I’d like to say it’s been a long season – but, it hasn’t. It seems like just yesterday we were all rolling into Lehigh on a bright, beautiful, sunny day. But here we are, one week left in the season, with a whole lot of B’s lined up.
First, it’s Low Country Shrimp Boil at the pre-game tailgate. Down south, this is a tailgate staple crop, primarily because it’s just too good and too easy to do. South Carolina folks may know it as a Frogmore Stew since it originated from Frogmore community in the low country area near Beaufort, South Carolina.
My Cajun friends do a variation of this recipe by throwing in crawfish and a whole lot of very spicy stuff to kick it up about twelve notches. But this one is from my side of the Mississippi. We’ll kick it up one or two notches, though. I’ve included the recipe below, to show how easy it really is to prepare at a tailgate.
After the tailgate, it’s time to handle the Blowout part of the day. Just what the heck is a Dartmouth Big Green? I know I’m just a freshman parent, but I think it’s about as silly as a Harvard Cantab. At first, I thought it was a big tree. I really don’t care. What I want is a big, old lopsided win for the Tigers so we can spend much of the game celebrating and Ivy game scoreboard watching. You know why!
Then we move on to a 7:00 pm Saturday Bonfire. Yep, we beat ‘em both – Harvard and Yale! Now I understand we get to burn something big. Can’t wait. I’d say if they use just a small portion of the cut wood I’ve seen all over campus following Sandy, it will be a big burn. And if you get a chance, take a look at the YouTube clips from past Princeton bonfires and you gotta come to the conclusion that it’s time to burn one.
And then, the coup de grace, or for those of us who didn’t take French, a decisive finishing blow (got another B in there). I mentioned wanting the time to do some scoreboard watching. The above B’s are all things we control. But we need some help from our Big Red “friends”. For this week, I think the Cornell Big Red is a truly wonderful mascot. Especially if they perform like they have at home and send the Quakers back with a loss. Because then, we take care of the final B. Our guys earn their Bling and as early as Sunday they can be fitted for Ivy League Championship rings.
Tell me that ain’t the recipe for a perfect B weekend!
~ Go Tigers!
Low Country Shrimp Boil
Thanks to our friends Joe Atkinson and Debby & Jeff Meyer for introducing us to this great party food and recipe!
Serves about 15 – two or three pot boils, depending on the pot size. For a tailgate cut everything up prior to arriving and then cook over a single burner (not on top of a grill). And ask your tailgating buddies to bring additional seafood and sausage to throw into the pot!
Ingredients:
- 2-3 gallons water
- 3 bottles of beer (why do my recipes always start here?)
- 1-2 cans Tony Chacheres Creole Seasoning (in honor of my Cajun friends)
- 1-2 bags Zatarains Seafood Boil mix
- 1 big bottle Crystal hot sauce
- 2 bottles Orville Redenbachers Butter Flavored Oil
- ½ large bottle garlic salt
- ¼ can salt
- 4 lemons squeezed into water
- 3-5 lbs red potatoes halved or quartered
- 4 big onions quartered
- 2 lbs Andouille sausage sliced
- ½ large bottle garlic cloves
- 12 ears fresh corn, halved or cut in thirds
- 6-7 lbs med/large shrimp, unpeeled
- Butter and cocktail sauce, if desired
Instructions:
- Bring water to boil over a burner in a large pot with beer, Creole Seasoning, Seafood Boil mix, hot sauce, Orville Redenbachers Butter Flavored Oil, garlic salt, salt, and lemons.
- Add red potatoes and cook for 15 minutes
- Add onion, Andouille sausage and garlic cloves and let cook for 10 – 15 minutes
- Add corn and cook for another 10 – 15 minutes
- Add shrimp, turn off heat, and let shrimp steep until they surrender and turn pink
- Drain and dump on a table with newspaper or butcher block paper as a tablecloth
- Serve with cocktail sauce & butter
- Invite everyone to reach in and grab a plate or just stand around the table and eat and drink.
Time to dig in with both hands!
~ Enjoy!