Almost Italian

On the Italian-American culinary time-line, chicken wings have come to roost only recently. Their origins are unambiguous. Witnesses and anecdotal sources disagree only as to whether it was the owner, Frank Bellissimo, or his wife, Teresa, who actually invented Buffalo Chicken Wings in 1964 at their Anchor Bar in Buffalo, New York. Certainly, no one disputes that the Anchor Bar hatched the combination of hot sauce, celery, and blue cheese dressing as accompaniments for fried chicken wings. The wings quickly secured a place in mid-century American bar culture, and their proliferation has been rapid.

Like Spaghetti with Meatballs before them, chicken wings first had their broadest appeal for non-Italians. In fact, they’ve given rise to an entire genre of restaurants dedicated to chicken wings. The marquee outside one very popular Sarasota restaurant recently proclaimed “Buffalo Chicken Focaccia is Back!” I didn’t know it had ever arrived, let alone departed, but I’m really sorry to learn that it has returned. (In fact, I thought about calling the American-Italian Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Focaccia.) Anyway, I think you see my point…

Nevertheless, chicken wings fit into the Italian-American dining style because they fill the need for “just a little something” before the main meal. Their delectable flavor wakes up palates and inspires conversation among friends. And if you exercise a degree of restraint, they won’t impede your enjoyment of the meal to come.

When I was in graduate school, I fell in with a crowd that liked a cookout from time to time. In fact, they liked a cookout for nearly every meal. So one afternoon, I thought I’d share with them my grandfather’s technique for grilled marinated chicken. But a grad student budget precluded a chicken banquet, so I bought several pounds of chicken wings, marinated them, and tossed them onto the grill. My Sicilian grandfather’s classic was reborn as my Patented Tuscan Chicken Wings, a name I had to conjure on the spot when someone asked what I called them. Since those days, my Tuscan Chicken Wings have become my passport to any gathering that involves more than two people and a charcoal grill.

In the spirit of full disclosure, I should make clear that my wings are neither patented, nor Tuscan, nor even Italian. However, beginning in the 1970′s, a “Tuscan” label was not only hip, but also conveyed an indisputable rustic charm.

Although my grandfather had used red wine to marinate his chicken, my marinade is similar to a recipe using red wine vinegar that I’d found in my first serious Italian food book, The Cooking of Italy by Waverly Root (published in 1968 as one volume of the Time-Life Foods of the World series).

When you prepare this recipe, be sure to buy more chicken wings than you think you’ll need. I’ve never seen leftovers.

My “Patented Tuscan” Chicken Wings

Ingredients:

3 Lbs. Chicken wings
1 Head garlic, cloves separated, peeled, and sliced thinly
½ Bunch flat-leaf Italian parsley, leaves and stems, chopped finely
2 Cups red wine vinegar
Salt & freshly-ground black pepper

Preparation:

If necessary, cut the chicken wings into two pieces. In a covered glass or metal bowl, marinate the chicken parts with the garlic, parsley,and vinegar for two hours at room temperature.

Start a charcoal fire, and when it has burned to embers, that is to say, when the coals have a uniform gray coating around them, and you are unable to hold your open palm a few inches above the fire for a count of five, grill the wings for about four minutes per side.

Season with salt and pepper, and serve immediately.

Depending on the rest of your feast, this recipe serves from one to four.