Taylor tastes a tailgate tour…

If you have been following my blog, you probably have noticed that I visit a lot of college towns to discover amazing food ( recently I just got back from a western tour which will include dishes from Colorado State, Cal-Berkeley, Iowa, Nebraska and more. Look for those in the next few weeks)

I went to the University of  Wisconsin and think Madison is the best college town and has some amazing food! (yes I am biased) This past year, I have been all over the country and found some pretty amazing dishes Well, like any idea an evolution has happened.

I love food but the second most important word that starts with f in my life is FOOTBALL! I love college football. There is nothing better than game day on a college campus. In college, I would swim for 3 hours, get out of the pool, hurry home, pound down some breakfast and go stand for 3 quarters, do JUMP AROUND then stand for the 4th quarter. That was the plan for the 11am games. When games were later in the afternoon or at night there was plenty of eating and drinking before the game.

A gameday in Madison is not complete with out a bratwurst. Wisconsin loves their brats. My roommate Dan ( a Wisconsin native) introduced me to this amazing weapon in the grilling arsenal. Here is how Dan would make them.

First you have to set up the grill.

Then light the charcoal.

While waiting for all the coals to light and the flames to die down you must prepare the brats. This involves 3 ingredients.

All you need is your brats, 1/2 of a large onion cut into strips, and beer. Simply put the brats, onion and beer into a pot,place on the grill, cover, and let simmer on the grill for 10 minutes or so.

Next, remove the brats from the liquid and place on the grill.

Right out of the beer they do not look too appetizing, but after a little time on the grill that will change.

That should even make my vegetarian friends drool. Ah memories of college right there.

Serve on a toasted bun with some ketchup. Mmmmmm That is a perfect tailgating meal. I have shared with you what my tailgating experience was like in Madison, but I want to know what else is out there. Simply put I want to answer this question.

What school has the best tailgate in the county?

In order to figure this out, I have decided to hit the road this fall and embark on the taylor tastes a tailgate tour.  I have compiled a schedule that will over 13 weeks, take me to 12 schools in 11 states. Here is the schedule of schools I plan on visiting.

1. Sept 4th       Ole Miss
2. Sept 11th     Wisconsin
3. Sept 18         Virginia Tech
4. Sept 25         Penn State
5. Oct 2             Oklahoma vs Texas in Dallas
6. bye week
7. Oct 16          Washington
8. Oct 23          Tennessee
9. Oct 30          Georgia v Florida in Jacksonville
10. Nov 6           LSU
11. Nov 13         Auburn
12. Nov 18         Alabama
13. Nov 27         Ohio St

Yes this is an ambitious schedule, but I feel that if I am going to find the best in the country, I will have to travel the country.  I hope that by the end of this trip I will be able to find out who is the best.

*Note: comprising this list was quite challenging. There were a lot of great schools that did not make it. I apologize if I left your school off the list.

To do this I need your help. My college tailgating experience was at the University of Wisconsin, so I am aware of what to expect on a game day in Madison, but beyond that I am clueless. If you went to a school on the list or have been there to tailgate, I would love to hear from you (or if you have an opinion about the tour I would love to hear from you as well.)

Are there certain traditions that are part of the tailgating experience? A certain dress code everyone has? Really anything that you feel a complete outsider should know going into your school’s tailgate.

Additionally, if you are in school still, plan on going to any of these games I would love to include you on the blog. If you know anyone who is still in school and will be tailgating this fall I would love if you could connect me with them.

Thank you in advance for your help I really appreciate it. I look forward to this fall and sharing with you the amazing tailgating experiences I find.

- Taylor