Home Sweet Home

So I went home this past week. Wait, Tony, you're not going to talk about how you haven’t posted in forever? Not this time. I'm too tired, I went on a trip, I ate too much and FINALLY finished everything with the wedding plans. "Wedding plans? We're talking about wedding plans?!" No. I wouldn't put anyone through that torture but I am about to drop some beautiful gems on your feed of all the greatness I consumed when home and kept me from jumping off a bridge with boredom.

When in Western NY it would be an absolute crime to not sample the chicken wings. So I sampled the best. Image 1, I give you the Anchor Bar wing. The originator of the beloved chicken wing we love to pair with cold beer and sports. Or if you're like me, sweatpants and Netflix. Whether you're a Duff's guy or Anchor Bar guy, I think we can all agree, wings are awesome. These were no exception. They were beyond crispy to the point where the skin almost crackled when you bit into them. It doesn’t get much better than that my friends, a little fried piece of heaven that brings you home like nothing else.

My fiancé is from a smaller town in the southern tier called Jamestown. I won't go into my personal feeling about it (it blows) to avoid any confrontations. I'm sure it was a great place at one time (1920's-50's) but it's seen better days to put it nicely. I will say, there’s a hot dog feud that has been brewing for years along with their beloved "meat sauces." AJ's vs. Johnny's. It literally sounds like a feud straight out of the 50's only its way more intense. Both sauces are highly guarded secrets, So much so that when the owner of Johnny's sold his location, he later sued for the right to the recipe. Needless to say, it was never the same but its still amazing. The meat sauces are like a mix between gravy and a tomato meat sauce. They made it with the pork and let it simmer day after day after day. Like wine, it only gets better with time.

I put it to a real taste test this time (I had a lot of time to kill). Both come out on steamed buns with mustard and onion. I hold the onion, never been a fan of raw onion. Both come with a Salen's hot dog. Both are probably going to take an additional 3 years off my life but both are totally worth it. In the end, Aj's wins. It's hard to explain because they're so similar in flavor and look. In the end it's something you'll need to try for yourself and decide.

Finally I give you Tom Wahl's. Sir Thomas Wahl's if you’re like me and believe a burger should be knighted. Hands down, one of, if not the favorite food to eat when I’m home. It's a steak burger on an unsalted Kaiser roll. But it's so much more than that. They too, have their own meat sauce. This ones different thought. It beefier and spicier. Once you put it on a burger you'll never look back.

There may be no place like home, but there’s also nothing like the food that reminds you of it.