Devouring Literature: Turning Fiction Into Food: Pat Peoples' Tailgate Party

Silver Linings Playbook is an amazingly heartwarming debut novel from Michael Quick which features Pat Peoples (although in the recent movie they name him Patrizio "Pat" Solitano....not sure why that is...the movie truly is an interpretation and not particularly true to the details of the book), a man suffering from mental health issues. The book is narrated through the eyes of Pat, which is a particularly satisfying way to hear his story.

Pat has been in a mental health facility for a number of years after he walked in on his wife, Nikki, having an affair with a co-worker and nearly beat him to death. Pat does not remember that this occurred, but believes he has just be having a period of "apart time" from Nikki and she will return to him once he makes himself a better man and husband. He believes that he will become " better" if he works out (obsessively) and does not lose his temper. His mother has convinced the institution that he should come home with her and she and his father will take care of him. This leads to many an episode which are too voluminous to discuss here.

Although being re-united with his estranged wife is an overwhelming theme in the novel, football plays an almost equal part, and specifically the healing and growth that Pat goes through while watching football with his peevish father and while going to football tailgate parties, which he attends with his brother (although this is downplayed in the movie adaptation). And we all know what happens at tailgate parties...I don't mean (just) the drinking, but all the food at these tailgates. So as always, I started checking out tailgate parties and what is traditional food at tailgate parties...

Tailgating parties are parties held in the parking lots of large events to celebrate sporting events, among other things, and in this case, football. Truly no football game is complete with out a little tailgating...or so I am told. Rah! Sis boom bah! Go E-A-G-L-ES! See...I can tailgate!

The tailgate party is focused around the "tailgate" or back of a pick-up truck and usually involves cooking on a small grill or barbecue with salads, snacks and drinks. Sometimes (and certainly in Silver Linings Playbook) an entire parking lot is taken over by tailgating parties. If the tailgate revolves around football, it is a must to bring along decorative

items likes flags and football team paraphernalia. For a true tailgate party, you need folding chairs, tables, bbq and depending on the tailgate, a cooler full of beer, or better yet, a keg! This last part certainly depends on the venue. Generally speaking you will need food that can be eaten out of hand or with as few utensils as possible...tailgates are populated with guys you know!

Although there is a huge array of items that could be part of a tailgate party, including hotdogs, sausages, hamburgers, quesadillas, chicken skewers, chili, nachos, bean salad and the list goes on and on and on (!), I am going to focus on a bbq chicken wing and potato salad recipe. Who doesn't love a good chicken wing!

Grilled Chicken Wings
Ingredients:

4 pounds chicken wings (about 24)

Marinade:

1 cup white wine vinegar

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

2 tablespoons chili powder

1 teaspoon red pepper flakes

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon black pepper

1 teaspoon Tabasco

Preparation:

Combine marinade ingredients together and mix well. Place chicken wings in a large resealable bag. Pour marinade over top. Turn to coat and refrigerate for 2 to 6 hours.

Preheat grill. Remove wings from marinade and reserve marinade. Place wings on hot grill over a low fire. Grill until done (about 10 minutes each side), brushing with reserved marinade halfway through the cooking time. Serve with blue cheese sauce and carrot or celery sticks, or both!

Blue Cheese Dipping Sauce:

Ingredients:

1 cup blue cheese, crumbled

2/3 cup sour cream

1/2 cup mayonnaise

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce

salt and pepper to taste

Preparation:

For blue cheese sauce, combine blue cheese, sour cream, mayonnaise, garlic and Worcestershire cause in a bowl. Stir until smooth. Season with salt and pepper. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.

Classic Potato Salad

Ingredients:

Salt and Pepper
3 pounds (8-10) medium red or white potatoes, scrubbed
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1 teaspoon grated lemon zest plus 2 tablespoons juice
1/2 cup finely chopped fresh chives

Preparation:

In a large pot, bring potatoes to a boil in salted water over high. Reduce to a simmer and cook until tender when pierced with a knife, 15-20 minutes. Drain and let cool completely. Cut potatoes into 1 1/2 inch pieces.

In a large bowl, combine mayonnaise, lemon zest and juice, and chives. Add potatoes and otss to combine. Season with salt and pepper.