Page 19 - OCT 2020 Barbecue News Magazine

bbq tailgating
Tailgating May
Have to be a Bit
Different
Vic Clevenger
Chimney Cartel
victor0568@gmail.com
As I sit here and write this I can honestly say, “I miss sports” especially when they were talking about not having football this fall. They’re playing baseball but honestly, it just doesn’t seem like everyone’s heart is in it, particularly since the stands are full of cardboard cutouts, which you can pay to have yours there. NASCAR kicked off the re- booted season with computer generated fans in the stands but when Kevin Harvick climbed out of his car, the sounds of cheers for the winner had been replaced with the deafening sound of silence. Now, the Big 10 and PAC 12 had decided to not play this fall which has other conferences considering what to do (although at this writing the Big 10 begins this month).
With everything up in the air like this, it’s hard to imagine no football and especially no tailgating. What will we do with our weekends? SEC, Big 12 and others have said they will play (what- ever that schedule will look like) with only 25% fan capacity and absolutely no tailgating. Being able to play outweighs the avail- ability of being able to tailgate in the parking lot, thus says the SEC commissioner. In this climate perhaps it is best to be safe than sorry and remain at home while they play football on the weekends (unless you’re a part of the lucky 25% to get tickets).
However, for the avid tailgater this should be but only a minor in- convenience. Sure, you have your crew you enjoy seeing at each home game and you’re known for your “special” dish. So, tailgat- ing being banned can be disappointing to say the least. Keep in mind though, you still have a television and a backyard which is home to your grill where there could be some killer dishes, like that chili cheese dog you’re always bragging about.
When football resumes try inviting a few friends over for that special game you all look forward to seeing (ok, keep it to about 10 people so you can safely social distance) and do a stay-gate. Use this as an opportunity to try new traditions. Perhaps when everything gets back to normal, you will have found something new to do on those away games or when you cannot get to the stadium when your team is home. Perhaps you’ll even discover a new dish to cook that will be all the rage when everyone tries it.
Here’s a new recipe I’ve been working on called a “Bananas Foster Pudding” which has an Elvis twist to it. Elvis was famous for his fried peanut butter and bananas sandwich so, I’ve turned it into a
OCTOBER 2020
dessert worthy of any tailgating, whether at home or in a parking lot. It’s very similar to a regular banana pudding except, I use Nut- ter Butters instead of Nilla Waffers as the base. So, crush the peanut butter cookie mix with a little butter to make a pie type crust for the bottom. Add your layer of pudding (follow directions on the banana cream pud- ding box)
over the cookies, then this is where the fun begins, layer in
the bananas foster.
Usually this is made with rum and looks cool when the fire is lit. However, in this recipe I use a whiskey called “Screwball” which is a peanut butter fla- vored whiskey (get some and you can thank me later). In your pan mix in 1⁄4 cup of but- ter, 2/3 cup brown sugar, 1 1⁄2 teaspoon vanilla, the Screwball whiskey to taste but usually 1/3 cup. Light it (be careful cause it will flame) to burn off alcohol. Cook only for a couple minutes so the bananas still hold their texture and not get mushy. Spoon them over your pudding then repeat with Nilla Waffers instead. Once you fin- ish top with whipped cream and drizzle hot peanut butter over it.
This is just one tailgating recipe you can use while we are waiting for things to get back to normal. Football may be up in the air, but tailgating is here to stay, even if it’s in the back- yard.
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