Cities renowned for a variety of good food are more successful in the NFL. Pittsburgh is known for its hearty pierogis and the inimitable Primanti Brothers sandwich as well as six Lombardi trophies. New York City is known for great deli, pizza, cheesecake, great street food and a culinary melting pot along with three Super Bowl rings – four if you count the Jets. I don’t. Dallas, the harbinger of Tex-Mex food, and San Francisco, the west coast capital of gastronomy, boast five championships each. Cities with no culinary tradition like Cincinnati and Cleveland? Zero wins. Towns with only one singularly famous dish don’t fare so well either. Buffalo, whose only culinary claim lies with those namesake wings? Zero for four in the big game. Being famous for cheese steaks has gotten the Eagles two appearances in the big game, but no victories for this one-dish town.

Good menu planning is critical! Don't plan on just chips.

The symbiotic relationship of food and football is undeniable. Good menu planning is critical. I prefer to go with dishes representative of the teams involved. Looking at the NFL’s opening week schedule, the culinary competition is fierce. Opening night should be an easy win for the defending champs – the New Orleans Saints – over the Minnesota Vikings. Gumbo and po’boys tackle pickled herring any day. That Sunday gridiron gourmets can choose from a cheesy contest between the Green Bay Packers and that team from Philadelphia or a Deli-ightful contest will have the New York Football Giants barbecuing those Panthers from Carolina. All mouth-watering match-ups.

Picking the right food for the game, means serving food that can be made ahead or that involves little last minute preparation. Being in the kitchen, flambéing while listening to your buddies scream as your team gets toasted, when the opening kick-off ends up being run back for a touchdown, makes for a long afternoon. Hot and spicy queso dips taste good and go well with cold beer. Buffalo wings or any of the hundreds of variations are also good game grub. Make real ones. Don’t buy the pre-cooked frozen varietals. They are expensive and not as flavorful as homemade.

Serve Red Curry Chicken Wings as part of your next all-star lineup.

Here is my all-star lineup of football food favorites. Starting with dips – first team is Spicy Green Chili Queso with tortilla chips. Second string is Crab and Artichoke Dip with pita bread. Hearty soups and stews are led by Raging Red Beef Chili with Beans with honorable mention to Chicken and Sausage Gumbo. Sandwiches are flanked by Sausage and Peppers and the Ultimate Patty-Melt. At the wingback position, we have Fiery Red Curry and the mild, but fan-favorite – Honey Barbeque. Special teams are led by New Castle Brown Ale and local favorite, Yuengling. For defense? Tums and Prevacid with Advil, if the home team loses in overtime.

As you get ready to kick-off your football season, try the recipes for Raging Red Beef Chili, Red Curry Chicken Wings and the Ultimate Patty-Melt. Until next month, Bon Appétit.

Note: Real sports fans never change teams. I was born a Giants fan and remain so, even though I live in enemy territory. Go Big Blue.

Raging Red Chili

• 2½ pounds chuck steak, ½-inch dice
• 2 onions, diced
• 1 Shinerbock® beer
• 6 cloves garlic
• 2 tablespoons Pancho® chili powder
• 2 teaspoons cumin
• 1 teaspoon coriander
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 3 tablespoons flour
• 23 cups cooked red beans
• 1 can chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, chopped (save juice)
• 4 cup whole peeled tomatoes, canned, chopped or broken up
• 2 cups water
• Salt
• pepper

In Dutch oven, heat oil, dust beef with flour, brown, reserve. Add chopped garlic and onions to pot. Sauté over high heat. Add meat back into pot. Add spices. Brown lightly. Add chipotle and juice. Deglaze with beer. Add tomato product, beans and water. Reduce heat to low. Simmer 2 hours. Adjust seasonings. Serve with warm tortillas, chopped scallions, cheddar cheese and sour cream.

Ultimate Patty Melt

(Makes 4)

• 2 onions chopped and caramelized
• 4 6-ounce ground chuck patties, seasoned with salt pepper and Heinz 57® sauce
• 1 loaf rye bread, sliced ½-inch thick (8 slices)
• 16 slices bacon
• 2 large pickles, sliced lengthwise
• 16 slices Swiss cheese
• Melted margarine
• ½ cup mayonnaise mixed with 3 tablespoons Gulden’s® mustard and 2 tablespoons horseradish

Cook burgers on grill until desired doneness. Heat griddle to medium. Brush bread with margarine. On top side, slather mayo mixture, then 2 slices cheese on each slice. Top with onions on one half of the sandwich and bacon and pickles on other half. Cook until cheese melts and bread is golden and crispy. Put burger on onion half. Top with bacon. Cut in half.

