Football season is upon us once again. Most of the county high school football started last week in addition to the NFL and college ball started a couple weeks ago. Football is predominant on television now and in conversations with friends as our favorite teams compete. Although, if you are like my father, you watch it all year because some channels will show those old games over and over again for those that can’t get enough. Love you Dad!

The kitchen is not immune to these changes as well. Homes across the country are opened to friends who bring beer, dips and chips to enjoy the companionship of fellow fans of football. If you are like my dad, you watch all day flipping between the good games or having the screen split between 3 or even watching into the night if you have satellite as some channels will replay games starting around 10 or 11. Nothing splits a home for a day like rooting for opposing teams and nothing gets everyone so excited as a good play by your favorite team. Even when supporting opposite teams, we get together to cheer on our teams and enjoy some good natured ribbing.

Home get-togethers are not the only way to get together though. Tailgate parties are also very popular these days. These parties are held in parking lots or large open areas at or around the stadium of your team. Often, tailgate foods are shared or sampled with other fans at the game and are usually grilled. Popular tailgate foods include picnic staples such as hamburgers, hot dogs, baked beans and cold salads like coleslaw or potato salad. Some food products were even created because of tailgate parties. A brand of pimento cheese, called Palmetto Cheese, got its start at Atlanta Braves tailgate parties. Of course, it wouldn’t be a football party without beer or soft drinks and these are a staple at tailgate parties everywhere.

How did tailgating first come about though? Well, some people believe you can only go back as far as the first game, which was between Princeton and Rutgers. More people tend to believe it was the Battle of Bull Run during the Civil War, which took place on a Sunday. It is said people showed up in covered wagons with wine and spirits and foods to cheer on their favorite ‘side’ to the battle during this skirmish and throughout the Civil War and have been doing it ever since. Some believe it came about when traveling to Yale, which had little parking, often by train or bus, and fans would have to bring food with them for the ride. The Green Bay Packers claim they created tailgating when they first joined the NFL in 1921, but not many people outside of Green Bay fans believe that.

Tailgate parties these days are often a huge affair and some are more of an even than the game played in the stadium itself. Surveys have been conducted and some people, up to 35%, only show up for the tailgate and don’t ever enter the stadium. Lawn games such as KanJam, cornhole, ladder golf, Polish horseshoes, Louisville Chugger, Jarts, washer pitching and Sholf are very popular during tailgate parties. Beer pong and flip cup are often played as well. It is also common for fans to bring sports balls such as footballs, soccer balls and the like to casually play with. Many tailgaters have external stereos or use their car's sound system to play music, and it is not unusual to see some fans with a television set and antenna/satellite hooked to an electric generator so partygoers can watch other sporting events. The tailgate is often a place where both sides of the field gather for camaraderie. Outside the stadium, they are civil and partake in lighthearted joshing that often is missing inside the stadium.

Fun Facts

Tailgate Parties are no longer just for football. They are often part of soccer, hockey, concerts and even weddings.

Joe Cahn, often called “The Commish,” has visited every NFL stadium, 125 college stadiums, and 9 NASCAR tracks during his 15 years of tailgating across the nation. In 1996, Cahn sold his business, the Louisiana School of Cooking, and took to the road to promote tailgating, serving up over 325 pots of his famous jambalaya as he enjoyed over 800 different tailgating parties.

Most tailgaters are between ages 25-44. While many women enjoy tailgating, the stats show it is largely a male pastime. A survey found 79% percent of tailgaters are men, making women a serious minority in stadium parking lots. Only 4% of tailgaters are between 12 and 20, and just 9% are over 55, while a whopping 60% are between 25 and 44.

Whether you tailgate or ‘homegate’, there is an undeniable trend in people getting together for the fellowship of friends and family paired with good food to watch a good game. Don your jerseys this week, make your grocery list and meet me in the kitchen this game day!