any fellow tail-gaters out there?

[Lan4Dawg]

I realize this could go on the general foods board but since no one plays foot ball as we do in the SEC & no one tail gates as we do in the SEC then the SFC board seemed most appropriate. Are there any fellow tail-gaters out there for whom we should look this season? or any one planning to be in Athens this fall? There are about three dozen of us who attend games in Athens and about half that number who attend the away games--"the DawgDish Supper Club and Bullbat Sports Bar Tailgating Society". I am responsible for feeding the group (this started on a lark when some friends joined Fuss & me for a game and has since become a major under-taking) and plan menus featuring an item fr/ the region/state where the opposition is located or their mascot or school colors. We have a great time and I was just wondering for whom we should look in our ventures this season or if any one else wants to compare "war stories".

[DTBarton]

I'm a Clamson alumni living near Annapolis MD. We get our tailgating fix at the occasional Navy game, going to Navy/Maryland in Baltimore Saturday.

Sounds like a fun group you've got. However, as a good Clemson Tiger, we used to think that the only good that could come out of a Georgia/South Carolina game was if the stadium caught on fire resulting in no injuries, but a double forfeit!

[DTBarton]

I'm a Clamson alumni living near Annapolis MD.  We get our tailgating fix at the occasional Navy game, going to Navy/Maryland in Baltimore Saturday.

Sounds like a fun group you've got.  However, as a good Clemson Tiger, we used to think that the only good that could come out of a Georgia/South Carolina game was if the stadium caught on fire resulting in no injuries, but a double forfeit!

←

And as a good cow college graduate, I can't spell or type. Clamson, I mean everyone knows it's Clempkins.

[carpetbagger, esq.]

I wish I was more of a tailgater - I guess I'm limited to the Steeplechase in Nashville.

Vandy football is just such a non-event (at least it was when I was in law school) and I really don't get to go back to Charlotesville, VA for any football games (GO HOOS!). Surprisingly, I'll be going to at least the Ole Miss game this weekend, and hopefully the homecoming game against Georgia. If you're coming up to Nashville, let me know - it would be fun to check out your setup.

[Lan4Dawg]

I wish I was more of a tailgater - I guess I'm limited to the Steeplechase in Nashville.

Vandy football is just such a non-event (at least it was when I was in law school) and I really don't get to go back to Charlotesville, VA for any football games (GO HOOS!). Surprisingly, I'll be going to at least the Ole Miss game this weekend, and hopefully the homecoming game against Georgia. If you're coming up to Nashville, let me know - it would be fun to check out your setup.

←

Vandy foot ball is an event now! & as sorry as Ole Miss looks you should be 5-0 after this w/e. If UGA is playing we will be there.

I well remember going to Nashville and watching the band march through empty parking lots trying to get what few fans were there up for the game. One year we offered money to them to play "Glory, Glory". We actually had a few do it for us. ":^)

Not knowing what time the game starts we are a tad up in the air about the actual tail gating meal. A member of our group lives in Nashville and we have not decided whether to head to his house after the game or what. Either way we will be at the game and plan to be in the parking lot between Vandy Place & West End some where around 30/31st street well before the game (we usually beat the parking attendants in to the lots). Look for a black trailer w/ "Finish The Drill" across the back, a large black umbrella, our banner proclaiming "The Dawg Dish Supper Club & BullBat Sports Bar Tailgating Society", several children running around, and a whole bunch of people. Just ask for Lan4Dawg and most will be able to point you in the right direction. We will be drinking Vanderbilt Cocktails some time around 11.00 or so depending on game time.

[carpetbagger, esq.]

any updates on your plans for coming to nashville?

should be a fun time watching the dores pull out an upset win!

[Lan4Dawg]

any updates on your plans for coming to nashville?

should be a fun time watching the dores pull out an upset win!

←

sorry but ISP problems have kept me off the board until now. And sorry we missed you in Nashville. Our usual tail gate spot is now a huge construction hole in the ground so we moved to an elementary school a couple of blocks away. The police were hassling us about being on park property (which we were, kind of) until we fed them and then they left us alone.

"Show us your black, show us your gold" sesame chicken was a big hit (both w/ fellow tail gaters and w/ the police) and, of course, we enjoyed the game.

