SEPTEMBER MEANS WINGFEST IN THE TRIPLE CITIES 42 Vol. 2 Issue 9
Of course, de-throning the king will not be easy. Since the Kipp family revived Clinton Street’s famous Old Union Hotel in late 2012, the bar has quickly made a name for itself as THE go to spot for chicken wings in Binghamton. Lightly breaded and perfectly crispy, the wings can be served up in traditional mild-medium-hot fashion, or tossed in any one of several homemade sauces, including Carolina Gold (tangy mustard BBQ), Honey Sriracha (self-explanatory), and Singapore Chile (super hot and Asian inspired). The rest of their menu (and the drink selection) ain’t nothing to shake a stick at either… a selection of culinary refinement in a setting more akin to pickled eggs and peanuts.
Chris Bodnarczuk Editor-in-Chief
Buffalo, New York. 1960-something. A college kid returns home to his family’s bar one night. Unannounced. Drunk. With several of his also unannounced, also drunk friends in tow. “Hey, Ma!” he shouts. “We got chicken in here or what!? Ma?” Ma has chicken in there. Just scraps- but she throws them into a deep fryer then tosses them with hot sauce and butter. The Buffalo wing is born. It is a story all of us know, if “all of us” actually means “all of us who spend late nights watching Food Network specials and cruising Wikipedia.” The Buffalo wing (more broadly, the chicken wing) has, of course, gone on to gain acclaim throughout America, satisfying citizens’ penchant for deep fried things and meat and butter. We in the Triple Cities are no different. We like deep fried things and meat and butter. And we love our wings. Which is why Equinox Broadcasting is presenting, for the third year, Binghamton WingFest.
Photo via web.
The one day event takes place on Saturday, Sept. 27th, at Traditions at the Glen, and will showcase the best area offerings of America’s favorite finger food. Twenty local bars and eateries will be presenting their best wing recipe, and attendees will sample and then vote for their favorite. At the end of the day, the votes are tallied, and one venue will be crowned 2014’s “King of Wings.”
The now defunct Shagunda’s was crowned 2012’s winner, a title taken in 2013 by The Old Union Hotel. They’ll return in 2014, defending their crown against other participants, including the Blind Tiger Pub, Brozzetti’s, Food & Fire, Fountains Tavern, Gallagher’s Irish Pub, Gramma’s Country Café, Nevole’s, Red’s Kettle Inn, Southside Yanni’s, Stu’s Place, the Night Cap, Tonarlo’s, and Topper’s Saloon.
Admission to WingFest includes tickets for ten “taste-testing” wings, and entertainment: several bands will be performing throughout the day, including the Bruce Beadle Band, Outer Reef Woodshed Prophets, and Wreckless Marci. Additionally, there will be a wing eating contest for those brave souls willing to risk their blood sugar levels (and sign a waiver) in exchange for fame, glory, and prizes. The 3rd Annual Binghamton WingFest takes place on Saturday, September 27th, from 1pm to 6pm, at Traditions at the Glen (4101 Watson Blvd, Johnson City). Admission is $15. A portion of the proceeds go to benefit local charities. For more info, check out binghamtondrive.com, or tune into 100.5 FM.
STARTING THE DAY OFF RIGHT AT THE BAGEL FACTORY
of American cheese. “Home fries?” she asks. “Oh, yes,” I reply, “and an iced coffee to go, please!” Their home fries blow the roof off any fried potato you’ve ever fantasized about for breakfast. They’re wedged, golden, and crispy as all hell. The crispy texture and the heat packed into these salty little slivers will have you wishing you had placed two orders.
Ty Whitbeck Creative Consultant
So, this is what it feels like to be up before noon on a weekday. I’m finding myself eating breakfast in the morning hours and not for dinner anymore. Such a ridiculous idea, waiting to eat breakfast until dinner, when you think of the staples of many an American breakfast. “Power foods,” they say. Starch, meat, hot sauce, maybe a little fruit, but most importantly: “the incredible, edible egg.” Now, I’m not an egg-eater. Never have been. It’s a smell/texture thing for me. I just don’t like ‘em, so don’t hassle me about it, man! Hell, I know a meat-eater that doesn’t like bacon! BACON! Nonetheless, not liking eggs makes eating breakfast anywhere other than my kitchen perilous. Until I discovered The Bagel Factory. They’re located at 9 Glenwood Ave. in Binghamton, sharing a plaza with a Euro Foods market. The Bagel Factory has been doing business at this spot for as long as I can remember, and they double as a walk-up ice cream stand in the summertime.
Their iced coffee. Damn. Served in a tall 16oz plastic cup, this chilled blend of Arabica beans and ice makes all things right in the world on a hot summer morning. It’s strong, bold, and has that density other roasters fail to incorporate in their beverages. “It’s the higher end Paul DeLima,” Cheryl tells me. Left with just a breath of space for cream, I’m happy, as they fulfill my wishes. I like to taste my coffee, not the gallon of added cream and pound of sugar you get elsewhere. “The Health Coach’s Nightmare.” Photo by Ty Whitbeck.
I’m tired of being pressed for time at Dunkin’ Donuts and having the entire staff look at me like I’m the idiot when they don’t know how to ring my eggless breakfast sandwich into the computer without spontaneously combusting. This happens every time. Every. Time. I’ve never had this problem at The Bagel Factory. They take my bagel of choice, and gladly get to work on the construction of my morning
meal with a smile on their face. Cheryl calls out the meat of the sandwich to a lady in the back, while she toasts my parmesan bagel and slathers it with jalapeno cream cheese. The sandwich I order isn’t on the menu, but it isn’t impossible to make, and they know how to ring it in, properly. I like to call this sandwich “The Health Coach’s Nightmare.” It’s the aforementioned bagel and cream cheese, topped with sausage, ham, and a slice
Even with the added what-have-yous to my sandwich, my meal was just shy of eight bucks. With excellent service, fast turnaround time and early opening hours (6am), even the most hurried person can still grab a quick bite to eat before first shift. The Bagel Factory is definitely a spot for an early riser. They’re also open for lunch. Not for dinner, though. Check out their website, mybagelfactory.com, for hours and both extensive, variety-filled menus of Boar’s Head meats and cheeses on artisanal breads.