Like a scene from a horror flick, your homemade ham salad or crowd-pleasing casserole could come back to haunt you--and everyone else at your tailgate party--if you don’t practice safe food storage. Follow our easy advice to prevent a real-life disaster.
Whether you’re tailgating, hiking, camping, or just planning a picnic, these food guidelines always apply.
- Reserve the bottom of the cooler for colder foods.
- Store salads, spreads, and dips in tightly sealed containers.
- Pack hamburger, hot dogs, and other meats separately in individual zip-top plastic freezer bags.
- Fill your cooler with plenty of ice, or use ice packs and frozen bottles of water. If traveling a long distance, consider taping the cooler lid with sturdy tape for a tighter seal.
- Keep cooked and raw foods in separate containers. If you plan to cook on-site, make sure you pack additional clean plates. Never place produce or cooked food on a plate that previously held raw meat.
- Follow the one-hour rule: Foods that need refrigeration should not sit out longer than one hour.
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Game-Day Checklist
Don’t leave home without these outdoor essentials. Shop at www.tailgatetown.com for some cool tailgating toys.
• Outdoor chairs and folding tables
• Tailgate tent or canopy
• Packed coolers
• Matches/lighter and charcoal (for a portable grill)
• Cookware and utensils
• Condiments
• Bottle opener
• Paper towels, napkins, and wet wipes
• Plates, cups, plastic ware
• Trash bags
• Extra blankets
• Rain gear (umbrella, poncho, boots)
• Hat
• Sunscreen
• Sunglasses
• Bug repellent
• Bottled water
• Camera, binoculars
• First aid kit
• Your tickets!
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10 Basic Tailgating Rules
If you’re past the college days of tailgating (translated: beer-guzzling gatherings), then go to game day like a grown-up. Graduate from those frivolous times to some serious fun.
1. Eat. Don’t go to the game on an empty stomach. Pack your coolers with plenty of food and snacks, especially if you plan to indulge in a few “adult” beverages. Be sure to also have plenty of nonalcoholic beverages on hand to prevent dehydration.
2. The only thing worse than running out of food is running out of beer. Check out our best beer recommendations.
3. Beat the crowd. Every professional tailgater knows that the party starts at least 3 to 4 hours before kickoff. Claim your turf. Get comfortable, because you’ll be there for a while.
4. Location, location, location. Choose a fun, populated lot, preferably at the end of the row so you won’t get blocked in—and so you’ll have enough space for socializing. Look for a shady spot on hot days, or keep cool under a tent.
5. Tag your location. Use a tall pole, colorful tent, or anything that stands out so others can spot you and join the party.
6. Show some spirit. After all, you are there to support your team, so dress for the occasion.
7. Consider bringing a small generator to power a TV. Serious tailgaters know the importance of staying connected to televised sports events throughout the day. (Plus, you’ll make a lot of friends that way.) A generator is also good for outdoor fans and heaters. Visit your local home improvement center for any of these items.
8. Don’t litter. Clean up before kickoff. Bring your own trash bags, and water down hot coals before heading to the stadium.
9. Stay after the game. No sense in rushing off to sit in traffic. You might as well camp for a while and enjoy the postgame party.
10. Give up the keys. If beer drinking gets the best of you, make sure someone sober takes the wheel.
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1. The J.A. Henckels Twinsharp Select, 2. The Lansky Professional Crock Stick Sharpener, 3. The Chef’s Choice Professional Sharpening Station, Model 130
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Stay on the Cutting Edge
There is a saying that it’s easier to cut yourself with a dull knife than a sharp one. Here’s how to sharpen your kitchen knives and help you avoid any stitches at the ER. Kenner Patton
A CLOSE SECOND:
The J.A. Henckels Twinsharp Select
Price: around $45
Sharpening Method: Two sets of sharpening discs with different abrasives.
Review: Fairly compact, simple to use, and does an excellent job. See www.zwilling.com for more information.
ALMOST AS GOOD:
The Lansky Professional Crock Stick Sharpener
Price: around $42
Sharpening Method: Two crock sticks with different abrasives.
Review: If you can hold a knife vertically and make slicing motions, you’ll find this sharpener very effective and easy to use. See www.crockstick.com for more information.
BEST IN SHOW:
The Chef’s Choice Professional Sharpening Station, Model 130
Price: around $140
Sharpening Method: Three sharpening stages: sharpening, steeling, and stropping/polishing.
