Falk - The Hungry Fans Game Day Cookbook 165 Recipes for Eating, Drinking & Watching Sports

THE HUNGRY FANS

GAME DAY

COOKBOOK

RECIPES FOR EATING, DRINKING & WATCHING SPORTS

* DAINA FALK *

TABLE OF CONTENTS

INTRODUCTION

When I say Ive been a Hungry Fan from the womb, I mean it in the most literal sense possible. I learned not too long ago from my mom that my first time traveling with NBA basketball players was on a trip through Italy... in my moms stomach. I think its safe to say this early taste of sports and molto delizioso food from inside the womb set the scene for the rest of my life.

My father, David Falk, began his sports agent career in the 1970s, starting as an unpaid intern and ultimately becoming one of the most renowned agents in the industry, representing major sports stars and coaches like Michael Jordan; Boomer Esiason; Arthur Ashe; Patrick Ewing; Dikembe Mutombo; Coach K; Coach John Thompson, Jr.; and the list goes on. I share this not to brag about my dad (although I am so fiercely proud of him), but to give you some insight into what I was exposed to growing up. His heyday was in the 1990s, a very formative part of my childhood. On any given day we would have professional athletes staying in our guest room, calling our house (pre-cell phone), or passing lo mein across the table at dinner (so many of them liked eating Chinese takeout).

I grew up loving sports. But Ive also always been a good eater. If its in front of me, Ill eat itfrom a lambs head during Greek Easter dinner in Astoria, Queens (my first spring in NYC), to whatever delicious Japanese food I espied every 90 minutes or so during my first trip to Tokyo (except for when I was asleep, of coursethough then I was probably dreaming of food). During college, I studied abroad and furthered my passion for foodnot just eating it, but also preparing itin cooking classes in France and Italy. I learned classical techniques and enjoyed eating and cooking with the freshest of ingredients. After graduation, I was all set to move to Los Angeles for a job at a Beverly Hills talent agency when I was involved in a serious car accident. I relocated anyway, and the silver lining of what felt like a not-so-awesome situation was that my extensive post-accident physical therapy regime inspired me to adopt a healthier lifestyle (including eating fresh, organic ingredients, which is quite easy in LA)and in the process I shed 60 pounds.

Im proud to say that Im in better, healthier shape than ever before. But on game day, all bets are off. My nutrition professor in college once said (and this has stuck with me) that stress is far more dangerous to ones health than being slightly overweight. (Note the emphasis on the word slightly.) Thus, I say eat healthy six days a weekbut on game day, enjoy yourself! I like to think of game day as a calorie-free zone where you can eat and drink exactly what you want. Theres nothing better than cheering on your team at deafeningly loud decibels while chowing down on sportsfood yummies. (Fun fact: I originated the hashtag #sportsfood on Twitter and Facebook). Besides, Ive got enough on my plate (pun intended) worrying about my teamI cant also be counting calories and fearing for my waistline.

There was a brief time, toward the end of college, when I contemplated being a sports agent like my dad. That didnt last. Nonetheless, I knew I wanted to work in sportsI just wanted to pave my own path. I spent a lot of time thinking about how to do thatasking myself what I am passionate about, what I know, what Im good at, etceteraand I came to recognize this exciting intersection where sports and food meet. Its a giant, meaningful part of the sports fan experience. And since Ive been a sports fan longer than I can remember, I realized I had found my calling.

I have this habit of keeping sticky notes and a pen by my bed. I find that I have some of my best ideas in the middle of the night. In the early morning hours of January 1, 2011, I finally went to bed after helping out at a huge multi-day/night concert in Miami. When I awoke later that day, I found I had left myself an interesting note. It simply said Hungry Fan. I instantly knew it was the perfect name for meand for you, the Hungry Fans of America; the people I consider the most passionate people Ive ever had the pleasure of meeting. Hungry Fan gelled slowly. I stewed on the concept for nearly a year before soft-launching my website, HungryFan.com, in late 2011.

As The Hungry Fan (my moniker) and the face of the Hungry Fan brand, I like to say my job is to curate the fan experience. I actually trademarked the word fangating, and its the word I use when describing the act of watching sports with friends and family while enjoying delicious food and drink. The term is meant to be location-neutral. You could be in a parking lot, at home, or on the moonif youre eating, drinking, and watching sports, then youre fangating. (Use it and pass it on!) My websites main purpose is to feature my fangating recipes, which I now pass along to you, conveniently bundled into one book for your reading and cooking pleasure. (Its way, way easier to cook from a recipe when its in a book, if you ask me. I hate getting sauce splatter, oil smears, and chopped bits of whatever on my iPad or phone. Its terribly messy. Who wants a phone caked with BBQ sauce for days?)

Typically, the recipes I feature on my site are specifically crafted for matchups happening in the days following my post. For example, when my Dukies finally made their first bowl game in decades, they faced off against Cincinnati. So I published a blog featuring recipes for North Carolinastyle BBQ (of which I ate plenty during my days in Durham) and Cincinnati sky-high chili. I like highlighting authentic, regional flavors and celebrating the variety of cultures throughout this nation.

This cookbook is an ode to every sports fan out there, regardless of gender, race, ethnicity, age, or team preference (even you, Carolina Tarheels). Whether its basketball, football, baseball, hockey, tennis, soccer, NASCAR, or any other competitive sport that makes your heart beat a little faster or causes you to scream like a maniac and nibble without abandon, this cookbook is for you. Happy cookingand even happier eating!

FANGATING

A few years ago, I came up with the word Fangating. It is such a mouthful to say tailgating or homegating, so I just crafted the word fangating to mean both. Whether youre at home or in the parking lot outside the stadiumor even on the moonif youre eating, drinking, hanging with friends and family, and watching sports, youre officially fangating. (Use it and pass it on!)

FRIENDLY FANGATING TIP

Ive created something to make your tailgating meals easier: The Hungry Fan 3-in-1 Fangating Bag, or Fangater for short. Many of the recipes in this book can be started at home and then placed inside your Fangater to get you to your game. By the time youre there and set up with your tailgate, the dish will be ready to eat! Tailgating has never been so delicious.

STARTERS

Sportsfood is meant to be shareable, accessible, tasty, and fun to eat. Its the less-fancy cousin of gourmet cuisine that tastes best made with quality ingredients and it can be dressed up to a degree. But at its core, sportsfood is rooted in time-honored (often regional) traditions and ought to be enjoyed by everyone.