Game Day Buffet, the rise of champions amongst snacks

When the buffet is another game day endzone

The fall begins the playoffs in any sports kitchen across America. When the gastronomical fortitude of any couch and armchair player's prowess is tested against an array of sturdy disposable plates and hardy handy wipes. The lean summer gut is again replenished with barley suds and an assortment of fat-laden and sugar-loaded gourmet delights. A seasonal appreciation of regional delicacies that begin to encompass the cultural diaspora of ethnicities that encompass an American past time, a Sunday football spread.

The super bowl buffet is not regulated to standards but is earned from the valiant efforts of our gridiron soldiers whose weekly endeavors propel local favorites onto dining room tables. With each victory, they propel the latest champion closer to the main event. Each region not only vias for a victory on the field, but a victory in the kitchen to propel them to their final spot on the super bowl buffet.

2021 brought us the struggles of the 2020 season and the final menu contestants drawn from a field of mighty contenders. The AFC gave me choices from Indianapolis Indiana with a seven layers salad which for a game day almost was disqualified by its brush of healthiness, even with the name itself, salad. Cleveland Ohio with its midwestern German roots of assorted sausages and krauts with buns and mustard. Pittsburg weighed in with its’ German heritage but was doused with ketchup. Tennessee squealed with the southern pork BBQ. Baltimore was evermore with some fried crab balls since the season of a softshell crab sandwich was a wish away. We seem to always give respect to buffalo with the wings, no matter what flavor or style they always still seem to be called “Buffalo Wings”. We finish with a stampede in Kansas which is never confused with Missouri even though only a bridge and river keep them apart and we serve beef BBQ with burnt ends.

Our NFC rivals however can be just as exciting or dull. With Green Bay we will stay in the dairyland and celebrate with fried cheese curds and velvety fondue. Our Saintly New Orleans friends with entrance us with Cajun and Creole delicacies and may even create the Muffuletta or beignets. Chicago again will champion their hotdogs even though they naturally will not associate with our Pittsburgh friends. The Seattle crowd sans pocket protectors, but with tightly held cups of fresh Java or some Ethiopian coffee blend. We may finally get to set a table of California cuisine even though it may be heavily infused with Mexican flavors. Our District of Columbia may be represented by the FootBall team and we could enjoy some fried crab balls again. With any luck though southern Florida could be represented with Cuban sandwiches, deviled crab or maybe this year New England Clam Chowder.

Within the course of history, we are brought together by rivals who wish to participate on a field of glory and bring a championship back to the adoring throngs of admirers and revolvers. After weeks of sampling hot dogs, brats and kraut, wings of teriyaki, BBQ, hot sauce and blue cheese, nachos of burnt ends and mellifluous cheese sauce, Pork BBQ, Beef BBQ, fried crab balls and crab dips to end with chowders of broths and creams. We have an unparallel field of champions to create a menu of epic proportions.

With buccaneers and chiefs, we have a surf and turf for the grand buffet. In order to bring balance to our universe, each item must be selected to complement or contradict an opposing dish. Beverages being the gateway to any festivity we will begin with mojitos and beer, both refreshing while one distinctly minty and festive the other is as festive for a cold winter evening. We will have a platter of Cubano sandwiches blending the roast pork, sliced ham, shaved cheese and sharp pickle mashed together on its own gridiron alongside the smokey beef brisket witch languished for hours over a pit of smoldering lump wood coal to be layered on a soft bun and smothered with a thick sweet tomatoey BBQ sauce. We will supplement with some mango and Chinese cabbage slaw spiked with cilantro and peppers to accompany the green cabbage slaw wilted by sugar and white vinegar enrobed in mayonnaise. We will toss in some devilled crab dip with crispy corn tortilla chips and place it next to the onion sour cream dip with pretzels and wavy potato chips. We will round out our festive menu with some sweet delights such as key lime pie next to a delightful instant pudding tossed with imitation whipped topping and crushed chocolate sandwich cookies to resemble the terroir of the away team’s home.

With the complete spread though I feel we would be out of place though if we did not serve up a large cauldron of New England Clam chowder and a big pot of Boston Baked beans to truly encapsulate the true redeemer of our day.