1. SHEPHERD EXPRESS | STEIN & DINE APRIL 21, 2016 | 7
TAILGATE
TALES
H
ow do you tailgate? We at the Shepherd love
to tailgate. It’s the beer, the food, the sun
(sometimes) and the Brewers or Packers.
Here’s how we do it.
Mark’s tailgate is all about fresh sausage ~ One of
my favorite tailgate foods is fresh Hungarian bratwurst…
tasty, spicy and, on a grill, just delicious. The spices
inside give it all the flavor.
Stephanie is Sheboygan-born and proud, and we can
see why ~ My favorite way to tailgate is to start out with
a good game of bag toss and a nice cold microbrew.
Some of my favorite local brews are Hinterland’s
Packerland Pilsner and New Glarus Spotted Cow—
refreshing and not too heavy during the warm summers.
When I’m in the mood for something a bit more citrusy
and hoppy, I tend to reach for 3 Sheeps Really Cool
Waterslides or Lakefront Brewery’s IPA. Now, what’s a
tailgate without food?! Being a Sheboygan native, my
tailgates aren’t complete without Sheboygan hard rolls
(Johnston’s Bakery and City Bakery are great places to
pick these up!) and a nice juicy brat covered in spicy
mustard and sauerkraut. Yum!
Lisa loves the Bloody Mary ~ When I’m not biking
to the game, nothing is better for a Saturday or Sunday
afternoon game tailgate than a bloody Mary with an
ice-cold beer chaser. I love Capital Brewery’s Supper
Club. The secret to my stunning bloody? Ssshhh… it’s
honey Dijon mustard. I also like to pour a little beer into
it for the carbonation and malty flavor. On the grill, I
like sausage, steak or chicken with grilled vegetables:
zucchini, asparagus, bell peppers or corn. I also love
pineapple on the grill; it’s sweet, smoky and delicious!
Christian’s is all about the two-wheel transportation
and a beer outside the park ~ I’ve thought about
hitching a mini-grill and charcoal to my bike, but a
cooler full of Usinger’s added to that load is just too
much to haul to Miller Park.
My tailgate haul consists of the beers that fit in my
backpack and a bike lock. From there, I guzzle the
brews, and feel slightly guilty about skipping out on
the parking fee. Milwaukee, a small-market team after
all, needs my $15 parking fee far more than any other
home-9 in the majors. Though, overall, I’m happy to
avoid the hassles of parking with a fee-free bike ride
through the parking gates.
So, what to do with the $15 I saved on parking?
From there, I feel justified in buying an overpriced brat.
Milwaukee, a small market team after all, needs my
$15 sausage fee far more than any other home-9 in the
majors.
For Alissa and her crew, it’s all about the junk food
and hanging out ~ For every Packer game there is
a tradition/system. You park in the same/traditional
parking area as you have parked for the past 10+ years.
My in-laws have become friends with the people that
tailgate around them because, well, they do the same
tradition. You pop up your Packer tent. You bring out the
small portable Weber grill. You bring the cheapest beer
you can find. The chips/dip/pretzels/candy anything
awful that you can eat comes out of the trunk. What’s
the best dip!?!?! Chicken wing dip that you plug into
the car outlet. In the small portable crock I put cream
cheese, red hot sauce, shredded cheese, and shredded
chicken, so good and easy, and tastes wonderful with
an ice-cold beer no matter the temperature outside. You
pop your chair outside and sit and enjoy!
Kevin loves pretzels and dip and beer; you’ll want to
try this recipe ~
Beer Cheese Dip for Pretzels ~ Yield: 4 cups
Ingredients:
• 2 (8-oz.) packages cream cheese, softened
• 1 package ranch dressing mix
• 2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
• 2 green onions, chopped, tops only
• between one-third and one-half cup beer,
any flavor
Directions:
1. In a bowl, combine cream cheese and ranch
dressing mix.
2. Stir in cheese, green onions and then beer
until desired consistency.
3. Cover bowl and refrigerate overnight.