Smokin' razorback for the arkies this Saturday.

[carpetbagger, esq.]

np. i was looking for your setup over near vandy place in the parking lots that are still usable. i guess you were over across the street from the rec fields on blakemore.

overall, i was disappointed yet again with vandy's tailgating attemps. being homecoming weekend, i had hoped that they could do something interesting. alas, the tent was not that remarkable.

[Lan4Dawg]

A bit of a dilemma. We are to play in the sUGAr Bowl v. West (by God) Virginia and I am at a loss as to what to serve for our tail gate meal. I usually do some thing involving the mascot--marinated grilled game hen for the socar game cocks and smoked hog for the Arkansas Razorbacks were both on the menu this season, the color if the school is known for it--orange & ginger seared sea scallops for Tennessee whose color is orange and Beef "Maroon" (Bourgignonne) for the Miss St "Maroons" were the offerings this year, or the region--bourbon & apple marinated pork tenderloins for Kentucky and beef and lots of potatoes for Boise St. are two examples of what I served. Since the game is moved to Atlanta fr/ NOLA I do not know if we should do some thing traditionally New Orleans (how ever I just did grits and grillades when we played LSU in the SECC) in honor of what should have been the host city, or some thing like sUGAr cured ham b/c it is the sUGAr Bowl, or find some thing that is a traditional West (by God) Virginia type food but am having problems finding a typical WVA food type (I thought Dabney's book would be more help than it is). And there is not much you can do w/ "Mountaineers". I keep leaning to a sUGAr cured Virginia ham but am very open to ideas. Any suggestions?

[Gifted Gourmet]

orange & ginger seared sea scallops for Tennessee whose color is orange and Beef "Maroon" (Bourgignonne) for the Miss St "Maroons" were the offerings this year, or the region--bourbon & apple marinated pork tenderloins for Kentucky and beef and lots of potatoes for Boise St.

I like the way you all are matching up school colors to the actual foods being prepared! So incredibly cool! Go Dawgs! and that UGA thing? Whoa!

[R.E. Turner]

A bit of a dilemma.  We are to play in the sUGAr Bowl v. West (by God) Virginia and I am at a loss as to what to serve for our tail gate meal.  I usually do some thing involving the mascot--marinated grilled game hen for the socar game cocks and smoked hog for the Arkansas Razorbacks were both on the menu this season, the color if the school is known for it--orange & ginger seared sea scallops for Tennessee whose color is orange and Beef "Maroon" (Bourgignonne) for the Miss St "Maroons" were the offerings this year, or the region--bourbon & apple marinated pork tenderloins for Kentucky and beef and lots of potatoes for Boise St. are two examples of what I served.  Since the game is moved to Atlanta fr/ NOLA I do not know if we should do some thing traditionally New Orleans (how ever I just did grits and grillades when we played LSU in the SECC) in honor of what should have been the host city, or some thing like sUGAr cured ham b/c it is the sUGAr Bowl, or find some thing that is a traditional West (by God) Virginia type food but am having problems finding a typical WVA food type (I thought Dabney's book would be more help than it is).  And there is not much you can do w/ "Mountaineers".  I keep leaning to a sUGAr cured Virginia ham but am very open to ideas.  Any suggestions?

←

As a fellow (rabid) Dawg, and the stepdaughter of an honest-to-goodness West ByGod Virginia native and Mountaineers fan, I figured I should weigh in on this! The only food I can imagine that ties in to "Mountaineers" is mountain oysters... which probably isn't anyone's idea of a good time! However, I've seen recipes for "coal candy" - a black, anise flavored hard candy that looks like lumps of coal. That might be appropriate for your spread. As for incorporating WV's school colors, I wonder whether a variation on a Hurricane (drink) might be apt? Blue curacao, layered with a yellow liqueur or mixer, perhaps? (The challenge, of course, would be to find a suitable, not-too-sweet combination, since the curacao starts off so cloyingly. Maybe I need to experiment a bit, since I'm planning a viewing party myself... Tickets, travel, and childcare/eldercare are completely out of reach, unfortunately! However, I'll certainly enjoy the next month of talking smack with my dad, and then watching my Dawgs shellack the Hillbillies... er, Mountaineers! ) It would, perhaps, suit your color scheme and the New Orleans origins of the game. Style it as a Hurricane Georgia, perhaps? Or Hurricane Shockley? Off to experiment...

