Relish

Fifteen local restaurants vied to be "King of The Wing" at UCP Heartland's inaugural Wing Ding, held last night at Crestwood Court (formerly known as Crestwood Mall and/or Crestwood Plaza). The crowd, estimated at 400, paid $25 per for unlimited wings, beverages, and a chance to vote for their favorite wing.   

The popular vote for tastiest wings went to Syberg's / Helen Fitzgerald's, with its distinctive mustard-based-sauce. Incidentally, Syberg's, a repeat winner of local "Best Wings" awards, was the only local wing house chosen to compete in the National Buffalo Wing Festival in Buffalo, NY on September 3 and 4. Only 33 restaurants nationwide were invited to the event.
  
At the Judge's table, Wing #10, a smoked wing devoid of any sauce (a wingette or "flattie" on this judge's plate), arrived out of numerical order (which would have disqualified it from a sanctioned competition), and was also quite hot in temperature, the only one that really was. That wing, from Joe Buck's downtown, was voted tastiest by the 14 celebrity judges.

Competitors were also given the opportunity to enter the "Hottest Wings" side event, and eight chose to do so. The Judges' unanimous winner was Hot Wing #2 (nope, not going there) from Market Pub House, the same wing used in their "Ghost Pepper Wing Challenge," where competitors have to eat 10 wings in 10 minutes, with no drinks and no napkins, then lick their fingers clean and sit for 5 minutes without, ahem, any major interruptions. Before taking the "Challenge," a waiver must be signed. Of the 1000 people who've attempted the feat, 25 have succeeded, according to John Racanelli, owner of Market Pub House. (Incidentally, the record holder is Steve Holmes, who downed the 10 wings in 50.44 seconds. Holmes was a judge at last night's event.) The secret to the heat, says Racanelli, is a sauce made from several of the world's hottest peppers, slowly cooked down in a steam kettle until most of the water has evaporated, leaving only the incendiary oils.  

So how hot was Hot Wing #2? Unbearably...

Reactions ranged from severely bulging eyeballs (Kevin McCarthy), to profuse sweating (just about everyone), to reckless stomping of feet (me), to jumping up and down (me again), to uncontrollable weeping (me), to erratic hiccupping, gasping, and gulping (me), to embarrassingly loud nose-blowing (me), to inability to utter a sound (me), to Linda-Blair-like head movements (me), to maintaining perkiness while in utter agony (Kelley Lamm), to uncharacteristic fluid consumption (Evan Benn sucking a Budweiser like it was water in the desert), to no sweat/no problem (Scott Roberts and Steve Holmes), to a mumbled plea of "I want my mom" (Rick Forkosh), to random cursing (in all likelihood, Andrew Mark Veety).

Erin Boyle, event organizer, reports that $10,000 was raised for UCP. Great fun, great cause... Relish trusts this will become an annual event.    

The final results, per the UCP--15 Restaurants participated, 8 were given recognition:.

Judge's Choice:
1st place tastiest – Joe Buck’s
2nd place tastiest – Highway 61 Roadhouse
3rd place tastiest (3-way tie) – Fallon’s, St. Louis Wing Co. & Syberg's / Helen Fitzgerald’s

Meatiest – Kirkwood Highlands
Best BBQ – Weber’s Front Row
Best Seasoned – St. Louis Wing Co.
Hottest Wing – Market Pub House

People’s Choice:
Tastiest– Syberg's / Helen Fitzgerald’s