I almost forgot that Sunday is Super Bowl.
Don’t ask me who’s playing. And although I know nothing about football, I do know that food plays a big part in Super Bowl Sunday, especially at Super Bowl parties.
I was invited to a Super Bowl Party once. Just once. It was a long time ago. Food galore covered every surface. It seemed more a man’s event, with the guys jumping up yelling at the television.
It was sort of like the sound of me and my friends watching Downton Abbey lately, complete with much shouting at the television (tell Mr. Bates, Anna!) and agonized anticipation (Edith, please don’t be pregnant! Don’t you know Michael is a cad who will certainly dump you?).
Edith is in love with Michael, but is he in love with Edith? Is she pregnant? Will he stand by her? Only Downton Abbey knows. (Image from PBS, Masterpiece Theater.)
At the Super Bowl parties, the spectators’ noise was incredible. Until a woman said something non-football related. Then it was like an old E.F. Hutton commercial, and the guys would stop yelling to glare in the woman’s (my) direction, or even shush her (me). What a drag.
Anyway, I do recall that the food was good, with lots of chips and dips and cold cuts and drinks.
Then, as now, I doubt any Super Bowl party would be complete without guacamole. And if you look carefully, avocados kind of resemble little green footballs.
I’ll let you in on an avocado secret. I know how to keep avocados from turning brown, and even how to keep guacamole from turning brown.
No, it’s not about leaving the pit in the guacamole. All that does is keep it green directly below and around the pit.
Yes, lemon juice helps, but one can only add so much lemon to guacamole before it turns too bitter.
And some people say that plastic wrap placed directly over a cut avocado, or over the guacamole, will prevent browning. The thing is, it doesn’t work.
I’ll break the suspense with one simple word: Water. That’s right. Just plain water. This works whether it’s with a halved avocado, sliced avocados or even guacamole.
In the case of halved or sliced avocados, rinse with cold water, and then cover with plastic. (I pat them with a paper towel before using.) In the case of prepared guacamole – and this part is a bit more tricky – carefully spoon cold water over your very chunky guacamole, then cover with plastic. When it’s time to serve, carefully drain off the water, place a paper towel over the top to absorb any leftover water, and stir any remaining moisture into the chunky guacamole.
I bring up all this talk about avocados because I looked at my online Tops Market weekly ad today and noticed that our local, family-owned markets in Redding and Weaverville are featuring those green beauties for 10 for $6.
If I were hosting a Super Bowl party, I’d totally make guacamole with those avocados.
But a few other things caught my eye in the Tops Market ads, such as Dungeness crab for $5.99 a pound, and Baby Back ribs for $3.99 a pound.
If I were throwing a Super Bowl party, I’d add those to the menu. Or maybe I’d make my friend Sunnie’s crab cakes (scroll down to see the recipe).
Speaking of ribs, although they’re not something I make very often, when I do, I use the recipe from my daughter-in-law’s father, Chris Fiscus. I feel compelled to mention that my son, Joshua, is also great rib-roaster, too, but I don’t have his recipe. But I do have his father-in-law’s, so I’ll share that one.
If I were having a Super Bowl party, I would definitely make these ribs.
As an aside, one of the ingredients is tangerine ale, which I love, so I’ll make sure to save some for the cook.
Happy Super Bowl, everyone. Go (fill in the blank)!
Chris Fiscus’ Baby-Back Ribs
Baby-back pork ribs Regular mustard Brown sugar Pappy’s Seasoning Tangerine aleCut racks of baby-back ribs in half to manage them more easily. Remove skeins – tough membrane – on the bone side. (Both of these steps can be done by a butcher, if you’d prefer.)
Rub the ribs lightly with regular mustard.
Mix 10 parts brown sugar with one part Pappy’s Seasoning. Rub the mixture liberally on the ribs over the mustard.
Refrigerate overnight.
Fill a broiler pan with 12 ounces tangerine ale.
Place the ribs on broiler pan, and make a tent with aluminum foil to prevent premature browning.
Bake the ribs at 200 degrees for five hours.
Glaze with the drippings and broil, keeping an eye on them to prevent the ribs from caramelizing or burning. (Add more ale if the ribs seem to be getting too dry.)
Note from Chris: “Create your own rub! You can use the same method on the barbecue by cooking over indirect heat. Be creative!”
This recipe sponsored by Tops Market in Weaverville and Redding.
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Click here to order a sandwich online from the Weaverville Tops Market.
Independent online journalist Doni Chamberlain founded what’s now known as anewscafe.com in 2007 with her son, Joe Domke of the Czech Republic. Prior to 2007 Chamberlain was an award-winning newspaper opinion columnist, feature and food writer recognized by the Associated Press, the California Newspaper Publishers Association and E.W. Scripps. She lives in Redding, CA.