Rae

[carpetbagger, esq.]

just serve moonshine.

[debbiemoose]

What about brunswick stew? Isn't that a traditional Appalachian/mountain food? You can go with or without the squirrel. Ronni Lundy's cookbooks are good sources for Appalachian recipes. I know you'll do it up, Thomas!

Or you could do an all-sugar theme: sugar snap peas, sugar-cured ham, Moravian sugar cake, beets (sugar is made from them)...

[Lan4Dawg]

Well the Fuss pointed out that since we were not going to go to NOLA we should at least have NOLA food and that since her favorite NOLA food is Red Beans & Rice (w/ Andouille Sausage) and that since one of her favorite versions of RB&R is that fr/ Dooky Chase and that since Dooky Chase is a NOLA institution and that since DC is not open b/c of the hurricane and that since RB&R is kind of a New Year's Day type food and that since we will be playing close to NYD.......

so we are having Red Beans & Rice (w/ Andouille Sausage) fr/ Dooky Chase cook book--or at least a variation there of, a Brennan's salad (fr/ their cook book), and sUGAr cookies to keep the sUGAr theme in there some where.

As for the cocktail--we do one of those for each game as well--I kept thinking of doing a hurricane but did not know how well that would go over considering so I found a Blue Mountain (remember West, by God, Virginia's colors are blue & gold and their mascot is the Mountaineer). It sounds kind of odd--dark rum, vodka, coffee liqueuer, & oj--& I might have to sample it this evening to make certain it will work. (btw, thx RET for the hurricane suggestion but I could not get any thing to work correctly and it kept coming out green)

If you are in the area come by for a visit & as always,

HDHD

[Lan4Dawg]

menus for this year's foot ball tail gating are ready to go in case any one is interested. I include an appropriate cocktail and some commentary:

menus for 2006 season:

2nd September: Athens--Western Kentucky Hilltoppers

in keeping w/ the location of the school and the big red blob they use as a mascot…

Bloody Marys / Argentina Malbec

Barbecued Mutton w/ “red blob” (Kentucky Heirloom) sauce, Kentucky spoon bread and succotash

9th September: cola—socar Gamecocks

what does the evil genius have in mind for this season?

Columbia cocktail/ Pinot Noir

Herbed game cock fricassee over white bean puree, sautéed zucchini

16th September: Athens—UAB Blazers

We struggled w/ them a few years back. Dragons are fire breathing, hence:

Green Dragon (1 part lemon, 1 part kummel, 2 parts gr crème de menthe, 4 parts gin, peach bitters) / Shiraz

Spicy dragon (pork loin) and pepper stir fry over rice pilau, spinach salad w/ spicy Thai-peanut dressing

23rd September: Athens—Colorado Buffaloes

This one was simple:

Buffalo Grass Martini / Zinfandel

Buffalo stew w/ root vegetables / Mixed Green Salad w/ Rocky Mountain vinaigrette

30th September: Oxford—Ole Miss Rebels

It has been a while since we took our trip to Oxford (did we ever lose to Eli?)

A classic setting for a classic tail gate; we will use John T. Edge’s book, A Gracious Plenty, specifically the section entitled “Tailgating in the Grove” (it seems only fitting since I did invite him to join us):

Magnolias (since Mississippi is the Magnolia state)/ French rose`

Hot Sausage Balls Dill-Stuffed Devilled Eggs

Artichoke Dip w/ Chips Fried Chicken

Cornbread Salad Pimiento Cheese Sandwiches

Devil’s Food Cake Southern Pecan Pie

Chess Pie

7th October: Athens—tenn Volunteers

do not tell them in Knoxville but it looks as if the streak is going the other way. Taking advantage of their “ernjeness”….

Blood Ernj Margaritas (that is what will be left on the field---bloody ernj) / Rhone

Smoked ernj pork, parslied new potatoes, pan- braised broccoli and cauliflower

14th October: Athens—Vandy Commodores

Speaking of “streaks” and this is home coming (I think). In keeping w/ their school colors of black and gold….

