TAILGATING 4TH OF JULY STYLE

Tailgating and the 4th of July have many similarities.  Families and friends gather together in celebration.  Many foods popular for tailgating parties are also the same ones used for 4th of July picnics and barbecues.

Tailgate Party

n.
a festive, pre-game social event celebrated on or near stadium grounds featuring creative southern recipes, grilling competitions, colorful linens, themed decorations, fun and friendship

Yes this is a tailgate from Ole Miss.  Their color scheme sure works with red, white and blue!  Watch for my upcoming story  from the Ole Miss Grove.  Coming in August.

 4th Of July Celebration

n.

a festive picnic or barbecue celebrated on the 4th of July to commemorate the signing of The Declaration of Independence, featuring creative recipes, colorful red, white, and blue decorations, American flags, parades and fireworks

Fireworks in the North Carolina mountains!

4th of July parties are fun everywhere, but I have spent more than my share in Cashiers, North Carolina, celebrating with friends and family.

Most begin with table settings that include lots of flags and red, white and blue.

Most always include a bar with our favorite beverages, including frozen strawberry daiquiris.  I like the red color.  Seems to go along with the red, white and blue color scheme.

We also know how to open those imported beer bottles.  With lots of friends from many different schools, we always try to make everyone feel at home with their fight songs.  Notice the strings.  This keeps the openers from falling off our mountain.

Whether entertaining our long time friends from Pasadena, Phil and Laura

or Alabama friends, Derek and Lisa

or James’ fraternity brothers from UF

or friends Robin and Curt from Knoxville, Tennessee or Joanne and Rick,  great FSU fans

or our local Cashiers buddies,

 we know how to have a good time.

The food is always a big part of mountain celebrations.  Grilled local rainbow trout.

Spread butter on flesh side of rainbow trout fillets.  Place a spring onion and sprinkle freshly ground black pepper on fillets.  Fold trout back in half and place a bacon slice on each skin side, top and bottom.  Secure in 3 places with kitchen string.  Grill over medium high heat 15-20 minutes.  Time may vary depending on how many fillets you use.

 A word of caution.  Dave and  I tried to grill 12 at one time and almost burned our house down.  The grill was located next to our screened porch under an upper deck.  The bacon drippings caused the fire to flare up and singed the railing.    The trout actually survived.  A little charred, but delicious on the inside!

When we get together with the Huffmans we always ask for their family specialty, Baked Spaghetti.  Phil’s grandmother’s history and recipes are the subject of a wonderful book, “At Home Charleston” by Catherine H. Forrester, Phil’s sister.   Even though the recipe is included in the book, we always like Phil to make it for us.  His just always tastes better.

Another mountain favorite is Laura’s  homemade blueberry pie, always a special treat at our parties.

Begin with fresh blueberries

And Voila!  A perfect dessert choice.

After dessert our group has been known to do a little mountain dancing.
Remember an earlier post with my buttons and crazy hats?  Well I have 4th of July hats too.

Dancing With The Girls.

I am not always in Cashiers.  Sometimes I celebrate the 4th at home on Amelia Island.  Somehow my hats always follow me.

The main thing I celebrate every year at this time is our wonderful country’s history and struggle for independence.

Thank you America and to all who have gone before us to insure our  freedom.  We celebrate our country and its many traditions.

Watch for more stories from the mountains during the month of July.  While many people are vacationing in special places I would like to celebrate being with family and friends.

Come August as we get ready for Football I will continue my tailgating stories.

I welcome your comments, recipes and any inside information on your favorite tailgating spots.

Come celebrate with me.  I’ll save you a seat at the table.