Dash to the malls, dress
up for parties, cook tons of
food, play overtime.

• • •

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Whether at the stadium or in your back yard,
bring a little Birmingham to your tailgate party.
Photo by Richelle Antipolo (CC).

By Sean Kelley

With college football season starting‚ it’s time to tailgate. Whether you’re headed to the Plains, tailgating in T-Town, cooking out in town or just gathering around the HD in your living room, serve a little Birmingham to your guests.

Meat: Nothing says class like steak at a tailgate party. But before you reach for the A1, consider dressing up your beef with Dale’s Seasoning, first bottled in Birmingham in 1946 and works on steak, hamburger and chicken.

Serving barbecue instead? Several Birmingham barbecue joints sell their sauces at the register or in supermarkets. Our favorite is Saw’s BBQ in Homewood, but you can also get sauce from Bob Sykes Bar-B-Q in Bessemer and Golden Rule Bar-B-Q, among others.

Chips and dip: Nothing says football in the South like Golden Flake. Seriously, the snack food company has sponsored everyone from the Bear to Gene Chizik. Plus, its potato chips have been a Birmingham tradition since 1923. And while Auburn and Alabama may no longer play in Magic City, Golden Flake still does.

And what better to accompany your chip than a dip that’s all Birmingham? Pick up a tub of Party Dip from Barber’s Dairy from the grocery store.

Side dish: While you’re at the market, grab a head of cabbage and a bottle of John’s Famous Angel Hair Slaw and Salad Dressing, created by Birmingham restaurateur John Proferis. Just be sure to slice your cabbage thin.

Dessert: Put out a bowl of Bud’s Best Cookies, a Birmingham tradition for more than 40 years. Or serve a treat from one of Birmingham’s distinctive bakeries. Pick up a dozen cupcakes from Urban Standard downtown or a tailgating party tray from Savage’s Bakery in Homewood, themed for your team.

Once you’ve done that, you’re ready for kickoff, Birmingham-style.

• • •

Also:

• The Bell Center Tailgate Challenge on Saturday
• Kick’n Chick’n Birmingham Wing Fest on Oct. 9 for Magic Moments

• • •

Sean Kelley (@seankelley) is a Birmingham health writer and food lover as well as writer, editor and online content manager for Everwell.

• • •

Hungry for more? Check out the menu of Birmingham’s Best Eats!

Buy, borrow or steal real glasses for your whiskey tasting party.
Anything’s better than plastic. Photo by Sean Kelley.

By Sean Kelley

A few years ago, a New Orleans chef surprised me with an aged bourbon that had all the character and complexity of a refined single malt Scotch. I thought bourbon was the stuff you mixed with Coke before football games.

I’ve been on a whiskey journey since, touring Kentucky distilleries, interviewing tasters and sampling varieties. It culminated in a springtime whiskey tasting on our farm, and we’re planning our second this fall. We spent about $400 on our party, the bulk on whiskey.

So how do you host a whiskey tasting?

Plan with variety in mind. We sampled three bourbons and three Scotches; each was very different. I started with mild mainstream ones: If you start out with an unexpected or harsh kind, like a peaty Islay Scotch, your guests may have a hard time tasting the next sample.

Discuss the lineup. After some online research, I kept notes on cards to share with guests. I asked them what flavors they tasted, noting them for future reference.

Have plenty of distilled water on hand. Some vintages are better and more interesting with a few drops of water. And not everyone drinks whiskey straight.

Choose a complementary menu. Ours included smoked ribs, jalepeño creamed corn, bourbon baked beans and, of course, bourbon balls.

It’s a tasting, not a drinking orgy. Keep tasting sizes to around 1/2 ounce. Use a jigger to measure. And spread your party over several hours: We sampled from 5 to 9 p.m. and allowed guests plenty of time to recover before they left.

Cheers!

Sean Kelley (@seankelley) is a Birmingham health writer and food lover as well as writer, editor and online content manager for Everwell.

• • •

Hungry for more? Check out the menu of Birmingham’s Best Eats!

He was raised better
than this, but sometimes shows his
insecurity.

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Shower, dress up, park,
meet and greet, drink heavily,
go home, drop, repeat.

• • •

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Entertaining at
home begins with love and ends
with massive cleanup.

• • •

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Among the cupboards,
we huddle to bask in each
other’s friendly glow.

• • •

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