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Buffalo - Part 4
More than just Buffalo Chicken Wings
Written by: Dominick A. Miserandino
Photography by: Margherita Miserandino
Dominick discovers all of the cultural and culinary diversity that Buffalo has to offer.
Monday
We woke up today with the oddest request and mission for the morning -- to discover what sponge candy is. I've never heard of it before this trip, but it seems that up in Buffalo people eat rather strange things. Our adventure took us to Fowler's candies, which are one of the largest distributors. Sponge Candy, which seems to be unique to the Buffalo region, doesn't taste or feel like a sponge at all -- more like a very hard sponge. The inside is similar in texture to a Butterfinger -- crunchy, and aerated and very light. The outside is covered in chocolate. Fowler's seems very excited about their chocolate and entering the factory is akin to entering an "I love Lucy" episode.
Anyway, what would be the next logical thing to try to eat after chocolate? Yes, meat sandwiches. More specifically, beef on weck. Even more specifically, Roast Beef as carved by Charlie the Butcher on Kummelweck Rolls. What is a Kummelweck Roll? Basically, it's a regular roll with pretzel salt and caraway seeds. What is special about the beef? Charlie uses a special oven to slow roast the beef for over 12 hours.
Charlie is also clinically insane about his beef. If you ask him one question, you will learn the history of beef, how he created the recipe, why he loves it and why everybody should eat "beef on weck." And yes, I do think it's very good, but if you don't like it, don't tell Charlie, he's a bit of a fanatic.
Well, with our stomachs full with a healthy mixture of beef and chocolate, we headed north to see Niagara Falls before we went home.
Unlike what you'd expect, Niagara Falls isn't really one place, but two -- the Canadian Side and the American Side. The biggest different between the two is the Canadian Side has been commercialized, while the American Side is a National Park. We only visited the American Side, so that's the only side I'll comment on. To see both falls, (The American and the Canadian), you'll want to go to Goat Island. It was named Goat Island because a farmer lived there with, guess what, goats and when his entire herd of cows, pigs and other livestock died, it was only one stubborn goat that remained, and hence the goat is now infamous.
The park is utterly beautiful, and nothing less can be said for it. From Goat Island, you can see the Horseshoe Falls (The Canadian Ones), the American Falls, even the Bridal veil which is considered its own falls, but it's really not and don't let them fool you. It's a break away of the American Falls. Anyway, you even have the islands of the three sisters, which were named for the three daughters of a settler up there who weren't exactly award-winning beauties, but the islands certainly are.
If you're given 3 hours or so at the falls, which we had, there are 3 things to do. One, walk around with a park ranger and ask lots of questions. They know everything about the area and will even answer the stupidest questions you can think up without getting bored of you. They might make fun of you behind your back, but they'll answer any question you throw at them.
Two, eat lunch at either the restaurant up there or have a picnic, but either way, facing the falls. You need to watch the falls for a little while to really appreciate them. You need to sit there and contemplate about the falls, think about the fools who went over the falls, and how you get wet from the mist.
While you're thinking about that "getting wet from the mist" thought, run over to the Maid of the Mist. The boats have been operating for a century or so and sail right up to the base of the falls. Why do you do this? I have no idea. You can't see anything up there as it's incredibly wet and bright ... and wet. But it feels like a roller coaster. You're just screaming and feeling water ... and getting soaked. Afterwards, you're quite happy about being soaked, while normally you wouldn't feel so happy about it.
After the falls, we jumped into the car and got to the airport in less than 30 minutes.
Overall, our trip to Buffalo was filled with surprises. I admit we were worried we'd be bored of the city and begging for the falls after a few hours, but it is a bit interesting. The best reason I think to visit Buffalo is the architecture and the food. The city is like a time capsule of 1900 to 1910 with more mansions than you can shake a stick at. I mean you can shake a stick at each mansion, but it will probably frustrate people. But on top of that is almost every type of food you could ever want to eat, plus a few types you wouldn't want to eat. A Buffalonian's stomach knows no limits.
Go to Buffalo and see if you can reach their culinary limits.
Read part 1 | Read part 2 | Read part 3
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