Fatal food?

Arnold M. Zwicky zwicky at CSLI.STANFORD.EDU
Mon Nov 13 14:40:18 UTC 2006


On Nov 13, 2006, at 5:50 AM, neil wrote:

> OK, I know death by chocolate, but perhaps Barry could enlighten me
> regarding the following (from a Canadian novel, but possibly a US
> delicacy
> also?):
>
> "Etta is suspicious of any food that's more haute cuisine than Buffalo
> suicide wings -- and anyone who prepares it.'
> --Liz Brady, 'See Jane Run!', Second Story Press, Toronto, 2005, 266

the dish is surely just "Buffalo wings" -- fried chicken wings with a
spicy chili sauce, served with celery and blue cheese dressing
(thereby combining chewy and crunchy, spicy and cool).

as for the "suicide" part, google "suicide sauce", where you'll find
recipes for this very spicy sauce, and references to its use in
Buffalo wings, as here:

Mild, medium, or suicide sauce with celery and blue cheese dressing
Chicken Tenders 5.50 Served with barbeque sauce, ranch or honey
mustard ...
www.themenupage.com/henrysmenu.htm

(this is Henry's Publick House & Grille in Berkeley, CA, in the Hotel
Durant.  i have, in fact, eaten this dish there.)

arnold

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