ESPN Gameday Gourmet: More Than 80 All-American Tailgate Recipes [Paperback]

Pableaux Johnson (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: July 10, 2007

Forget the foie gras and the wine.We’re talking about authentic, stick-to-your-ribs football food. Sizzling bratwurst grilled to perfection, the way they like ’em in Wisconsin. Steamy pots of spicy Texas chili and hearty Louisiana gumbo. Maybe some Peanut Butter Buckeyes or a slice of Commodore Chess Pie. All washed down, of course, with one of those great cocktails that Florida and Georgia fans mix up so well.

Sound tempting? Well, dig in to ESPN GameDay Gourmet, a one-stop source for expert advice on the ultimate tailgate party. Inside you’ll find more than 80 easy-to-follow recipes from the nation’s most hallowed college football meccas, a rich mix of history and tradition, helpful cooking tips, and fun food facts, served with a double dollop of ESPN humor. With an introduction by Mike Golic and contributions from the ESPN College Gameday crew (Chris Fowler, Kirk Herbstreit, and Lee Corso), ESPN GameDay Gourmet is the perfect playbook for every autumn Saturday and a foolproof way to jump-start your taste buds for the many showdowns ahead.

Editorial Reviews

Review

". . . make you wish you were sitting down with him right now, with a crust of French bread in your hand . . ." -- Rick Bragg

"Pableaux Johnson is one of those people who can write about New Orleans food and make you wish you were sitting down with him, right now, with a crust of French bread in your hand, daubing at the red gravy." -- Rick Bragg

About the Author

Pableaux Johnson is a New Orleans-based food and travel writer and the author of several books on Louisiana food culture. He is a regular contributor to The New York Times and Saveur magazine. His work has also appeared in the New Orleans Times-Picayune, Bon Appétit,and Lonely Planet’sWorld Food series.

Product Details

• Paperback: 208 pages
• Publisher: ESPN (July 10, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1933060158
• ISBN-13: 978-1933060156
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 7.5 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 10.6 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,030,022 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #24 in Books > Cookbooks, Food & Wine > Outdoor Cooking > Tailgating

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Good stuff!, October 11, 2007

By 

Beaumont (New York, NY) - See all my reviews

This review is from: ESPN Gameday Gourmet: More Than 80 All-American Tailgate Recipes (Paperback)

I got this book because I'm a really big college football fan and I like the idea of learning how to cook better, but, truth be told, I'm not really very good at it. (I've never tailgated in my life, but love the bbq!) There are good tips in it for beginners without it feeling like the writer is talking down to you and the recipes that I've done have all come out GREAT without a lot of fuss. And the little sidebars by the ESPN guys are really funny, so I even read the whole thing. Who sits down and reads a COOKBOOK? Well, this one you can. I recommend it highly.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars POT ROAST!, October 7, 2009

By 

Jason (Funkytown) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: ESPN Gameday Gourmet: More Than 80 All-American Tailgate Recipes (Paperback)

With a foreword by Mike Golic, former NFL and Notre Dame defensive tackle, now of Mike & Mike fame, this book starts off perfectly. Nothing fancy should be at tailgates, and ketchup doesn't belong on a brat (Golic agrees). The rest of the 174 pages of this magnum opus to tailgating do not disappoint.

The entire production of Gameday Gourmet is perfect for the sports fan. Both the recipes and technicalities of tailgating are broken down like box scores. Nothing complicated, and very in order. The guide is not, however, stuffy and purely regurgitated ingredients; in fact, there is a ton of humor within. If it's not the "All-Time Tailgating Team" (e.g. Porkchop Womack, Refrigerator Perry, Jerry Rice, Jack Ham), it's the creatively named dishes and the sidebars with helpful information about the intricacies of pregame events.

More than a simple recipe book, there are guides for the novice tailgater. What to bring, how to cook it, what's essential for set up, who to be on the lookout for, and even the basics of an indoor tailgating experience. This is the definitive guide of tailgating, the top of the pantheon, and everyone who follows the guidelines is well on their way to MVP status.

A few favorites from the recipes
Breakfast: Sticky Fingers Monkey Bread - Like cinnamon rolls, but with nuts and more sugar. Perfect for the early morning starts on the west coast.

Dips: Hurry up Black Bean Dip - A bit spicy, a pregame must for Big 12 games

Liquids: LSU Tigers Milk Punch - Essentially a milkshake with whiskey, a delicacy spawned from the insanity that is SEC football

Grilling/Barbecuing: First of all, if you don't know the difference between grilling and barbecue, you need to buy this book if you plan to tailgate. As for the my favorite from this book, easy, brats in beer.

Long-cooking: Fighting Irish Beef Stew - The prep work is minimal, and it produces a delicious concoction with tons of ingredients. Could be similar to Bachelor Stew (i.e. grab a ton of stuff from the fridge and throw into crockpot).

Casseroles: Hashmark Hash Brown Casserole - Stay away if you don't like cheese with your cheese.

There's even a small section of salads and desserts, neither of which belong at a tailgate. These two sections are the books only failing, and directly contradict Golic's advice in the foreword.

Great book. Put on pounds like the big boys. POT ROAST!

Jason Elin

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great gift for college football fan!, December 23, 2008

By 

POK gal (New York) - See all my reviews

This review is from: ESPN Gameday Gourmet: More Than 80 All-American Tailgate Recipes (Paperback)

My husband and brother-in-law are both huge college football fans and love to cook so this was perfect for them. Love the way the book addresses individual teams instead of just lumping the usual tailgating favs together. Also liked having the commentators I'm used to seeing throw their 2 cents in. Would definitely recommend to friends!