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February 5, 2007
On the Merits of Bud Light
I'm a food snob. I buy fancy French sea salt. I keep the skin on, the fat in, and turn up the heat. I'll eat it raw, I'll eat it if it stinks, I'll eat it if it's an organ. If I can't buy it, I'll make it myself.
Yesterday I found myself enjoying a Bud Light. I found the exact combination to make this possible: hot and crispy buffalo chicken wings, cool dressing, and the Superbowl.
I made chicken wings yesterday. They were great. Here's what I did:
Ingredients
2 dozen chicken wings
1 head's worth of garlic cloves, smashed
1/3 cup kosher salt
1 and 1 Tb. distilled white vinegar
1 big bottle Frank's hot sauce
4 Tb. butter
3 or 4 thai chilies, sliced
Procedure
Fill a large bowl with cold water and dissolve the salt. Add chicken and all garlic. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes. Prepare deep vessel or fryer and heat oil or shortening to 375 °F. When oil is ready drain wings, pat dry with a paper towel and fry in batches 12-15 minutes.
While chicken is frying, melt butter in sauce pan and combine hot sauce, remaining 1TB of vinegar, and chilies. Ensure heat is at low. When chicken is fried, drain on paper towels. Add chicken to sauce pan and, using tongs, coat each piece evenly. Remove finished pieces to serving bowl.
Serve with appropriate accoutrement: blue cheese dressing and celery.
During the summer, my friend John brought a case of Bud Light to a party we had at the house. I politely accepted (okay, I wasn't that polite: I may have said, "I hear this stuff is great for washing your hair!") and I stuck it in the fridge. There it sat until this Superbowl Sunday when I realized there wasn't any beer left in the house, the last of the home brew had disappeared just a few short weeks before. Reluctantly I reached for a few of the silver cans...
There must have been some sort of bizarre interaction between the hot sauce, chicken fat, and the light beer. The combination tasted great together. I was into the game. I felt pride in America. I wanted to buy a snow mobile.
Two Buds in and a dozen wings later the glory faded. I felt a little bloated and the Cubs started to get their soggy butts handed to them. I pretended the Bud was an imported Czech Pilsner, but it wasn't working. I felt fat and ashamed.
I perked up a bit when Prince played. I thought his performance was great! Prince may be the only Purple from Minnesota that ever gets to play at a Superbowl during my lifetime. It may also have been the only time anyone would ever catch me with a light beer in hand...
Posted by jordanh at February 5, 2007 2:23 PM
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