Martha Stewart Has Enjoyed This Party Appetizer Since Childhood

There's nothing like chowing down on a childhood snack to swirl up some culinary nostalgia. From a simple serving of chocolate chip cookies dunked in milk to a hot and crispy grilled cheese sammie, we all have a favorite food that evokes the very best memories. You might even remember old school appetizers, like cheese balls, that your parents prepared for parties and celebrations. One party appetizer that cookbook author Martha Stewart has enjoyed since childhood is Buffalo wings. "I love wings," shared the TV host in a TikTok interview with Delish. "My grandma was from Buffalo, and her Buffalo chicken wings were the very best."

Stewart's maternal grandmother, Franciska Albiniak, was born in Poland but finally settled in Erie County, New York. While Stewart grew up in Jersey City, she would visit her grandparents in Buffalo and likely enjoyed the classic regional dish right there.

There's a complicated story behind the exact history of Buffalo wings and who first created them, but they did originate in Buffalo. A traditional batch is made by deep frying or baking seasoned cuts of chicken until crisp before they're tossed in a classic Buffalo sauce prepared with hot sauce and plenty of melted butter. In some cases, a dash of vinegar is added to the buttery, spicy sauce to cut through its richness; however, there are an abundance of modern-day variations that also incorporate aromatic spices or chopped garlic.

Along with the flavorful saucy coating, the crispy exterior of a Buffalo wing is its most essential feature. Stewart achieves this by coating the wings in cornstarch and simple seasonings including salt and pepper, which helps the exterior to develop a moreish crunch when deep fried (unlike regular fried chicken, Buffalo wings aren't breaded or dipped into a wet batter, which means they have a bare appearance that better soaks up the sauce) Stewart also gives her Buffalo wings a scrumptious crust by double frying them; the first at 320 degrees Fahrenheit to render out the fat and the second at 380 degrees Fahrenheit to crisp them up to perfection. 

For a slightly healthier version, you can bake the wings instead. For instance, Guy Fieri uses a simple temperature trick to give his baked wings the perfect crust by turning the oven up for the final few minutes. This sets the crust and eliminates any gumminess in the skin so the wings can be dunked straight into dips or coated in Buffalo sauce before serving.

While Buffalo wings can be made with drums and flats, Stewart prefers preparing them with wings and likes to eat them with her hands, making sure to wash her hands with hot soapy water afterwards.