Buffalo's "Wing King" has partnered with Frank's RedHot to put an end to the ranch vs. blue cheese dressing debate. He couldn't believe there was no National Blue Cheese Dressing Day on the calendar, so he invented one.
The founder of Buffalo's chicken wing festival, Drew Cerza, says it all started with an errant tweet for National Ranch Dressing Day in March from Frank's social media team, claiming "Buffalo wings + Ranch = two peas in a pod." But anyone in Buffalo knows we only dip our chicken wings, coated in Frank's and butter, in blue cheese dressing.
So to cement the tradition in history, they decided to right the wrong with the establishment of a new holiday celebrating blue. How was today chosen to celebrate the thick, chunky curd?
"Well, you know, Frank's RedHot, after that tweet went out, they wanted to help celebrate National Blue Cheese Day, too," Cerza said, "so they actually - through their social media vehicles, through Twitter and Facebook - they asked what day should we have it and it was overwhelming that people in Buffalo wanted it to be on 716 Day because blue cheese is such a Buffalo item with wings."
Cerza said he is hoping people have fun with the holiday and come up with promotions of their own. For example, the Electric Tower in downtown Buffalo has been in the color blue since midnight, restaurants are planning wing and blue cheese specials - no matter how much you ask for ranch - and the Buffalo Bisons is ceremoniously holding the first Ranch Dressing Amnesty Day during tonight's game.
"Where all the people who don't admit to it, but have ranch dressing in the cupboards, you can come down to the ballpark and drop a donation of unopened ranch dressing or any nonperishable food item and go to the barrel and you'll get a "Buy One Get One Free" ticket," he said. "We're also going to induct the Blue Cheese character into the Buffalo Wing Hall of Flame and we're going to have a little fun, fill up a a pool full of blue cheese, throw some wings in there and watch a couple college frat boys pull out as many as they can in a minute to win a free t-shirt."
Cerza said National Blue Cheese Dressing Day should put an end to any misdirected notions about dipping wings into ranch dressing. Is he worried about any backlash from the ranch dressing contigent?
"Well, if the ranch dressing contigent wants to come at us, I think us blue cheese people are ready," Cerza said. "We're tough, we're hearty, we're Buffalo, so come on at us. You had you holiday, now it's time to have ours."