Red Curry Wings

• 3 pounds wings
• 1 cup flour, seasoned with 1 teaspoon each: paprika, salt, granulated garlic, chili powder, black pepper, coriander

Place seasoned flour in plastic bag. Add wings a few at a time. Shake well. Place floured wings on baking sheet that is well oiled. Bake wings at 400 degrees for 10-12 minutes until fully. cooked, Toss in sauce

Sauce

• ¼ cup red curry paste
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 tablespoons garlic
• 2 tablespoons ginger
• ¼ cup honey
• 2 cups coconut milk

In sauce pan, heat oil. Fry garlic, ginger and curry paste until lightly brown. Add honey and coconut milk. Simmer on low 10 minutes. Toss with wings.

Jon Davies is a graduate of Johnson and Wales University of Culinary Arts. His work as a chef has taken him to Aspen, Colorado; Cape May, NJ; and the odd private jet for culinary gigs for the rich and famous.

People have always grown grapes in southern New Jersey, and we have history of wine making for over 200 years. One of the oldest wineries in existence today in New Jersey is Renault Winery, which began in 1864. According to the Garden State Wine Grower’s Association, during the Prohibition, Renault produced sacramental wines and medicinal “tonics.” In the 1800s the wine and grape juice industry was concentrated in Vineland (named for its vineyards), Cumberland County. Dr. Thomas Welch, a prohibitionist dentist, started Welch’s grape juice there. There were many immigrants in southern New Jersey who first grew grapes to make the wines they were used to drinking with their meals. Most had grown grapes all their lives and did it naturally. Each fall, making wine was also part of the local harvest.

Some folks, like me, grow grapes aesthetically to add a quaint look to a structure in the years. The grapes are good for making jelly, but that is the most we do with them. I call it real grape jelly when lots of fresh grapes are used to make a natural grape-rich jelly or jam. Follow the easy recipes on any pectin box and enjoy local grapes at their best.

For others who want to make wine, growing grapes can be a more complex and even time-consuming project. The climate and soil conditions in an area can dictate which grapes to grow. Helpful advice is free from the county extension service. It is best to choose a grape variety (or a few grape varieties) appropriate for your needs. It may take your plants a few years after being planted to produce grapes.

If you do not need a lot of grapes, try to buy established plants that are grown in containers, some may already have a few grapes on them. If you send for your vines and they are bare, root, sake and plant as soon as they arrive. If this is not possible, bury them and keep them moist until you can plant them. Do not let them dry out.

Plant your grapevines at least 8 to 10 feet apart in rich, well-drained soil. The soil can be in sandy or rocky soil since this drains well.

Good drainage is most important to grow good grapes. Even though grapes need well-drained soil, they still need plenty of water during the first month or so after they are planted. After planting, soak the entire root and keep them moist for the first few months. Keep the area under the plants weed free and add a layer of compost to insure sturdy healthy plants.

As the grapes grow, you need to train them on a trellis or arbor. The county extension service has pamphlets on this. They will also tell about pruning which is important to help the energy go toward making fruit. Pruning is often done in late February or early March. New vines grow from buds on last year’s vines. Keep your vines pruned to allow maximum airflow and sunlight to reach the vines and fruit.

You will also want to protect your grape plants from pests, such as insects, birds, and mildew or fungus. Birds will try to eat the grapes as they ripen. You can guard the fruit by throwing a net over the vines and fruit when it gets close to harvest time. Make sure the net is pulled tight to prevent the birds from getting caught under the net, and being injured. Growing grapes in a sunny location, with an abundance of air circulation can help cut down on powdery mildew and fungus growth. Sulfur and copper are natural fungicides that will help the homeowner naturally.

I have been told that it is time to pick grapes when the bottom and middle of the cluster are ripe. Taste to determine whether the fruit is ripe. Wine makers often test their grapes with a kit to check the sugar levels and pH in the fruit to determine whether the fruit is ripe.

Our grapes are the nursery cover a wood structure and make shade on our potting table. They look pretty and add some charm to our potting area. I usually forget to spray them with fungicide so the humidity takes a toll.

It is fun to go to a winery for wine tasting. I have many friends who like to make wine. It is fun, but a lot of work. The Cape May wineries are great to visit. Check out the upcoming food and wine festival date for visits to the local wineries. Some Cape May restaurants also provide the local wine. Enjoy.

Lorraine Kiefer has gardened all of her life. She is a garden writer, floral designer and professional horticulturist. Lorraine teaches many classes at Triple Oaks nursery and Herb Garden in Franklinville, NJ. Email Lorraine@tripleoaks.com for garden help or leave your questions below! www.tripleoaks.com

Inshore, boats such as the Common Sense, Cape Queen, Big Game, Slammer, Cape May Lady and the Porgy IV have all been out in the last week also bringing in the fish! The flounder are in the peak of their season, they might not all be keepers but they’re defiantly out there. Black Sea Bass are still in abundance around the reefs and wrecks. The Tautog fish has made an early appearance here in Cape May and the ever present Bluefish, has made the fishing even more enjoyable for people trying to get their last outings in for the summer.

For your inshore and offshore needs feel free to give a call to the South Jersey Marina and ask Nick to setup a charter for you. (609)884-3800

-Nick