Test Kitchen's Favorite Buffalo Wings

In a bowl, stir together sour cream, mayonnaise, and lemon juice. Fold in blue cheese; season with salt and pepper. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve, up to 1 day ahead.

Pour 2 inches oil into a large, heavy-bottomed pot (to ensure safe frying, pot should not be more than one-third full). Heat over medium-high until a deep-fry thermometer reads 320°F. Reduce heat to medium to maintain temperature.

Meanwhile, combine cornstarch, 2 teaspoons salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper in a large resealable plastic or brown paper bag. Add wings, seal or fold bag closed, and shake vigorously to evenly coat.

With a Japanese spider or slotted spoon, add one-third of wings to oil, stirring a few times, until cooked through and oil returns to 320°, 6 to 8 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack set on a rimmed baking sheet. Fry remaining wings in two batches. Let cool completely, 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, combine butter, garlic, and cayenne in a saucepan. Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat, stirring until butter melts; simmer 1 minute more. Remove from heat; discard garlic. Stir in hot sauce.

Increase heat to medium-high and bring oil in pot to 380°F. Return one-third of wings to oil, stirring occasionally, 5 to 7 minutes. Return to rack-lined baking sheet; let excess oil drain to prevent sogginess, 30 seconds. In a large bowl, toss with one-third of hot-sauce mixture; serve immediately with dip and vegetable sticks.

Fry remaining wings in two batches, returning oil to 380°F in between. To serve all batches at once, keep wings warm on rack in a 225-degree oven, and toss in sauce all together at end.