Tallahassee Cooking Club, September 2009

Tailgating is a college tradition and our theme this month was a Gourmet Tailgate.  This evening was proof that you can still throw a kick-butt tailgate at home. We joined our hosts dressed in our best fan gear to eat and watch the Florida State Seminoles play against the Brigham Young Cougars. Fortunate for the Seminole fans there was not an unpleasant moment in this game for them (sigh). For us, too bad they were not hosting their tailgate for this week's game-oh, not pretty.

As our friends know, we bleed orange and blue for the University of Florida Gators. Did I mention that they were the #1 ranked college football team in the nation? Whew, I feel better continuing my blog post about this great Seminole tailgate party. A Seminole fan we are not, but we can appreciate a good tailgate party and our hosts would do just that.

All cooking club evenings begin with a good selection of wine.

A small plate for two of elegant bite-sized appetizers featuring beer foamed shrimp, cantaloupe and cilantro, honeydew and cucumber, cheese won-tons and salsa, strawberries and spinach with a balsamic reduction sauce and bacon butterscotch and apple.

Followed by a proscuitto stuffed with mozzarella cheese and herbs served on a bed of greens.

A grown-up version of macaroni and cheese

A slow oven baked version of Beef Bourginon

Followed by Mango-Blueberry fool garnished in Florida Gator orange and blue.

After tailgate drinks anyone?

Final Score Florida State 54, Brigham Young 28

We host our next Cooking Club! Our theme will be Colombian. I have been following Erica's blog and have been inspired by her fabulous Colombian recipes. Please check out her web site at www.colombianrecipes.com