23 Oct Send us your best Trunk or Treating Tailgating Food, Beverage or Decorations!

The “art” of tailgating is said to have its origins dating back over 100 years ago at the first football game in 1869 between Rutgers and Princeton.  Here folks settled in the end zone before the game and devoured grilled sausages.  It is still an American event, but has come a long way from those days of grilled sausages in end zones to parking lots filled with fans grilling and smoking a smorgasbord of meat, poultry and pork (including sausages) and large and small coolers filled with locally crafted beer or wine or specialty mixed cocktails. In many parking lots the competition on the field is almost secondary to the competition that takes place in the parking lots between those who aim to be recognized as the top of their “game” in the type of spreads (exotic and otherwise) they prepare.

Recently, tailgating has also started evolving into a Halloween tradition.  While I have attended my share of pro and college football tailgate parties, it wasn’t until two years ago that I was introduced to my first ever “Trunk or Treat Tailgating” extravaganza.  Many of these gatherings are staged in church or school parking lots and I have to say bore a very strong resemblance to the other tailgating parties I attended in that most people came early to get the “prime location”, to get their trunks decked out in their clever Halloween decorations and to fire up their smokers, grills and pits. Coolers were abundantly filled with adult beverages including beer and wine with a few sodas and water mixed in.  Then the long-awaited game of trick or treating was kicked off by the sound of the church bell or microphone and the ghosts and goblins scattered in all directions hoping to be the first to get the best treats in the lot.

I must admit, even though it was a windy and chilly evening, it was the best way to enjoy Halloween as a child and adult.  The kids were in a safe environment without the worry of traffic or crossing streets and the adults got to sit back and enjoy the festivities with their favorite beverage and bites without being interrupted every five minutes by the sound of the doorbell.

The art of tailgating has come light years since its inception.  And it continues to find ways, like Halloween Trunk or Treating, to branch out in other directions.  But the foundation remains much the same.  It is all about the food, the beer or other libation, the competition, and the company.  It is also about having fun, dressing in your favorite costume and comradery amongst friends.

Over the years I certainly have gathered some of my favorite tailgating foods and we at Tampabayfoodtours.com would love to hear what is your best tailgate recipe that everyone raves about or send us your pictures of your decorated trunk (or someone else’s) or home so we can post them for others to enjoy.

Happy haunting!

“Frightfuly Alarming Chili”

Ingredients:

½ lb of ground beef chuck or my preference is bison or elk meat

½ lb of spicy Italian sausage – casing off and broken into small pieces or cubes (can use spicy chicken or turkey sausage

1 24 ounce can of stewed tomatoes

2 16 ounce cans of chili beans (I like the spicy ones best but your choice)

¾  cup diced onions

2 – 3 tablespoons of crushed garlic

2 bottles of your favorite craft beer

1 tablespoon of chili powder

1 tablespoon of cumin

1 teaspoon of cayenne pepper

Directions

Brown the meat and sausage in large dutch oven and season with salt on low to medium high stirring often

Add onions and garlic and saute’ until onions are translucent

Add in the stewed tomatoes and the chili beans

Add chili, cumin and cayenne (can always add more or less depending on how alarming you want it)

Pour your favorite craft beer over the mixture and let simmer for 2 hours or more

Serve over rice (or not) and top off with grated cheese, green onions or any of your other favorite toppings

Hint:  Depending on how you like your chili, you can always add more or less spice at the beginning.  Remember you can always add more heat but can’t easily take out the heat once it’s in!