Commodore Cocktail / Riesling

Show us your black / show us your gold sesame seed chicken stir fry w/ green beans and shiitake mushrooms, rice pilau

21st October: Athens—Mississippi State Maroons

The bull pups, maroons, faux dogs come to Athens

Bullpup cocktail ( version of the bulldog) / Cabernet Sauvignon

McInnis Salad—a Mississippi original

Maroon braised beef over creamy polenta

28th October: Jax—fla gators

Back to Jax—hope fully the out come will be better for us

since we are in Jacksonville--named for Andrew Jackson-- the Jackson cocktail seems appropriate / German Riesling

“Swamp Cabbage” salad

Alligator Sausage and Peppers and pasta—like the traditional but w/ Alligator sausage

4th November: Lex—Kentucky Wildcats

Another trip to the beautiful Blue Grass State

Blue Grass Cocktail / Kentucky Chardonnay & Pinot Noir(Equus)

Chicken Cordon Blue Grass over “Wildcat” Rice Pilau , haricots vert

11th November: auburn—auburn what evers—Eagles? Tigers? Plainsmen?

Since they can not decide what they are we will take advantage of their indecision and their school colors (orange & blue)...

Golden Eagle (equal parts Galliano & peppermint schnapps) /Chardonnay

Grilled kebabs of marinated tiger shrimp, war eagle, and plainsmen vegetables served over “sho nuff”grits w/ an orange & blue berry compote

25th November: Athens—the blight on North Avenue

Terrence Moore wrote an article about how the blight fans pelted ND w/ fish in the 70’s. In keeping w/ that theme…..

Blue Jacket (what we expect them to be when they leave Athens, "blue jackets") 2 parts gin, 1 part curacao, orange bitters / Viognier

Pan-fried tilapia jacketed w/ white and old gold sauces, traditional caesar salad w/ gold fish croutons

Picture Day—19th August @ Athens

Salad Nicoise

SEC Championship Game--@ Atlanta

???

Bowl Game--???

HDHD

[Sarabeth]

As my UGA obsessed, er, devoted husband says on game mornings, "It is time to let the Big Dawg eat!" I wasn't a member of this board last year when you posted, and I'm not sure how we've missed you at all the games, but we'd love to get in on the fun.

While I admit that our tailgating over near the baseball field isn't nearly as culinary, my husband does smoke one hell of a boston butt. We don't tend to cook much when we go to the away games (relying instead on local restaurant selections)but I have to say that your menu for the upcoming year sounds divine.

We would love to contribute to the tailgating merriment!

[Cucina]

Lan4Dawg -

If you or anyone else knows how I can finagle a couple of game tickets at an affordable price, I'll contribute to your tailgate feast. I'm actually going to be staying on St. Simons then.

[Sarabeth]

2nd September:  Athens--Western Kentucky Hilltoppers

  in keeping w/ the location of the school and the big red blob they use as a mascot…

Bloody Marys / Argentina Malbec

Barbecued Mutton w/ “red blob” (Kentucky Heirloom) sauce, Kentucky spoon bread and succotash

←

I was just wondering how the mutton went over?

We actually didn't do much tailgating for this game (due to some work travel which caused us to get to Athens too close to kick-off), but we did have an amazing meal at Farm.

It's on Washington, and if you haven't been I highly suggest it. The wine list is exceptional, and a great compliment to the fresh flavors on the menu. We shared a Sweetgrass Dairy cheese plate with fresh fig jam; a fried oyster appetizer with a charred corn relish that I would have been happy to eat all night long, and shrimp and grits: Georgia caught shrimp, local ground grits, seasoned just right with "just picked this afternoon" okra. The restaurant itself is comfortable with an open kitchen, and the "real" farm is part of a CSA, so I'm thinking of making a call or two to see if it's too late to get in on the fall crops.

Hope the Dawgs can score like that against Spurrier next week!

[Lan4Dawg]

2nd September:  Athens--Western Kentucky Hilltoppers

   in keeping w/ the location of the school and the big red blob they use as a mascot…

Bloody Marys / Argentina Malbec

Barbecued Mutton w/ “red blob” (Kentucky Heirloom) sauce, Kentucky spoon bread and succotash

←

I was just wondering how the mutton went over?

We actually didn't do much tailgating for this game (due to some work travel which caused us to get to Athens too close to kick-off), but we did have an amazing meal at Farm.

