Tailgate in Style (With a Little Help)

WRITTEN BY Tamberlyn Dobrowski
PHOTOGRAPHY BY Demi Mabry

You know it’s fall, and football season, when the air becomes crisp. It’s time to pick your game, call your friends, and plan your tailgate. When entertaining, I like to have just as much fun as my guests, and there’s no shame in making calls for a “little help” so you can enjoy the pre-game too.

A few of my favorite “helpers” here in Charlotte are Queen Brie, for incredible appetizers and charcuterie boards, and The Eagle Food & Beer Hall, for amazing fried chicken and biscuits with hot honey. The creative minds at Society Social helped with décor and styling ideas.

Queen Brie cleverly offers individual appetizers for game day. The buffalo chicken board is always a favorite.

A DIY Bloody Mary Bar is a fun way of catering to a variety of tastes, as well as a clever plan for sharing bartending duties. Lexi Harrison shares some excellent tips for creating The Ultimate Bloody Mary Bar on the blog Crowded Kitchen.

Our resident beer connoisseur, Scott Davis, provided recommendations and tasting notes for some great tailgating beers.

• LEGION FRIENDS & BEER Low alcohol taste, crisp, 7% ABV.
• BELL’S TWO HEARTED ALE IPA hoppy, bitter, 7% ABV. American IPA is bursting with hop aromas ranging from pine to grapefruit from massive hop additions in both the kettle and the fermenter.
• BELL’S OBERON ALE Wheat, banana bread, citrus, 5.8% ABV. Wheat ale fermented with Bell’s signature house ale yeast, mixing a spicy hop character with mildly fruity aromas.
• NODA GORDGEOUS A beer for the season, 6.4% ABV. Open up a can of autumn with this delicious pumpkin ale.
• MOTHER EARTH ENDLESS RIVER Kölsch-style ale, 5% ABV. Light and crisp with a delicate body and ever-so-slight floral tang.

Creamy Roasted Mushroom Soup

This Creamy Roasted Mushroom Soup is so rich, hearty and comforting! The secret to this mushroom soup recipe is roasting the mushrooms in garlic and thyme first!

Heirloom Tomato Tart

This Heirloom Tomato Tart is a delicious side to any meal and always a crowd-pleaser.

Carmelitas

These Carmelitas are for the serious caramel lover. They are soft and chewy layered bars dripping with caramel and stuffed with chocolate. Easy one-bowl, no mixer recipe that everyone loves!

Thank you to our incredible partners for the assistance, support, fun, and laughter during our fall photo shoot: Meggie Sullivan of Queen Brie, Alexandra Eads of Society Social, and Shiobhan Stephenson of The Eagle Food & Beer Hall.