We've already established the importance of chicken wings to the sports bar experience. Last week, we talked about how to find the perfect beer to go with your wings, but now I think we should get into what to do with those wings once you get them.

Since I am an amateur wing eater, a hobbyist, I've once again recruited someone much more knowledgeable than myself to share his wealth of experience. Who on Earth would know more about mass wing consumption than a highly decorated competitive eater? I got in touch with World Record holder Patrick Bertoletti [http://www.deepdisheats.com] and sent a couple of wing questions his way.

First, I asked Patrick to share some inside secrets. What's your favorite wing eating technique? How do you get all the meat off the bone?

"For the drums, I like the spin technique where you put your bottom teeth on the bone and spin it against your top teeth to strip off the meat. Think a snake eating a large dog and relax your jaw while doing this.

"For the wingette or two-bone wing, I do the umbrella technique where you grab the bone with your thumb and index finger, then push the end against a plate and strip off the meat so you are left with a meat umbrella."

(Find more info on these and other techniques at Cluckbucket.com)

How do you get your moneys worth at wing nights?

"Go with your friends to hit your minimum drink requirements and to order a bunch of wings all at once. When they see just one guy chowing down on 200 wings, they are less likely to send out hot and fresh wings."

If you really want to eat your body weight in chicken, Patrick advises us "don't be tempted to drink beer or soda. Try lemonade or iced tea."

Thanks to Patrick for sharing his expertise. Check out his website and support him in his upcoming competitions. He competes next at the Great America Funnel Cake Contest in Santa Clara, California.

For more info: Visit Patrick's website, and Cluckbucket.com