There Are Rules to a Great Super Bowl Party. Rules, People!
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For those of us in food media, it’s hard to say whether the Super Bowl is our Thanksgiving or if Thanksgiving is our Super Bowl. Either way, I know that at 6:30 p.m. EST this Sunday, I will be sitting down to far more food and drink than any self-respecting dad with a day job and early-morning school run should be indulging in.
I also know, after many years, that like any questionably officiated NFL game, there are rules to a Super Bowl party, some of which should even be enforced. Here are mine:
Drinks
Beer and wine. Period. I am too old to pound cocktails on a Sunday night. (Remember the part about the day job and the school run?) However, I know my guests will expect something other than the cans of Budweiser I rely on, so I will heed the advice of Alex Delany and stock up on the increasingly easy-to-drink craft beer varietals that come in those cool, smartly designed tall boys. And speaking of easy to drink, I’ll also jam my cooler full with some Marissa Ross–approved pét-nats, complete with pop-off crown tops.
Speaking of coolers. You should absolutely lug your Yeti or Coleman in from the garage, place a beach towel beneath it, load it up with ice and put it to good use.
Also, who am I kidding? I do have younger friends, and friends without day jobs. So, about that cocktail. This year, as I yammer on about on Wednesday’s upcoming Super Bowl-themed Bon Appétit Foodcast, I’m thinking of a DIY paloma bar: a pitcher of freshly squeezed grapefruit juice (it’s citrus season, remember?), a bottle of quality silver tequila, a bucket of ice, crisp seltzer, and lime wedges. Okay, I’ll have one.
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Appetizers
There will be dips. Lots of dips. We have a bazillion recipes, but I particularly dig our Slow-Roasted Onion Dip, our Creamy Kimchi Dip, and because it’s not the Super Bowl without copious amounts of molten cheese, the world-famous Bob Armstrong Chile con Queso. I’ll slice up a bunch of fennel, some radishes, and whatever else looks good and set those out with some good tortilla chips and potato chips. (While I’m generally an Utz loyalist, I will admit that you need a sturdy chip when dip is in the equation, so I will defer to Cape Cod kettle chips in this instance.)
Main course
A) Halftime is dinner time. B) Once the last note of the Star Spangled Banner is sung, I’m done cooking. So, in the interest of getting things done ahead of time...
I am all about the Italian hero bar, which I wrote about a few weeks ago. Set out the thinly shaved cold cuts, shredded iceberg (a.k.a. shrettuce), pickled red onions, Calabrian chili spread, oil and vin, dried oregano, mayonnaise (deal with it, all you mayo-haters), and cottony soft hero rolls. And let people have at it. You can get the actual recipe here.
On a similar note, I’m also considering getting started a day ahead and making Basically’s Sriracha-Braised Brisket Sandwiches. And then rewarming it and shredding it and setting it out with potato rolls and homemade coleslaw for DIY sandwiches. Hard to argue with.
Or, speaking of the podcast, maybe I’ll run back last year’s Hail Mary of an idea, the Bo Ssam-Style Pulled Pork Sandwiches, perhaps the greatest sandwich ever conceived in the halls of BA.
Man, quite the playbook we’ve got coming together.
Dessert
Dessert? Seriously? We’re all adults here. Do we really need dessert? And if you’re on the east coast, shouldn’t your kids be home and in bed by the second half?
The Important Stuff
The over-under, as of today, is set at 56.5 points. I’m betting the under. I think Aaron Donald and Ndamukong Suh are going to get to Brady. And I think Belichick will figure out a way to stymie Goff. So, yeah, bet the under. You’re welcome!
Get the recipes:
Paloma
Slow-Roasted Onion Dip
Creamy Kimchi Dip
Bob Armstrong Chile con Queso
Party-Ready Italian Heros
Sriracha-Braised Brisket Sandwiches
Classic Coleslaw
Bo Ssam-Style Pulled Pork Sandwiches
