It's Football Season
“I may not have great seats, but I have comfortable folding chairs, a full cooler and a tailgate covered with food, to share with friends and family.” ~WG 2015
Sunday, football and tailgating are as American as it gets. This Sunday, The New York Giants host The Atlanta Falcons at Met Life stadium. Tailgating runs the gamut from simple foods like chips and guac, to full on- catered buffets complete with china and silverware. No matter what one is serving or eating, there is happy vibe throughout the revelers. If you have never tailgated and you’re not going to the game this Sunday, pick any sporting event call up your friends and family and find out why it’s an experience not to be missed.
Here is what the Wine Guys are bringing to Big Blue this Sunday, these beers are perfect for tailgating; they are light and always a crowd pleaser.
The Cooler
Blue Moon combines the citrus flavors of an IPA with the smooth, balanced malts of Belgian white Ale. Through finding the perfect combination of four hops, including a rare German hop called Huell Melon, Blue Moon has a pronounced citrus and fruity hop taste, perfectly balanced by wheat, coriander, and orange peel. By blending the f two styles of beer together to craft an IPA with a unique twist, Blue Moon delivers’ a clean crisp beer that is truly refreshing. Six points
The Crisp - from the first sip of this beer you'll know you’re drinking a lager. Golden, colored with a nice fluffy white head on top. The bouquet of this beer is grassy/citrusy, hoppy with a note of malt. Clean and crisp on the pallet with a touch of citrus and a slight hoppy note with a slight malt sweetness that that leads you to a clean dry finish that is very refreshing.
The Tailgate Dish
Baby Blue Potatoes stuffed with Bacon and Blue Cheese
What you will need:
25-30 small round blue, red or white potatoes (all about the same size if possible) Try the farmers markets so you can pick out your own, 8oz to 10oz crumbled blue cheese, or gorgonzola, 1/4 cup sour cream, 2 shallots finely chopped, 1 tablespoon fresh rosemary finely chopped, Salt and pepper, 3/4 cup crumbled bacon (approx. 5 strips for filling cook 2 or 3 more for garnish if you wish).
Boil the potatoes in salted boiling water for 10 to 13 minutes until slightly soft but not overdone drain and let them cool to room temp or cooler. (While handling cooked potatoes run the faucet and rinse knife, spoon and hands etc. for easier handling). Cut a very thin slice of the bottom of the potato so they can stand upright. Slice off the top of the potato and use a melon baller or small spoon to scoop out the potatoes, (take your time and leave about a 1/8 inch wall around the potato). Mince uncooked bacon and sauté until the bacon is golden and crisp, remove to paper towels and pat most of the fat off. (Cook whole strips of bacon for garnish if you doing that next). Reserve a 1/2 teaspoon of the bacon fat and sauté the shallot untiljust soft on medium low heat about 3 minutes, drain and set aside to cool. Combine shallot, bacon, blue cheese, sour cream, salt and pepper, and rosemary in a bowl mixing gently. Use a pastry bag with a medium small tip, or a zip lock bag with the corner cut off or a small spoon to fill the potatoes to just above the rim. Put potatoes on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper or aluminum foil, and bake at 400 for 8 to 10 closer to 8 minutes if making ahead of time to reheating and serve later. If reheating at the tailgate warm slowly on medium low heat in a fire proof container or a heavy aluminum pouch for about 10 minutes, garnish with fresh a rosemary sprig, or parsley, and cut bacon. Recipe adapted from Kim Churchill, on Chowhound.com.
Go Big Blue!
The Wine Guys