When I saw “Leo’s Buffalo Spaghetti” in the Table of Contents for the latest Penzeys Spices catalog, I flipped right to that page. I like Buffalo-style chicken wings, but I’d never thought about using that flavor profile with spaghetti.

I expected the recipe’s picture to show a creamy orange sauce with cubed or shredded chicken.  Instead, I saw a tomato-based sauce with ground meat and vegetable chunks. I glanced down at the recipe text. Rendered in all capitals, the herbs and spices stood out among the other ingredients.

“Hmm,” I thought. “The recipe has a little crushed red pepper, but otherwise it uses standard Italian herbs. I don’t understand how this is supposed to taste like Buffalo wings at all!”

I read the full ingredient list and found the answer. Leo’s Buffalo Spaghetti contains ground buffalo meat. I started laughing.

Actual buffalo might be pleased to learn that, upon hearing their name in connection with food, my mind leaps first to hot sauce.