It's on Washington, and if you haven't been I highly suggest it. The wine list is exceptional, and a great compliment to the fresh flavors on the menu. We shared a Sweetgrass Dairy cheese plate with fresh fig jam; a fried oyster appetizer with a charred corn relish that I would have been happy to eat all night long, and shrimp and grits: Georgia caught shrimp, local ground grits, seasoned just right with "just picked this afternoon" okra. The restaurant itself is comfortable with an open kitchen, and the "real" farm is part of a CSA, so I'm thinking of making a call or two to see if it's too late to get in on the fall crops.

Hope the Dawgs can score like that against Spurrier next week!

←

Farm? over on Washington. I am not familiar but will plan to try it next time we are in Athens for an extended period. We are so set on Wilson's Soul Food, Five & Ten, and Weaver D's that we seldomly venture any where else.

I could not find "real" mutton so went w/ lamb but it was popular (I did cheat and had pork for the non lamb lovers). The biggest hit was the succotash. I thought I had more than enough but returned home w/ enough for just a couple more servings. The spoon bread did not travel well (I was afraid it would not but hope springs eternal.....)

I will start the chicken fricassee and white bean puree on Thursday before we leave on Fr so all I have to do is re-heat and saute the zucchini when we get there. Naturally the game is late so I have all day when all I will need to do is re-heat but fricassee is so much better when it has time to meld flavors. Hopefully we will "fricassee" those game cocks as well!

Hunker Down Hairy Dawgs!

[Lan4Dawg]

Lan4Dawg -

If you or anyone else knows how I can finagle a couple of game tickets at an affordable price, I'll contribute to your tailgate feast.  I'm actually going to be staying on St. Simons then.

←

Head on over! I can not guarantee tix---mof my source for socar tix this w/e fell through--actually he died ":^( . We tail gate at a ware house just the other side of the official parking lots but I can not remember the name of the place.

[carpetbagger, esq.]

lan4dawg,

could you kinda do a little writeup of your prep for game day? specifically, how much cooking are you doing the night before, day of, etc.? are you doing food for pre and post game? how much ice, charcoal, etc are you bringing to be stocked up for the day? what kind of gear are you using to keep things hot and cold?

[Lan4Dawg]

(I did a couple of articles for a web site on this very same subject called tailgating 101 and tailgating 102 but that was about 8 years ago and I could not find them on Google. If I do find them I will link or if interested I still have copies in my computer and will be more than happy to e-mail to you. Just let me know at lan4dawg@peoplepc.com)

Back to your question....much depends on whether the game is home or away and what time we play. I try to gear things as much as possible to those factors but every once in a while I get a surprise as to time which can wreak havoc on preparing.

If it is a night game I do most of the work at the tail gate site and if an early game (1.00pm or so) I will try to do things at home on Thursday and Friday and then just re-heat as necessary. For example this w/e game v. UAB (spicy dragon and mixed pepper stir fry over rice pilau) we will eat after the game and knowing it would probably be an early game I specifically set things that would be easy to prep and relatively fast to cook. I will prep the dragon (pork loin) at home on Fr night and allow it to marinate then start the rice and chop/slice/dice vegetables as soon as we can after the game. The salad stuff will be ready before but I will just put it together on site. It should not take more than an hour to get every thing together and there are some good games being played at 3.30 to keep most folks occupied. Fuss makes sausage biscuits for before the game (usually made the night before and we re-heat before we leave at 6.00am and carry in an insulated container) and lots of folks bring general snack foods for pre-game. I have done breakfasts before but it gets to be way too much trouble not knowing when people will arrive and working w/ game times, &c.

I have propane stoves (1 large and a couple of camp stoves) and an over-sized grill for most of the work and a camp "prep" table that is ideal for what I need to do. Luckily I can get ice at the store (but I also save drink bottles and re-fill then freeze them for back up also for water at the site) and we carry two or three of the large Igloo brand coolers that will keep things cold for days (seriously, they are wonderful. I have had ice keep for over 48 hours in the summer before). If I know we will be traveling and on the road for a while I freeze as much as possible or pack straight fr/ the freezer as that keeps it cold and acts as a cooling source for other items as well. (Always keep drinking ice and finished products away fr/ raw foods! I use separate coolers for just such a reason)

Luckily one of our tail gate group carries most of our general supplies in a trailer and every thing Fuss & I need to carry goes in the back of "Rowdy"--the Fuss' bright red w/ "silver britches" & black accents Chevy p/u.

