I cannot turn down an opportunity to sleuth the origin of a famous food.

Such sleuthing has taken me to foreign lands – Bakewell Tart in the U.K.’s Peak District, puddin’ ‘n’ souse on the windy side of Barbados and the Waldorf Salad at Manhattan’s hotel by the same name being three examples. On home turf, I’ve cruised the highways and byways in my search for the best butter tart. And, most recently, I shuffled off to Buffalo for chicken wings at the Anchor Bar where this hugely popular bar snack, says the lore, originated.

First, a bit of history. The Anchor Bar wings were born, as with many culinary coups (Caesar Salad leaps to mind) when a cook was forced to improvise. Read more…