Concession stands

[highchef]

A couple of weeks ago, we were at a football game in Cecilia, Louisiana. I ran to grab a bite before kickoff (we were going to stop and eat, but there was a wreck on I10 that set us back 45 minutes) and had the usual choices..sausage in a bun, prefab burgers with a pack of catsup, chips etc. Then I noticed that someone had a set aside stand that offered a choice of spicy wings or jambalaya! Cheap at 3 bucks, the jambalaya was awesome...got some wings too, which were hot and crispy and piled on a bed of fries....another 3 bucks. Considering how cheap wings are, someone raked in some dough(booster club? Band?)

When I got back in the stands, it dawned on me that only in Louisiana would I get excellent jambalaya at a football concession stand.

Our home games routinely sell gumbo...sell out on cool nights like this.

So I imagine that in other area of the country, they have their fund raiser, concession stand favorites....and I wonder if they can compete with our stuff!! What do they offer you under Friday night lights?

[gfweb]

Frito pie. Yuck

[Rico]

Frito pie. Yuck

God help me, I love the stuff. Especially when it's made just by adding the chili to fritos and eating it with a plastic fork or spoon right out of the bag.

[highchef]

My sons would agree with that, the allure being it' not something they're going to get at home. And it's a lot less waste to dispose of at midnight clean for the pit crews!

But surely there are specialities in other areas? We've had pulled pork at times, and cracklings (which are great, until you get to the bottom of the bag and find out where all the red pepper hid...Angelina lips anyone?).

[Lisa Shock]

Frito pie. Yuck

I used to live in Santa Fe, and, for many of us, one of the defining regional foods was the green chile Frito pie (your choice, vegetarian or pork) served at Woolworth's on the Plaza -from a little window directly on the sidewalk, you didn't have to go into the store.

But, there were other notable concessionaires in town as well: the fruit juice lady, and the carnitas man -to name a few.

As a kid on the US East coast, I had some great food made by various church groups, school boosters, and clubs, all served at estate sales and auction houses. I can recall having the most amazing crabcakes I ever ate someplace in Delaware. And, slippery pot-pie in Pennsylvania. There were, of course, a lot of ordinary meals served as well. And, oddball things like potato candy.

[Country]

If we can include country fairs, the Common Ground Fair (in Maine) has some of the best concession stands around. Here's a pic of some of them. Many more not shown. Some of them have lines that seem endless once the gates open and time to eat - which is all day. The pic in the link must have been taken during set-up before the fair opened.

[sahmd]

My favorite venue for concession stand eating is the New Orleans Jazzfest. Boudin balls, crawfish monica, cochon de lait po boys, and pheasant, duck and andouille gumbo - man, I'm getting hungry just thinking about it!

[highchef]

Agreed! But high school games, of any sort can be an interesting thing around here. Was wondering about others....you know, like do they sell tamales at Texas games...I bet they do in north western LA.. Like in Zwolle.

[kayb]

For Friday Night Lights, I defy you to top Berryville, Arkansas. The Home Ec department runs the concession stand. You gots your choice of:

-- Chili. Honest to God, serious, thick chili. You can add your own Fritos if you wish.

-- Homemade chicken pot pie. Individual size.

-- Fried pies. Both savory and sweet fillings.

-- Fried catfish fillets, with french fries, hushpuppies and slaw.

-- Beef (or venison, if deer season has already opened) stew.

For your generic burgers, popcorn, hot dogs, etc., you have to go to the Bandboosters' stand, in the opposite end zone.

No, there's not a lot besides football to do in Berryville, AR on Friday night. But I can tell you, when I was in the sportswriting business, we used to fight to see who got to go cover Berryville!

[highchef]

And the guys covering always got first dubs,...you can smell the gumbo in the stands and you know it's ready.