Review: Fast and efficient; it sharpens serrated blades too. See www.edgecraft.com for more information.
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A sharp knife not only makes cooking a more pleasant experience, but believe it or not a sharp knife is actually safer. It will slice easily and prevent you from having to saw and hack your way through your prep work. Never cut on a hard surface; always use a cutting board or prep table specifically designed for cutting. Avoid cutting frozen items or bones, as they will take the edge off of your knives. And remember to clean your knives thoroughly before and after sharpening.
Smith’s Sure-Sharp. (6106)
• Sharpening Method: This sharpener uses two techniques, tungsten carbide blades and ceramic sticks. If your knife is really dull, start on the tungsten carbide blades to get it back into shape. Then go to the sticks in the slide mechanism. As an alternative, the ceramic sticks can also be used in stationery holes that are provided.
• Price: around $15
• Review: The slide mechanism on this sharpener takes a little getting used to, but it is still effective. As a freebie, there is a chart for weights and measures is imprinted on the hand guard. For more information visit www.smithabrasives.com.
AccuSharp Garden Sharp. (6100)
• Sharpening Method: There are two tungsten carbide blades housed inside the handle.
• Price: around $12
• Review: In the old days, you sharpened a garden tool with a flat file that brings back not-so-pleasant memories of knicked-up knuckles. This sharpener is similar to its cousin the Tool and Knife Sharpener, but it’s specifically designed for garden tools that typically have one cutting side instead of two. It works great on shovels, trowels, hoes, etc, and it will make your yard-work a much more pleasant experience. Keep it near your gardening tools so you can dress up the edges before every use. For more information visit www.accusharp.com.
WÜSTHOF Knife-Life Sharpener. (6110)
• Sharpening Method: A set of carbide and ceramic sharpeners.
• Price: around $25
• Review: Neat ergonomic design with skid-resistant rubber feet. Use the carbide side if your knife needs drastic help, or use the ceramic side if you just need to touch up an edge. There’s also a convenient scissor sharpener as well—it is the fastest and best I’ve seen and is probably worth the price alone. For more information visit www.wusthof.com.
Chef’s Choice Diamond Hone Knife Sharpener, Model 460 (6108)
• Sharpening Method: 100% diamond abrasives in two stages
• Price: around $30
• Review: When I first used this gadget, it sounded like I was sawing a brick in half. In actuality, I was correcting the angle of the knife edge on the first stage. The second stage honed it to razor sharpness. Conveniently, this sharpener works on serrated blades too. For more information visit www.edgecraft.com.
Smith’s Diamond Sharpening Steel. (6111)
• Sharpening Method: diamond honing
• Price: around $30
• Review: To be honest with you, I haven’t always been a fan of sharpening steels. Until now. This sharpener is a hybrid of a sharpening steel and a diamond wet stone. Just put the plastic, nonslip tip on a surface and make alternating slices at approximately 23°. With just a little practice, you will soon be able to recondition knife edges to razor sharpness. For more information visit www.smithabrasives.com.
J.A. Henckels 10-inch Diamond Sharpening Steel. (6098)
• Sharpening Method: This sharpener is made of high-carbon steel with a coating of diamond dust.
• Price: around $45
• Review: This tool is also a new-and-improved version of a sharpening steel and quickly hones and sharpens knives. For more information visit www.zwilling.com.
Smith’s Diamond Sharpening Stone FINE (6104)
• Sharpening Method: A multilayer, diamond impregnated bench stone
• Price: around $46
• Review: Okay, I admit it, I’m a little old-fashioned and like to use a sharpening stone sometimes. The good news is that this stone is light-years away from the old stones I had as a kid. The diamond-impregnated surface makes short work of honing any knife blade. So if you’re a traditionalist, you’ve got to give this stone a try. For more information visit www.smithabrasives.com.
Smith’s Diamond Glass Saver
• Sharpening Method: Diamond impregnated rod
• Price: around $11
• Review: Just when you think you’ve seen every gadget known to mankind, another one comes out. Thank goodness. This little gem will help with that pesky nick on your favorite wine glass or piece of china that got bumped in the dishwasher. It won’t remove the nick, but it will smooth out the sharp edges. For more information visit www.smithabrasives.com.
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This article is from our 2005 Weekend Living special issue, on newsstands the week of September 12!
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