The eternal cycles of the earth have inspired poets and philosophers since the beginning of human existence.
To every thing (turn, turn, turn)
there is a season
and a time for every purpose under heaven.
The spring planting has come and gone, the heat of summer is upon us, the harvest for some already begun. It is nearly September, another circle complete, and the best of all the seasons is here again -- the Season of Football!
One of the great traditions of American Football, both college and NFL, is the tailgate party outside the stadium. This is a whole different kind of outdoor eating than a summer picnic, and tonight I'll talk about my favorite tailgate party foods.
Dinner in the parking lot is not just about bringing sandwiches to avoid bad and overpriced stadium food. That's a worthy goal, but pedestrian. Serious fans turn the game into an all-day party. Get there early to avoid traffic, stay late to avoid more traffic -- and eat, drink and have fun that whole time. For a lot of us fans who tailgate, it's a major social scene and the only time we see that set of friends. I met the kingpins of my current group in 1979 when I was still an undergrad.
Depending on the time of day you might want brunch or lunch before the game, or dinner after, or dinner before a late game, or just snacks. Whatever matches your schedule and preferences. The only requirements are: enough alcohol to distract you from your team losing, and enough food to keep you from getting sloppy drunk.
At the low end, a cooler of beer and some chips are all you really need to pass the time. But that's not what I'm here to talk about. For devotees, tailgating is a BIG chance to show off with fancier food and gear. Every game day I see huge luxury RVs, custom awnings in the school colors, tablecloths and flowers, satellite dishes, full bars. At Stanford we think we're tailgating pros, but this expert says the SEC wins for lavish and excessive parties. When the weather cooperates the scene at U of Washington is indescribable -- party on your boat on Lake Washington then dock next to the stadium. The tailgate party is hardly limited to college ball; John Madden used to tour the parking lots before his NFL broadcasts and show off the best parties.
Football-themed kitsch is appropriate:
So are power tools:
.
My group has something the rest don't -- the BAND!!!
For our multiple hours of waiting we need lots of grazing-type food. Buy some good salsa and guacamole to go with the chips in that football-shaped bowl. The same classic sourcream-and-onion-soup-mix dip that my mom served in the 60s WILL always get eaten up.
Another classic is Spinach Bread Dip
(From the back of the Knorr soup mix package – about 3 cups)
1 package Knorr vegetable or leek soup mix
1 cup sour cream
1 cup mayonnaise
2 green onions, minced
1 small can water chestnuts, chopped
2 round loaves sourdough bread
1 10-ounce package frozen spinach, thawed
In a large bowl combine soup mix, mayonnaise and sour cream. Strain excess water from spinach and add to dip mixture. Add green onions and water chestnuts, stir to combine. Cover and chill for at least 2 hours.
Slice a circle around the top of one loaf of bread and remove inside. Fill the hole with the spinach dip. Cut the removed bread and the other loaf into bite-size pieces to serve with dip.
Purists serve Buffalo wings hot but they're also good cold appetizers; don't forget the blue cheese dressing and my favorite vegetable, celery. Here's another winner.
Big Shrimp Sandwich
1 long loaf sourdough bread
1½ pounds prawns or large shrimp
1 5-ounce package soft herb cheese spread such as Rondelé
1 large avocado, sliced
Juice of ½ lemon
1 teaspoon dill weed
Shell and devein the prawns. Cook them in boiling water until just pink, 3 or 4 minutes. Drain and refrigerate.
Split the loaf of bread in half lengthwise. Remove about half of the bread from the middle of each section, leaving the crust around the edges. Spread the cheese over the bottom of the loaf. Arrange the cooked prawns on the cheese, then top with slices of avocado. Sprinkle with lemon juice and dill weed. Place top on loaf and press down well. Cut sandwich carefully into ¾-inch slices.
But the main thing that separates the first string from the rest among tailgaters is - hot food. You gotta have grill. At home I prefer charcoal, but I finally bought a propane grill just for tailgating (used, only $40 on craigslist, and in the right color too!) You still need to think "finger food" though -- only the most lavish setups will have enough tables and chairs for a proper dinner. Steaks are easy to grill but difficult to eat from paper plates with plastic knives. Burgers and sausages eaten from buns are much more practical.
In some parts of the country, a tailgate isn't complete without "Wisconsin Soul Food" -- Brats and Beer.
You can find out everything about this Midwest specialty from The Bratwurst Pages. Basically, simmer the wurst in beer, with some chopped onion, until nearly done, then grill. Or you can grill them and then finish in the beer and onion bath -- a Milwaukee blogger reports that the results are different and both good. You'll need a camp stove in addition to the grill.
You can also show off some great hot appetizers - these are prepped ahead, served on skewers for easy eating, need only a few minutes on the grill, and impress your friends. Make the night before and bring in a cooler.
BBQ Shrimp
Things this easy are rarely this good. I mean, it has BACON!
large shrimp or prawns
bacon
wooden toothpicks or skewers
bbq sauce
Peel and devein shrimp. Cut bacon strips into thirds, wrap one around each shrimp, secure with a toothpick. Place in a dish, pour your favorite bbq sauce over, refrigerate. Grill until done, 5 minutes or so.
Chicken Satay
I won't copy the recipe, this one sounds great.
Kalbi - style beef
In last night's WFD, be the change you seek mentioned kalbi, the classic Korean beef rib dish. If you can't get the thin-cut ribs, this marinade is delicious on any cut of meat. Cut sirloin into thin strips and put on skewers, marinate and grill.
2 tablespoons sesame oil
¼ cup soy sauce
¼ cup dry sherry
¼ cup sugar
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 stalks green onion, chopped
2 tablespoons roasted sesame seeds
4 cloves garlic, minced
½ teaspoon grated ginger root
Mix everything well. Marinate meat at least 4 hours, grill.
As the season winds on into the cooler months, heartier meals may be necessary. Any kind of stew or soup is great for warming you up; make it ahead and reheat on a camp stove. But no one brings minestrone or chicken noodle soup to a game. Chili, even if vegetarian, is the sort of manly food that goes with football.
Chile con Carne
2½ pounds beef brisket or chuck
½ pound pork
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
½ teaspoon dried red pepper flakes
5 cloves garlic, quartered
1 small can chopped mild green chiles
1 tablespoon ground cumin
Pinch oregano
1½ teaspoons dry mustard
1 8-ounce can tomato sauce
1 16-ounce can whole tomatoes
1 tablespoon tequila
½ cup beer
4 tablespoons chile powder
2 cups beef stock
½ teaspoon brown sugar
3 tablespoon 101-proof bourbon
1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
2 cups cooked pinto beans (optional)
Cut beef and pork into ½-inch cubes, trimming off fat. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large skillet over high heat. Add beef, sauté until brown. Transfer beef to large pot. Reduce heat to medium-high; add remaining oil to skillet and sauté onion, red pepper and garlic until soft. Add to beef in pot.
Add pork to skillet and cook, stirring constantly, until browned. Drain and discard fat. Add pork to pot. Add ingredients up through bourbon to pot. Bring to boil, then reduce heat and simmer, covered, 3 hours or until meat is tender.
Add cinnamon and cloves CAREFULLY! A few sprinkles is enough. The right amount is where you know that something extra is there and are NOT sure what it is. More garlic sauteed in butter is another good final seasoning. Add cooked pinto beans if desired.
Go Cardinal! It's still 3 weeks until the home opener and the first tailgate. What team do you root for, and what do you take with you?