a chili pepper at taking a flyer at being a wings judge.

JMHO

Jeff

[Shawn Juris]

Stan,
The original plan was to select judges based on our sponsors. Oddly, the response to back this event financially has been limited so we've gone to plan B. The latest selection process for our judges is to recognize those that have been big contributors to supporting Lakewood's Youth Programs (Rec Dept, YMCA, H20, Family Room, etc) . We're looking to have 7 judges on the panel. All nominations will be considered.

[Stan Austin]

Shawn--

Your criteria for selection is exemplary. I am sure that there are many active supporters and volunteers for our youth activities who deserve to be judges.

I therefore "withdraw" my candicacy in favor of any one of those good volunteers!

Stan Austin

[Susana Chow]

On the topic of sponsors .... Patronizing hometown businesses whenever possible is a great thing to do but what about those businesses that aren't supporting Lakewood. There seems to be quite a few businesses in Lakewood that aren't willing to help out and back events like this.

The Wing Cook Off sounds like a fantastic idea and a great way to raise money for the kids.

[Shawn Juris]

The support of the local businesses has been concerning. I think that in this case it is natural to be hestitant in backing an event that is in it's first year. The odd thing in general is reluctancy of some of Lakewood's bigger named restaurants in getting involved with something that is an opportunity to showcase their business while simply selling their product. While this is a fund raiser, the restaurants are not donating their wings they are selling them at what would be considered special prices of $3 for a basket of 10. The concept is to host an event that will draw a crowd and provide the proceeds from the sponsorship donations and refreshment sales to the Lakewood Foundation.

Beyond the restaurants and this particular event, I have been somewhat surprised at the lack of interest in general of Lakewood's business community is supporting its wider community. At the current cost of advertising through many forms of media, I believe that we have been more than fair and willing to negotiate. I'd be very interested in a study of which businesses are civic minded and which polish every penny and are more than happy living off the residents of Lakewood. But that's for another discussion.

[Charyn Varkonyi]

Shawn:

Have you asked the business owners why they are reluctant? I don't know how you will have everything set up;however, to place the additional staff out there as well as the additional facilities to keep the food within safe guidelines might be intimidating to some. Other business might be suffering from 'donation fatigue' which has been afflicting a lot of areas over the last year or so because of 9/11, the war, the tsunami, the hurricanes, the miners, etc etc...

I am only speculating, of course, but I would hope that those that are not going to participate (for ANY reason) would at least give you the courtesy of providing feedback as to why they cannot or wont and what you could do to better the process in the future.

Good luck!

~Charyn