The city of Buffalo and the surrounding region are very unique and packed with history. Although Buffalo may appear to be an average city, there are a variety of products that are only sold and manufactured here and talked about by the entire country.
Chicken Wings
Arguably the most famous food from Buffalo is the chicken wing. There is an ongoing competition between Anchor Bar and Duff’s, which forces Buffalonians to pick a side. Whichever recipe or sauce you prefer, there is no denying that Buffalo is chicken wing crazy. In 1964, a snowstorm left a few people stuck inside the Anchor Bar restaurant. The only things left to eat were wings from chickens, which would normally be discarded.
Teressa Bellisimo decided she was going to take the wings and throw them into the deep fryer to cook them. Thus, the chicken wing was born.
Restaurants around the world serve chicken wings with “Buffalo Sauce,” a mixture of hot sauce and butter, but Buffalo is known for producing the best wings around.
The restaurants are starting to branch out of Buffalo and build locations in other states. Duff’s now has locations in both Texas and Canada, while Anchor Bar has made its way over to California.
Chicken finger subs
Alongside the chicken wings, another Buffalo classic is the chicken finger sub. These sandwiches are unique and seem to be only made in delis and pizzerias around the Western New York area.
Typically, you can order the chicken fingers with hot, medium or mild Buffalo sauce – Buffalonians like to add hot sauce to everything.
Some of the best places to get these sandwiches are Jim’s Steakout, Mayback’s Deli, Mike’s Subs and DiMarco’s.
Sponge Candy
Buffalo also makes a statement in sweets. One of Buffalo’s hidden charms is sponge candy.
This delicious chocolate treat is a Buffalo gem that people outside of the Queen City have probably never heard of.
Sponge candy was produced in the mid-20th century. It is unclear who created this confectionary chocolate, though many companies throughout Buffalo that have been producing sponge candy for over 50 years.
Watson’s, Parkside Candy, Ko-Ed Candies and Fowler’s Chocolates are some of the big companies in Buffalo known for their sponge candy.
The chocolate is fairly pricey at major stores, so grocery stores such as Tops or Wegmans often sell them in bulk.
Loganberry
Loganberry is a drink few outside of Buffalo are familiar with. Even some people who live here have no idea what it is.
Loganberry is in fact an actual berry and is essentially a cross between a blackberry and a raspberry. This berry is a hybrid and was created in California by Judge J.H. Logan in the late 1800s.
Although the Loganberry was created in California, it did not take its beverage form until it came to Western New York. The drink is noncarbonated and syrup based with a very sweet and unique taste.
Loganberry is a popular drink around Buffalo and can be found at a lot of locally run restaurants, like Ted’s Hot Dogs and multiple pizzerias. Both loganberry syrup and bottled loganberry are sold at local grocery stores around the Buffalo area.
Weber’s
As you’re looking through the grocery store, something you may have never noticed is Weber’s mustard and relish. This condiment brand has been locally manufactured since the 1930s.
The family owned and operated company has supplied a variety of local delis throughout Buffalo.
They serve various products, including different kinds of pickles, mustard and olives. Joseph C. Weber is the pride and joy of this company and the man who created the famous horseradish mustard.
Weber created a slogan for his mustard – “A Pickle in the Middle and a Weber’s on Top” – that still remains on the package labels today.
Weber’s has found success and ships their mustard to other parts of the country. It is sold in abundance in Buffalo and can be found on the shelves in every grocery store around WNY.
Miranda Albini is an arts staff writer and can be reached at arts@ubspectrum.com
