Super Bowl Sunday
At the risk of being repetitive this week, I'm going to talk about the Superbowl. Hopefully, my spin on this "good old American tradition" is at least a little different....
When I was a kid, Superbowl Sunday was a pretty big deal. Back in those days, the Packers, my mom's favorite team as she's from about 2 hours away from Green Bay, were in the midst of the "Favre Era" so the post-season games were important to our family. I remember my dad would grill Johnsonville bratwurst outside, in the middle of winter, as the Packers played for the Superbowl title. Yes, the bratwurst had to be Johnsonville, as they originate in Wisconsin and therefore they rule supreme. We also usually had an assortment of Wisconsin cheeses and some miscellaneous German food. There was nothing like German food to accent the Johnsonville bratwursts. My immediate family would always gather in the basement, where the big screen t.v. was. When we lived in Minneapolis, my dad would get a fire going, so we could watch the game from right up against the fireplace....
Flash forward to college and I tried to keep the bratwurst tradition going, but it fizzled out as I started going to other people's homes and brats just aren't as good when they are not grilled on an outdoor grill (even George Foreman doesn't cut it) in the winter. So, the tradition first turned into skyline dip, guacamole, and pizza. But, last year, my boyfriend and I decided to split up the cooking responsibilities, so he made some AMAZING manicotti. I still made Skyline dip and guacamole and some kind of dessert. This year is manicotti again, although because the Packers are playing I have been tempted to get Johnsonville brats or at least some "real Wisconsin cheese." I'll also be making Skyline dip (for those who don't know, it's cream cheese, Skyline, and cheddar cheese baked for about 20 minutes).
I've come to realize Superbowl Sunday is very much like a national holiday, even though it isn't official. It's a time to have good, strange American (think melting pot of cultures here) food and time with friends to watch sports. Some of the best conversations I've had (because let's face it, in football there is plenty of time for talking) have come out of watching sports with friends and family. I feel very American bonding over sports with friends while eating large amounts of food.
On a side note, I still believe the Monday after the Superbowl should be a holiday. I mean really, Senegal declared a holiday when they beat France in World Cup 2002, I think we can make Superbowl Monday a national holiday.
At the risk of drawing criticism from others who read this, I'm going to show my allegiance to the one NFL team I've truly grown up cheering for...
GO PACKERS!!! PACK ATTACK!
Enjoy the Superbowl, everyone! May the best team win.....
What are your favorite teams and what made you become X fan? Or, if you don't have a favorite team, who will you being cheering for tonight?