Super Bowl Sunday should be more than just chips and dip.
Chowder
Chowder
Super Bowl Sunday is one of the biggest party nights of the year. Once famous for hot dogs, hamburgers, wings, chips and dip and other “pub” food, your Super Bowl party can be elevated to a new level, if you do it right. Below, you'll find a few tips for a successful event.
Plan a menu that reflects the teams playing in the game. This year it is the New England Patriots versus the New York Giants. NY strip steak bites with a Bloody Mary dipping sauce or mini lobster rolls could be fun appetizers. Mini knish, hot dogs or fried clam could work too.
For your pregame warm up or first quarter offering have a New England clam chowder versus a Manhattan clam chowder taste off. Could the winner be foreshadow of which team will be victorious in the main event?
Stations are a great way to feed a group without having to interfere with the action of the game. New York is famous for its thin crust pizza, but a little too far to get take out. So make it yourself: Trader Joe’s has raw pizza dough for about $.99. Stretch out the dough, pre-bake the crusts, prep a variety of toppings, sauces and create a do-it-yourself pizza station (after the pies are topped cook time is about 10 minutes).
New England is known for its pot roast, bake beans and American chop suey. Classic American chop suey consists of elbow macaroni and ground beef with sautéed onions and green peppers in a thick tomato-based sauce which can be baked as a casserole prior to the party. A carving station could be created with a pot roast and pastrami served on mini bagels or bagel chips.
Last but not least a dessert station could highlight NY cheesecake, black and white cookies, whoopie pies, Boston Crème pie and blueberries in Fluffernutter, all delicacies of New York and New England.
Both team colors are very similar so a palate of blue, white and red is my suggestion for the decor. Beverages could include Brooklyn Brewery, Sam Adams or Sea Dog beers. Dr. Brown sodas are from New York and offer a variety of fun flavors, while a Brooklyn stoop is a mixture of Absolute Orient Apple, Jameson Irish whiskey and ginger ale (I served them for New Year's Eve and they were a huge success). A spiked apple cider would be a fun way to represent New England.
Have fun and may the best team win!
