From beef tongue to beef on weck, menus through the years trace our culinary history

BUFFALO, N.Y. – Before beef on weck and chicken wings became staples of Buffalo's restaurants, there was beef tongue and woodcock.

An array of restaurant menus amassed by the Buffalo History Museum offers a taste of the city's culinary story. Museum library director Cynthia Van Ness so far has assembled about 5,000 Buffalo menus, some dating to the 19th century, and has put out a call for more.

Rebecca Federman is a librarian at the New York City Public Library, which boasts a 45,000-menu collection.

She says it has a variety of readers, including foodies and chefs looking for historical inspiration and relatives of departed restaurateurs longing for a glimpse of family history. Wine historians have used the collection to trace the rise of certain wines in the United States