The Tailgater's Cookbook : More Than 90 Winning Recipes-and a Truckload of Tips-for Your Party in the Parking Lot (eBook)

What is it that draws thousands of people to stand around on asphalt, sometimes in the bitter cold and rain? Is it the infectious enthusiasm of fans in team colors? The spectacle of hilarious costumes and outlandish vehicles? The wafting warmth of a charcoal fire? The vast array of tables spread with every kind of food imaginable from the chilled to the grilled? I've tailgated at football games, soccer matches, car races, and even in the parking lots of theme parks and ski resorts. In my broad definition of the experience, you can tailgate anywhere you're allowed to park your car, grill food, and enjoy a drink with friends. But tailgating means different things to different people. Whenever I go to a tailgate party, I ask people what it means to them. What's it all about? Why do people invest so much time and money on the place where you park your car before heading into the event? The answers are all over the map. For a lot of people, it's all about team spirit. It's about being a good fan and supporting the players and the team. Take the Boneshaker, for example, better known as Mike Parisi. He's been a Tampa Bay Buccaneers season-ticket holder for more than 15 years. Mike fires up the football players and fans at every home game. He has a ship tattooed on one leg and a Bucs flag tattooed on the other. He wears a custom-made Bucs earring and matching necklace. Mike also brings an 80-pound wooden boneshaker to every game. Mike the Boneshaker lives to get the team pumped up to win. Further north, there's Titanman, a diehard Tennessee Titans fan. Also known as David Anderson, Titanman has been dressing up like Captain America for more than 10 years. In full superhero regalia, Titanman is the team's warrior. He plays the theme music from the movie Rocky to rally the troops to victory. And like any good superfan, Titanman trash-talks the competition whenever they enter the Coliseum in Nashville. Look around any stadium parking lot and you'll notice that some of the most devoted fans are women. Stephanie Phillips has held season tickets to Philadelphia Eagles games for more than 20 years. On game day, she usually gets up at 6 a.m. to finish making the mountains of food she began preparing days before, she drives 45 minutes to the stadium, and she's tailgating by 9 a.m. At work, at home, at games, Stephanie is a diehard Eagles fan. Her mailbox, bathroom, den, and guest room are completely decked out in Eagles green. Then there's Len Orme, a Cincinnati Bengals season-ticket holder since 1980 who has never missed a home game. A longtime fan, Len's van is painted in Bengals colors—,black with orange stripes. His entire basement enshrines the Bengals with an endless display of team memorabilia. Len wears a simple orange and black tiger hat to every game. A model of the tailgater's generous spirit, Len has raised more than $25,000 for the underprivileged and homeless in Cincinnati at the annual Bengals Dance fundraiser. All four of these loyal fans were inducted into the Visa Hall of Fans at the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio. Established in 1998, the Hall of Fans pays tribute to folks like these who go all out to support their favorite NFL team. Check out more of the crazy costumes and decked-out vehicles of the most dedicated football fans in personal profiles throughout this book.