Why are buffalo chicken wings so often served with blue cheese and celery?
I've noticed that the obligatory side dish to an order of chicken wings at many restaurants seems to be celery sticks and some sort of blue cheese dip. Not being a chicken-wing-eater myself, it seems to be a terribly odd combination. Other than "I dunno, it tastes good?", I have yet to hear a definitive origin for this traditional trio.
The blue cheese & celery "cool" the "hot" effects of the wings. Dairy products cool spicy foods in the mouth. That is why in hot wing or hot pepper eating contests, they tend to drink milk or butter milk afterwards (water intensifies it). Drinking milk after wings sounds pretty nasty to me but I have never had it so hot that I would need that!
Same thing with the celery. It has a cooling sensation when chewed.
So, they both started woth a purpose, but then just became popular & just stuck with it everywhere it went.
 |
 Vintage Little Blond Hair Blue Eyed Boy Birthday Angel Figurine Wings Halo Gift $8.98 Time Remaining: 1d 13h 15m |
 YNA204 Blue goldstone carved angel with wing figurine $5.99 Time Remaining: 2d 5h 53m Buy It Now for only: $5.99 |
 YNA201 Blue spot stone carved angel with wing figurine $4.33 Time Remaining: 2d 5h 53m Buy It Now for only: $4.33 |
 Blue Jay BIRDs Whitehall Society BLUEJAY Audubon Wings $6.09 Time Remaining: 2d 13h 42m Buy It Now for only: $6.09 |
 Angelic Religious Figurine Angel Red Heart Enamel Necklace charm Wing Star Blue $8.00 Time Remaining: 4d 5h 1m Buy It Now for only: $8.00 |
 Autom Boy Wire Wing Angel Blue Cross Figurine EC657 $15.00 Time Remaining: 5d 16h 59m Buy It Now for only: $15.00 |
 Pretty Angel with Harp Figurine Wings Decorative Blue Dress $8.50 Time Remaining: 5d 17h 38m |
 Adorable Tiny Miniature Kewpie Mermaid Ceramic Figurine 1976 Blue Wings $10.00 Time Remaining: 5d 20h 4m |
 Canada Goose and Blue Winged Teal Duck by Andrea 6735 Sadek of Japan $25.00 Time Remaining: 7d 14h 37m Buy It Now for only: $25.00 |
 angel figure figurine brown eyes blue hair w wings unique design $21.99 Time Remaining: 10d 9h 53m Buy It Now for only: $21.99 |
 angel figure figurine long pink ribbon bow brown hair blue eyes wings back $21.99 Time Remaining: 10d 9h 55m Buy It Now for only: $21.99 |
 Spun Glass Angel with Blue Wings Holding a Star $13.99 Time Remaining: 10d 12h 40m Buy It Now for only: $13.99 |
 ANGEL BLUE SILVER WINGS COLLECTOR CUTE GIFT NEW ANGELS $4.89 Time Remaining: 12d 17h 58m Buy It Now for only: $4.89 |
 VINTAGE PORCELAIN BISQUE PIANO BABY KEWPIE WITH LITTLE BLUE WINGS ADORABLE $9.99 Time Remaining: 12d 22h 33m Buy It Now for only: $9.99 |
 SHABBY CHIC CERAMIC DUCK FIGURINE IN BROWNS WITH BLUE GREEN WING TIPS $4.99 Time Remaining: 16d 13h 14m Buy It Now for only: $4.99 |
 Fantasy Gothic Angel with Black Wings in Blue Dress $53.25 Time Remaining: 19d 22h 44m Buy It Now for only: $53.25 |
 Teal Blue 8 Christmas Angel w Feather Wings Ornament $8.30 Time Remaining: 22d 2h 56m Buy It Now for only: $8.30 |
 ANGEL WINGS SONG BOOK GLAZED STONEWARE POTTERY FIGURINE STATUE FIGURE BLUE GOLD $23.00 Time Remaining: 23d 2h 56m Buy It Now for only: $23.00 |
 Blue 8 Christmas Angel w Glittery Wings Ornament $8.30 Time Remaining: 25d 18h 10m Buy It Now for only: $8.30 |
 1075 inch Gothic Angel wBlack Wings in Blue Dress $56.42 Time Remaining: 25d 19h 1m Buy It Now for only: $56.42 |
 2 blue Angel Figurines Heavenly Angels blond with wings 1 ornament $14.98 Time Remaining: 26d 11h 16m Buy It Now for only: $14.98 |
 WHITE PORCELAIN OWL STATUE WITH GREENBLUE BROWN ON WINGS $19.99 Time Remaining: 27d 11h 49m Buy It Now for only: $19.99 |
 VINTAGEBLUE JAY WAX WING BIRD FIGURINES $15.99 Time Remaining: 28d 8h 43m Buy It Now for only: $15.99 |
Tags: blue, blue wings, blue wings ag, blue wings airlines, blue wings circle lenses, blue wings costume, blue wings guild, blue wings magazine, blue wings surf school, blue wings wiki, bluewings finnair, chicken, columbus, detroit, deviantart, jackets, live, proj:sf, wings