Tailgating for my college team today was superb…beautiful weather, great food and best of all – our team won the game!

Tailgating is one of my favorite past-times and perhaps my only form of exercise. It is a weekly highlight of every fall football season. Oh, but a win makes it so much sweeter. Sorry Vandy. You did your best.

Cynthia demonstrates the rigors of tailgating.

I was especially impressed with the marinated shrimp our friends Cynthia and Larry brought up from the Gulf coast. These perennial Mississippi State Bulldog fans always bring along delicacies from the sea that we rarely find in North Mississippi.

This year they brought a thick rich smokey tuna aioli (this didn’t come out of a can, folks) a delicious crab dip and a marinated shrimp that would make you slap yo’ mama. It was spiked with cilantro and capers that made it stand head and shoulders above the usual assortment of fried chicken and barbequed ribs.

Cynthia served her specialties in carved out pumpkins and fall squashes which added to the festive atmosphere . You can bet I’m stealin’ that idea for my next party. She even made the goblin cake pictured below. Continue reading →