It’s Tailgate Season! A LONG-LIVED TRADITION With professional and collegiate football games, live music, and other events this season, more and more people will be tailgating. For many, tailgating is equally as important as the game or event itself! It’s a chance for you and your loved ones to meet new people, play games, snack, and hang out before the event you’re attending. But how did tailgating start?
Battle of Bull Run in 1861. The crowd sang fight songs to encourage the Union army, took bets on how long the battle would take, and even caused a traffic jam after the battle was over! Sporting events and tailgating emerged during Ivy League football games. Many believe sports and tailgating first occurred together in 1869 before a football game between Rutgers and Princeton. It’s said that fans gathered to eat food together before kickoff. However, Yale claims to have started tailgating because, in the late 1800s, people had to walk from the railcar station to the stadium and had no time to eat beforehand. So, they started bringing food with them to eat before the game. So, the next time you go tailgating, think about these facts and compare the activities you do today to the ones fans used to do hundreds of years ago. Do you have any tailgating traditions? Are you planning on tailgating any games and concerts this season? We would love to know what you have planned!
In honor of National Tailgate Day, here are three facts you may not have known about the activity!
The ancient Greeks and Romans likely created tailgating. Two Notre Dame professors and anthropologists, John Sherry and Tonya Bradford, wanted to understand how American tailgating came to be. Their 2015 study compares the tailgating events we do today with those of ancient Greece and Rome and discovered the two activities are wildly similar. The ancient civilizations used to “tailgate” to celebrate their fall harvest, known as vestavals . The community gathered to feast, drink, and play games at these events to honor the fall harvest. Tailgating in the U.S. first began during the Civil War. Today, it’s wild to think about people tailgating during a war. But that didn’t stop families and individuals from grabbing their picnic baskets and sitting on top of a hill as they cheered on the Union soldiers during the
COZY FRENCH ONION SOUP
Ingredients
• 5 tbsp olive oil, divided • 1 tbsp butter • 8 cups sliced onions • 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/2 cup port wine • 2 32-oz cartons beef broth • Salt and pepper, to taste
• 24 slices baguette (1/2-inch thick) • 3/4 cup shredded Gruyere cheese
Directions
1. In a Dutch oven, heat 2 tbsp oil and butter over medium heat. Add onions and cook until softened, then reduce heat. Occasionally stir until brown (around 30 minutes). Add garlic and cook for 2 more minutes. 2. Stir in wine and bring to a boil. When liquid has reduced by half, add broth, salt, and pepper. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer for 1 hour. 3. Preheat oven to 400 F. On a baking sheet, brush baguette slices with remaining oil. Bake until golden (3–5 minutes each side). 4. In 12 broiler-safe 8-oz bowls, place 2 toast slices and pour soup into each. Top with cheese and broil until melted.
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Inspired by TasteOfHome.com
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