For the Colorado game--Buffalo stew w/ root veg (we just found out it will be an early game) and since stews are actually better if given time to blend I will probably prepare every thing on Fr (I like to shop on Th--look out Costco!--b/c that gives time if I forgot any thing) and re-heat after the game while I prep salad. I have an over-sized cast iron Dutch oven w/o which I could not live that I use for most of my re-heating and lots of my cooking. Propane stoves do not burn real evenly so I either use diffusers or heavy pots (cast iron or similar) to prevent scorching. If I have to smoke some thing it depends on the game time. If it is a night game I will often have time to actually smoke the food at the site (I have a small water smoker that works well) and if not then I will smoke on Th all day and then re-heat over the grill on game day.

I hope that answers most of your questions w/o being too boring.

[carpetbagger, esq.]

yeah, that gives me a pretty good idea. we were in tuscaloosa for the vandy game over the weekend and saw a wide range of setups. since it was a 2:30 game, there was enough time for people to do a lot of on-site cooking. i think i may try and do some tailgating on my own at some vandy home games this year - the university-sponsored setup at vandyville is rather pathetic imho. i also need some gear for steeplechase and other outdoor entertaining planned for 07.

i already have a smaller weber as well as my water smoker. i've been meaning to get a turkey/fish fryer setup for a while now, and thought it could pull double duty doing chili, seafood boils and other soups/stews as it gets cooler out. the propane stove idea is an excellent one, so maybe i'll go that route first. some of the coleman offerings look like they'll fit two 12" pots, so that's sufficient for my needs (and easier to move around than a big ass-fryer setup). harbor freight also has some nice stainless options to consider.

as for coolers, we have some smaller ones already, but i was thinking of getting two of the rubbermaid 45 or 60 qt rolling ones that have the luggage handle. that seems preferable to shorter handles on the coleman and igloo ones. plus, i would imagine you could do a little stacking of other things on top of the rubbermaids. they have a 5 day endurance one that would probably keep ice as well as your igloos. we have one pyrex insulated bag, but could probably use another one - maybe the double decker one.

i'll email you later about those tailgating 101 docs. i appreciate it!

[Lan4Dawg]

a couple of suggestions....

check the BTU's on the stoves to make certain they are strong enough/not more than you will need. Many times I wind up using my smaller camp stoves instead of the bigger one b/c they are almost as effective for much of the work and lighter/easier to carry/manage (esp on the road). Also make certain you can handle the coolers. The wheels help but you still have to get it fr/ the bed of a truck/trunk of a car on to the ground. Often times two smaller ones work better than one big one---esp. if you need to divide raw foods fr/ ice, &c.

I was laughing at some folks near us on Saturday. They had a rig that was the size of a small car. It had a smoker and a grill and a huge two burner propane stove w/ two propane tanks and a prep area. They pulled that thing up and dumped about twenty pounds of charcoal and a gallon of lighter fluid (which I despise--use chimneys!) in to the grill area and then proceeded to cook hot dogs and hamburgers for a dozen people. Talk about your over kill!

[Kim Shook]

Lan4Dawg - your tailgates sound like ones I would like to attend! Mr. Kim went to Virginia, so we have season tickets. We love to tailgate and always get there a few hours early, tailgate and then take dessert to some folks we know who have a space right in the Scott stadium lot. We love them dearly, but don't eat with them - they pick up KFC chicken or Bill's BBQ (don't ask), so we do our own thing for our meal.

Last Saturday's debacle against the Terps was the first game I have been able to attend this season, thanks to working retail now . Our menu was grilled shrimp - served cold, which I did by a new Cooks Illustrated method that promised charred outside, moist inside grilled shrimp - worked pretty well, too - even cold they were moist. We also had Morbier and cheddar cheeses, good crackers and lavash, fresh fruit with this amazing Argentinian caramel sauce that I found, crudites and Orange/Gingerbread loaf with Orange/Cream cheese frosting.

I have one more game that I am going to be able to attend this season and I will probably do chili, unless Mr. Kim decides on that for another game that he goes to with someone else.