My family in New York will be feasting on over 12 dozen wings tonight in celebration of my grandmother’s 90th birthday and my uncle’s 61st birthday. Of course, a much grander celebration is to follow this summer. Ninety years is quite an achievement, and her guest list keeps ticking up. There may actually be two parties at this point to accommodate everyone.
But if Queen Elizabeth can celebrate her birthday twice, why can’t my grandmother? She may not have millions of loyal subjects, but she does have five children, nine grandchildren and five great-grandchildren with a sixth on the way. She’s raised a strong brood of men and women, and we’ll all be thanking her throughout the year.
To kick off the celebration, the family is headed to a pub in Danbury, Connecticut that offers one free wing for every year you’ve been alive. That’s 151 wings between my grandmother and uncle to get them started! Wish I could be there, but sadly I can only send virtual hugs and kisses and use my imagination…
I borrowed these photos from chicken wing eating contests. The total birthday wings brings them almost half way to the world record…although my grandmother alone would have to slide them down in under 15 minutes. The winner of the Wing Bowl XX, Takeru Kobayasi, ate 337 wings in a half-hour! Get out your headbands, it’s going to be hot tonight. Happy birthday!
