Rose Bowl Ready

At 5pm on January 1st, 2013, the Wisconsin Badgers are taking on the Stanford Cardinal in the 99th edition of the Rose Bowl in Pasadena California. I can tell you as a former Los Angeles resident, the Rose Bowl is a huge to-do. There is the parade with incredible floats decorated in roses, for starters. But more importantly, there is the game! While there are many bowls, the Rose Bowl is one of the oldest and I’d argue one of the most well-known.

Since most of you won’t be making it to Pasadena this year, I suggest staying at home with friends and family and ringing in what I hope is to be an amazing year with a lil’ shindig in celebration of the Rose Bowl. Now, I am all for theme-y homegating parties, but I’m not about to suggest you decorate with roses…unless you want to. They can be a bit pricey and don’t really scream football. No, instead I suggest, as I always do, that instead of serving up your typical burgers and packaged hot dogs, you make this an authentic Rose Bowl party with food from the two opposing teams’ areas! And I must say that you can’t go wrong with Wisconsin or the Bay Area.

So without further ado, let’s jump into Wisconsin cuisine. When you think Wisconsin, you most certainly think beer, cheese, and brats. And I say, YES PLEASE! Here’s a recipe for some beer-cooked brats that make for a delicious and indulgent savory nosh while you watch that will feed you and 9 friends.

Ingredients

10 bratwursts

4 cans of 12oz beer (your favorite)

1 large yellow onion

1 1/2 teaspoons garlic powder

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon black pepper

1/2 teaspoon paprika

1–2 teaspoons red pepper flakes (or more to taste)

1 cup cheddar cheese, cubed or shredded (you can use sharp if you prefer)

10 hot dog buns

Preparation



1. Combine the beer and onions in a large pot and bring to a boil. Once at a boil, reduce the heat to low-medium and add in all your seasonings (salt, pepper, red pepper flakes, paprika, garlic, onion powder), as well as your brats. Cook covered for 10 minutes.

2. Remove the brats from the pot, continue to cook the onions for another 5 minutes over low heat before removing them as well.

3. Now with the remaining liquid in the put, stir in the cheese until it melts completely. You can either remove from heat or continue to simmer just to keep warm until you’re ready to serve.



4. To finish the brats, grill them over medium-high heat, turning once, for 5–10 minutes, until cooked through.



5. Serve the brats in the buns drizzled with the beer/cheese mixture!

Incidentally, the Bay Area, where Stanford is located, is also known for its beer brewing. Some of its breweries include Russian River, Gordon Biersch, Moonlight Brewing Company, and one of my favorites, Anchor Steam. The Bay Area is also known for its incredible seafood, including, notably, its oysters. I realize oysters can be somewhat polarizing at parties. Some people love ’em and some people can’t stand the sight of them. But, if you fry them, most people will eat em! I recommend serving these fried oysters as hors d’oeurves, or as you might serve popcorn shrimp.

Ingredients

24 small oysters, shucked

1/2 cup flour

1–2 eggs, beaten

1 cup panko crumbs

1/2 teaspoon paprika

Salt and pepper, to taste

4–6 tablespoons veggie oil, for frying

Hot sauce for serving

Lemon wedges for serving

Tartar sauce for serving

Preparation



1. Drain the shucked oysters so they’re dry.



2. Prepare three bowls — one with the flour and paprika, one with the beaten egg(s), and one with the panko crumbs.



3. Prepare your oil for frying by adding the veggie oil into a pot until it’s about an inch deep. Preheat it until it shimmers. It should not be smoking. If it is, it’s too hot.



4. First coat your oysters in the flour/paprika mixture. Follow that with a dunk into the egg so they’re fully coated. And then finish with a coating of the panko crumbs.



5. Fry in the hot oil until they’re browned around the edges, then flip them and fry until they’re golden brown.



6. Remove from the oil and drain on a paper towel-lined rack or plate.



7. Serve!

The Rose Bowl, presented by Vizio, can be seen on January 1st at 5pm on ESPN. Happy New Year!