Sports events are demanding on cooks, especially if they are sports lovers themselves and want to watch a game or a race. We rarely attempt to cook the many-step chef's recipes, but we want hearty delicious food. In Fan Fare, Debbie Moose has put together a book of both classic and innovative recipes ranging from appetizers to hearty fare to desserts and, of course, some libations. Written with the verve of a true sports fan, each recipe acknowledges the need to prepare ahead, maybe even well ahead.
With understanding that a tailgate party requires planning and organization, Moose starts with a "Strategy Session" that does the work of organization. She lists points for planning ahead, a list of what to bring when you're "on the road." Using sports terminology, Moose goes forward to the recipes that guarantee success when the cook is also cheering the team. Each recipe is given in a straight-forward manner with "Extra Points" under each recipe in which she gives do-ahead tips.
Covering both summer at the grill and the chilly winter day when we cheer our favorite team from well-heated homes, Moose starts with the "kickoff" of Snacks, Appetizers and Drinks, a section that sets the tone of gathering recipes from any area devoted to sports. You'll find Masterful PC, Southern Style, a classic from the Masters Golf Tournament in Augusta, Georgia; Revved-Up Onion dip, a personal choice for a party to watch the Daytona 500. If you like a libation there is Thomas's Tennessee Cocktail, the creation of a University of Georgia fan. For Kentucky Derby fans, there is an essay on "The Art of the Mint Julep."
Continuing her theme, she head into soups and chilis with Foy's Patriot Clam Chowder (the 2001 New England Patriots win) to several chili recipes, reminding us that chili tastes better the next day and the cook is free to cheer. The main course section if filled with "...big eats and fan fuel. This is food for the land of the grilled and the home of the famished." She gives savory new recipes for wings, for steak and pork, and for those who go meatless, Norma's Cool Veggie Pizza. There are recipes for Salads, Sides, Breakfast and Brunch. Not forgetting dessert, she ranges from Krispy Kreme Bread Pudding and Jim's Bourbon-Pecan Pie to a rich Brownie Pudding Cake.
Moose has also organized recipes into menus for every occasion, from New Year's Day Football Feast to Breakfast at Wimbledon. Leaving no sport neglected, she has charming essays throughout the book on many sports events, including the chilly Alaskan Iditarod Trail sled dog race from Anchorage to Nome, Alaska. Yes, she's found the Skwentna Sweeties, "a core group of women in the town of Skwentna who spend weeks planning and preparing food for the mushers when they come through." Sports fans are sports fans!
Among the most charming pages in the book is one entitled "Good Excuses for a Tailgate" which lists the opportunity for parties in every month of the year.
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