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OT - Tailgate Food

Debora

Veteran

Happylife's earlier thread has turned my thoughts to football season and tailgating. I was wondering how many of you tailgate and what are some of your favorite tailgate dishes?

I have a new favorite that I will be making for our first tailgate this fall, Spicy Southwestern Deviled Eggs:

http://find.myrecipes.com/reci.....id=1624529

Our tailgates aren't all that elaborate, usually just subs, potato salad, and brownies. I have seen some tailgate parties, though, that go all out with lavish arrays of food. Would any of you like to share your favorite tailgate food or recipe?

General

18 replies

Latest reply was from Angie

Louise

Veteran

I'm intrigued to know what this is? Here in the UK tailgating means driving to close to the person in front.

Kristen

(website)

Veteran

My parents threw the most elaborate tailgates for years out East. They had a reserved spot inside the grounds of Yale Bowl, and they made the most of it! On regular games they would serve hotdogs, Bloody Marys, chips, coffee, etc for about 15-25 people, but for The Game (Yale/Harvard), the party would swell to about 200. There was chili, hotdogs, burgers, a huge sheetcake, salads, everything -- everything served in 20-gallon containers and on a full-sized grill. They had to rent an actual truck to fit it all in!

I took my husband once before my parents retired the tradition, and he was gobsmacked. There was a real barbershop quartet that came around to each car and sang, in straw hats and striped jackets! One elderly gentleman attendee had a full-length fut coat on. Hubby said it was like something he had seen in a movie; he didn't think it actually happened in real life.

Man, I miss those tailgates. Every other Saturday of my fall growing up was spent at one.

Kristen

(website)

Veteran

LOL, Lou! A tailgate is a party thrown at an (American) football stadium before the game. The origin is that people open up the back of their station wagons (the tailgate of the car) and serve the food off of that. It's done for college and pro games, and has hundreds of variations now.

Anonymous

Wow Kristen, that sounds like a great memory. I have not tailgated but it sounds like a kick.
LouLou tailgating does mean following the car in front of you too close, but for football fans it is also a party they throw in the parking lot of the sports stadium, on the tailgate of a truck, before a game. It looks like alot of fun. I love how sports fanatics get sooooo excited about their games. It makes me wish I was a sports fan.

Debora

Veteran

Oh my gosh, Loulou! I didn't realize that you didn't have tailgates in the UK. They are so much fun!

Kristen, your story is amazing! That must have been so much fun and such a great family tradition.

San, we didn't get into tailgating until our daughter went off to college. She has graduated now but we still get season tickets every year to the games.

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

Hah! I asked the same question in Debbie's thread Louise, and I live in the US!

marianna

Veteran

I had no idea what a tailgate is either, and I live in the US too!

Ele

(website)

Never once heard this term growing up in Canada, either. We have the same meaning as Loulou- driving too close to the car in front. Interesting! It's probably a regional thing?

Debora

Veteran

I'm so surprised to hear that so many of you have never heard of tailgating. It must be a uniquely American tradition. Like I said earlier, we were introduced to it when our daughter was at college. I did a little digging and found this on Wikipedia about the origin of tailgating:

The term "Tailgating" originated in the parking lot of Yankee Stadium in 1957 by Angela Pisani, wife of team doctor Anthony Pisani. Mrs. Pisani set-up her station wagon "tailgate" with sandwich and other lunch items for her children and friends. A reporter inquired about her "car picnic" and she said that it's actually more of a "Tailgate" Party.

I'm not sure if this is true or not but thought it was interesting. I wonder if this is a social phenomenon that is increasing in popularity. I think it is pretty mainstream now at college and professional sporting events. What really surprises me now is to see the tailgating events at our son's high school before football games. I don't remember tailgate parties when our oldest was in HS ten years ago in Texas and couldn't believe that it had trickled down to the high school level. I'm glad my son is in the marching band and at pre-game rehearsals because I really don't want him partying in the parking lot before a game! We'll continue our pregame parties at the college games but it's a big "no" at the high school level for us.

Louise

Veteran

Here in the UK we call the back area of a car the boot. I love the sound of these picnics in the car x

kimlee

Veteran

Tailgating is one of my favorite parts of the college football season. I tailgate with an extensive group of people, and we tend to have "themes" based on our opponents. For example, when we played the University of North Carolina whose mascot is a goat, we had grilled lamb. In addition to the featured themed dish, we have the usual sides of potato salads, coleslaw, chili, and of course chips and dip.

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

Very interesting!

Louise, we still call a car boot a boot, but in America it's called a trunk.

Debora

Veteran

Kimlee, I love the idea of theme tailgating! I'm already wracking my brain for ideas. Let's see, we play the U of Delaware's Blue Hens...we could do chicken salad! This could be a lot of fun. I'll have to start researching our opponent's mascots.

Angie and Loulou, how I love your British terms! Boot sounds much more sophisticated than trunk!

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

*chuckle*

It’s fun living in America and getting blank faces at times. The same way I stared back with a blank face for the first few years I lived here.

Debora, how is all the school band stuff coming along?

Debora

Veteran

Hi Angie! Thanks for asking. I didn't know what I was getting myself into, especially since I don't know how to sew! It's been a whirlwind these past few weeks getting all the students fitted for their marching uniforms and measured for shoes. We haven't even had the first game yet but now I'm working on their concert attire: tuxedos and long black dresses. The great thing, though, is that the kids are wonderful. I really, really like teenagers! I've also had a lot of parents step up and offer to help with hemming, etc.

Now, let's just keep our fingers crossed that they won't step out on to the marching field in flood-pants! I'm praying that they'll all have PPL!

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

I’m impressed with your efforts, Debora! I *know* these kids will be marching with PPL’s with you as their uniform guru.

Debora

Veteran

Thanks for the vote of confidence, Angie!

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

I bet those teens just adore you too :0)