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Recipes - September 2004
Gourmet at the game
By Robyn Jackson
Outdoor American; RNJackson@hattiesb.gannett.com
Staff photo/George Clark
Joe Davis of Hattiesburg gets another oyster to shuck as he prepares his pregame feast that included grilled oysters, boiled shrimp, shrimp scampi, french fries, sausage and shish-kabob.
When J.T. and Nancy Johnson of Hattiesburg tailgate with their friends at University of Southern Mississippi games, they don't just pick up some fried chicken or ribs. They go all out for a gourmet feast.
"What makes our group so special at tailgating is that we have a food theme for each game related to the opposing team," J.T. Johnson said.
This year's themes are:
California "cruising" - cold salads, fresh fruits (recipe on page 7)
Houston "Tex Mex" - tacos, fajitas, tamales
East Carolina "Caribbean/Cajun" - tropical chicken, crawfish fettuccine (recipe on page 8)
Cincinnati "All American" - burgers, dogs, potato salad
University of Alabama-Birmingham "barbecue" - ribs, brisket, chicken, beans, slaw.
"This makes each game unique and allows the participants to be creative with their favorite recipes," Johnson said. "We try to be both nutritious and low sugar since several of our participants are diabetic."
There are 35 to 40 members of this particular tailgating group, but the mainstays are J.T. and Nancy Johnson, Billy and Mary Ann Scruggs, T.J. and Sandra Norris, Neal and Pie Daniel and James and Betty Duncan.
Dee Chapman of Hattiesburg, who earned bachelor's and master's degrees from USM in 1989 and 1990, tailgates with family and friends and even fans of the opposing team. "Everybody's invited," she said.
Chapman's crew tailgates under four tents and last September they even rigged up a generator to power portable fans.
"That made a huge difference," Chapman said.
Tailgating can be plain or fancy.
"You see everything out there," Chapman said. "Ours is fairly low key. There's some folks who tailgate close to us who drag out the tablecloth and candleabras. We've got our fold-up tables and tents. The times we've tried to get fancy, it's rained."
Chapman grew up in Jackson and remembers driving down on game day and tailgating with her family when it was a much simpler affair, just folding picnic tables and chairs and a cooler. Her sons Hayden, 9, and Jack, 5, already love tailgating and wouldn't dream of being late for the party, even after a Saturday morning soccer game.
Chapman said she doesn't have a favorite recipe that she prepares for each game.
She got that recipe from Mike Rozier of Hattiesburg, who has a huge grill that he hauls to the stadium for tailgating.
"He grilled corn (in the husk) the day of the Nebraska game," Chapman said. "He said that that was about the closest they'd (Nebraska Cornhuskers) get to a grilling that day and he was going to give it to them."
Finger foods work best for tailgating, Chapman said.
"Barbecued chicken is always a favorite. Anything you can pick up and eat. We do things like pasta salad, but finger food works a lot better. There's not as much clean up to be done."
For tailgating tips and some Golden Eagle-themed recipes such as Black Gold Hot Fudge Pie and Krewe of Eagle Jambalaya, check out the Web site www.southernmisstailgating.com.
Whether you haul a gas grill to The Rock or just pick up some fried chicken at a drive-through, two things are a tailgating must: Get to the stadium early and set up as close as possible to the gates.
"Usually my dad's out there by lunch and the game's at 6," Chapman said. "They're very serious about it."
"It depends on my mood each week," she said. "We've been growing jalapenos. I stuff them with cream cheese and chicken and wrap them in bacon and grill them."
