By Munch Master
Hello Everyone,
Well I had planned this blog entry to be about the festival and to be the first entry. Oh well better late than never...lol.. Well Here it is.....
It all started a few months ago when I went on the National Buffalo Wing Festival web site. While looking around the site in addition to the festival they have many competitions. One of these being the "Traditional Sauce Competition". After being told from lots of people that my sauce was wonderful. I figured what the heck, so I entered the contest.
Before I got any further I will explain the entry process. It starts by entering on their site. They review you recipe and then from all the entries they choose the finalist. Now I don't know how many entries they have, but I consider myself fortunate.
A few weeks went by and I had almost forgotten. Then one Friday I got an email they liked my recipe and I was entered in the contest. I was so excited I would be cooking my sauce on stage at the National festival.
What I didn't realize until Teresa had made all the plans was how close Buffalo was to Niagara Falls. How awesome is that Cooking Competition and getting to visit a natural wonder. SWEEEET.
The plan was to leave around 6 or 7 in the afternoon get to buffalo around 11. Ha now that didn't happen we didn't get to leave until 8 or 9 and both of us being tired we had to stop and nap for about an hour and a half.That made it around 5 A.M. when we got to our hotel. Now keep in mind I had to compete at 2:15 p.m.I guess like they say no rest for the weary. We checked and and got about 4 to 5 hours sleep and off to Dunn Tire Park.
My nerves were going a little wacky which is odd when it comes to me and cooking. Teresa kept me calm and had a great suggestion for calming me. A BEER and so I drank a beer on an empty stomach and voila calm nerves.
Fast forward an hour or so and on to the stage and on with the show. I first got to meet the other contests. There were 3 finalist in total. Myself a nice gentleman from Rochester, NY and lady from San Diego, Calf.
Allow me to introduce the cast of the competition. For the MC it was none other than the "FOOD DUDE" himself Kevin Roberts(From the next food tv star) and the "Wing King" and founder of the festival Drew Cerza. The Judges Sonny Andersen from the food network, The mayor of Buffalo.
I will forgo the grubby details of the prep, but I can tell you that every time I make the sauce and it tends to have slight differences and 1 in about 5 is perfect and well THIS WAS THE ONE.
You could have light the world with my smile when they announced I was the winner. I was on top of the world. I received rave reviews from the judges. Sunny said she was coming to our house to eat some wings...lol. She films her show in the city. The exact wording of the announcement I cant remember right now. But it went something like "it is a sauce like we have never tasted". So Look out buffalo you make go to Jacksonville and beat the jaguars. But this jacksonville native went to Buffalo and won the traditional wing sauce competition. Can't wait to defend my title next year. Thanks to everyone who has had my sauce and enjoyed it.
Later
Erich (aka the munch master)
By Erich
So with the start of football season I feel the need to talk about one of my favorite places to watch the jaguars games. So you maybe asking what does this have to do with mobile munching well we will get to that. I guess the first problem is if you are asking what does football have to do with food . And to this I answer... Wings,burgers,fries, and a nice cold beer.
This post would be about the burger part of that answer. Dakota Roadhouse, I have to say has one of the best traditional burgers I have had in NYC. It all starts with this massive hunk of hand formed slightly spiced great quality ground beef grilled to perfection on a griddle just the way you like it. While they cook your massive burger they place a sandwich size English muffin in the broiler to toast. If your asking why, well they forgo the traditional burger bun for this muffin from our friends at the UN. It is all topped off with a large onion and tomato slice followed by a small leaf of iceberg. You can order fries with your order they are extra $$ and are nothing spectacular just frozen fries.
So the burger is good eats. What you may be surprised to hear is that this great little hole in the wall bar has a very extensive and eclectic menu. No more just bar food their menu has everything from great burgers to pb&j, edamame and empanadas. So if your your in the area need an NFL fix a great burger and beer it is not to be missed.
But lets hope the jags do better on the next visit.
Later
Erich
By Erich
I didn't think my first official food post would be on anything other than this past weekends National Buffalo Wing Festival. Little did I know we would eat at this surprising little Cuban restaurant in Union Square tonight.
Caipiroska was the great drink I had. It was a cross between a strawberry daiquiri and a mojito. Now don't misunderstand, I am a purest for some things and a mojito is one, but this was an exception.
Now on to the meal. I had Ropa Vieja with black beans and yellow rice. 
The shredded beef was great - slow cooked with red bell peppers and a slight hint of mild other flavors. It could have used a little salt, but the house brand garlic hot sauce had just enough salt and vinegar to take care of that. This house sauce was also very tasty on the the fluffy, perfectly cooked yellow rice. You could tell the black beans were not out of a can; they had the slow cooked flavor and a firmness that you only get from properly cooked dried beans.
Now onto Teresa's meal. She had the same wonderful black beans and rice but her main dish, well let me tell you about it - a Cuban Burger 
that was ground beef mixed with chorizo sausage. What a great idea! It was wonderful and needed no sauce. All in all it was a great impromptu meal.
Now its off to bed.
Erich
By Erich
Hi everyone well this is my first foray into food media. I hope everyone is as excited as we are. There are a few reasons I wanted to create this; First - I wish I could take everyone on our journeys and culinary endeavors, but alas, it is impossible. So this is our way of sharing with it our family, friends and whoever enjoys reading them. Second- it allows me to practice my food writing, photography, and publishing skills.
I hope you all enjoy it and leave comments and suggestions.
:)
Erich and Teresa
