The Art of Living: The Southern Tailgating Cookbook
/A Game-Day Guide for Lovers of Food, Football & the South
Story by Lyda Kay Ferree, The Southern Lifestyles Lady. Photography courtesy of Jeffrey Taylor Mathis &
University of North Carolina Press.
According to tailgating enthusiast Taylor Mathis, “You’ll understand why a game day in the South is unlike any other” when you read his cookbook, “The Southern Tailgating Cookbook: A Game-Day Guide for Lovers of Food, Football, and the South.”
Mathis is a food and lifestyle photographer who pursued his love of college athletics by visiting various colleges and universities in the South to learn about their favorite tailgate specialties and game-day traditions.
He spent two and a half seasons traveling to 35 different college games and stadiums across the country throughout 12 different Southern states.
“From these tours, I was able to see what tailgaters were eating, what kinds of foods worked best for tailgating, and experience the traditions and atmosphere that make tailgating a fall pastime unlike any other,” Mathis said.
Featuring 110 vibrant recipes inspired by his travels, “The Southern Tailgating Cookbook” is chock-full of Southern football culture, colorful photographs of delectable dishes, and essential preparation instructions.
Mathis worked with his mother, Sally James, to develop and test recipes such as Chicken-Sweet Potato Kabobs, Zesty Arugula and Kale Salad, and Deep Fried Cookie Dough—something to satisfy every fan’s taste buds.
Mathis also includes day-before checklists, advice on packing for a tailgate, food safety information, and much more in his cookbook to help readers prepare for a game.
“Tailgating is a form of on-location catering,” he said.” With this comes the challenge of adapting to weather conditions and cooking on-site. You have no control over what the weather will be like, but you can plan your menu around the expected weather conditions.
He recommends that fans make tailgating dishes that are portable, accessible, and easy for people to eat. The dishes should be able to sit out for a few hours or be quickly made to order depending on the circumstances.
Mathis has helpful advice on Packing for a Tailgate, Tailgating Food Safety, Cooking Equipment, Creating a Comfortable Party Environment, A Tailgating Box that contains the essentials for a tailgate party, a Tailgating Buffet, and Dealing with Waste.
“The most important aspect of any dish is that it is fun,” he said. “Tailgating is a time when you join with friends and family to celebrate your team.”
A Tailgate Burger Bar and a Bloody Mary Bar are but two of Mathis’ suggestions for a fun and unique tailgate party. Burgers are a staple of tailgates everywhere. A homemade patty cooked up over a hot grill is hard to resist. Topping possibilities for burgers seem limitless, but there’s something said for keeping it simple. All you need is the Tailgate Burger, buttered buns, lettuce, tomato, cheese, and maybe a pickle slice or two.
A fun idea for a tailgate gathering is a Bloody Mary Bar. Guests will love you when they see a self-serve Bloody Mary Bar set up. The basic bar includes Bloody Mary mix, vodka or jalapeno pepper vodka, and ice. There are an infinite number of garnishes for toppings. Some guests will be fine with just a celery stalk, while others will load theirs up with homemade quick-pickled carrots, beans, onions, radishes, cocktail onions, olives, shrimp, lemon slices, and extra hot sauce. Prepare the mix ahead of time and serve with ice in cups with a salted rim.
Fans may also use Mathis’ cookbook to learn about various schools’ traditions and tailgating cultures. “Every team has its own colors, chants, songs, and traditions that are unique to them,” he said. “Fans wearing bowties or sundresses with high heels are something you won’t see in areas outside of the South,” for example.”
Mathis’ entertaining rundowns on unique Southern football traditions—from fans’ game-day attire and hand signals to the music of the marching bands—are sure to lift both seasoned and novice tailgaters to greater heights of tailgate pleasure.
According to Mathis, anyone can tailgate. “Tailgating is an activity for all ages, from nine months to ninety-nine years, and it appeals to anyone who loves great food, being around loved ones, and supporting his or her team.”
Keep up with Mathis’ book signing and speaking tour by following his blog, Taylor Takes a Taste.
“Remember, you can’t control how your team performs on the field. All you can do is throw the best pre-game celebration possible.”
This has always been my go-to salsa. It’s on the table every time I host a tailgate. It’s easy to prepare and tastes great any time of year. But be careful—if you stand within reach of it for too long, you could end up too full to eat anything else!
Makes about 7 cups
2 (15-ounce) cans of black beans
1 (19-ounce) can of garbanzo beans
1 (11-ounce) can of sweet corn kernels
2 (10-ounce) cans of Rotel tomatoes with lime and cilantro
1 cup diced red bell peppers
1 cup diced green bell peppers
1⁄4 cup minced onions
2 tablespoons lime juice
2 teaspoons grated lime zest
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 teaspoon salt
1⁄4 teaspoon McCormick Coarse Ground Black Pepper
1 1⁄2 cups chopped cilantro leaves
Drain all canned ingredients and add to a large bowl. Add the peppers, onions, lime juice, lime zest, garlic, salt, and pepper. Stir until evenly mixed together. Toss in the cilantro. Store in a sealable container and refrigerate overnight. On game day, keep in a cooler until ready to serve. Stir before serving.