Jan27

Super Bowl Food Part II: Assessing the Match-Ups

By Jim 5 comments

Manning puts corndogs on the table…New Orleans a huge early favorite…

So, we got 1 out of 2 of our picks for the Super Bowl. The Cinderella Jets were a stretch, admittedly, but when faced with the prospects of “corn casserole,” and other classic Indiana foods, we had to root for New York. Thank God; and it was divine intervention, wasn’t it, that put the Saints in the big game and New Orleans food on at least half our Super Bowl table.

Only a team called Saints could win a game in which they were nearly doubled in total yards and destroyed in every other significant statistical category including time of possession, yards penalized, 3^rd down conversions as well as individual rushing, receiving and passing.

Only a higher power, no doubt contemplating his or her Super Bowl menu, could have caused a team like the Vikings to fumble six times, losing three, and caused Brett Favre to throw two picks (he threw only 7 all year), one critical. And who do you think was the 12^th man in the huddle (Who gets that penalty in that situation?) that cost the Vikings a game winning field goal at the end of regulation? I saw the replay, and there was St. Jude (patron of impossible causes) dressed in a Viking uniform standing in the back of their huddle. No kidding!

Since the conclusion of Sunday’s games, the Comfort Brothers research department has been painstakingly seeking “classic” Indiana cuisine for the food duel that is the most important aspect of Super Sunday. Comfort Brothers Nation, including nearly 400 Facebook fans, and nearly 15,000 visitors to this site, has discovered, sadly, what we already knew about Indiana cuisine: it ain’t much.

Thanks to all in the Nation who weighed in, and we’re still taking suggestions by the way. Here a few of our favorite findings:

Jenet says: Aw, let ‘em eat cake. King Cake!

Dabney says: Whatever Artie Donovan would have requested.

Dean says: Corn dogs? Pork chop on a stick? Corn on the cob?

Susan says: My son is at an army base near Indianapolis and he thinks they have “really good fake crab salad.” Does that help you? (I’m sure I’ll offend someone from Indiana – sorry.)

Shannon (our personal favorite) says: Breaded pork tenderloin sandwich—they have them everywhere and everyone claims theirs is the best. Pork itself is huge. I saw “Pork Three Ways” on a couple of different menus. And, corn. [Insert Forrest Gump voice here] Corn pie, corn cakes, corn casserole, corn puppies (corn in hush puppies basically) corn fritters…

Finally, Dabney added: NOLA food…bettuh. And he’s right. So the early money’s on the New Orleans side of the Super Bowl battle of the food. From Cajun to creole, with French, Italian and southern influences, from the Gulf to the swamps, it’s nearly impossible to compete with New Orleans in this one. But, while the teams themselves are stuck with the players on their rosters, we’re fearless in the kitchen and can make what we want, as long as it relates in some way to the theme of the day. And there are many ways around a bad team cuisine:

We can go “venue,” for example, using Miami in this case, and do something with palm tree hearts, gator-bites, or an orange bowl of punch.

We can go with a generic theme and serve A Super Bowl of Salsa.

We can stretch it, taking off on Sweet Lew’s suggestion, by serving, “We- were-once-from-Baltimore Crabcakes.”

Much more challenging to stick with the teams, and not giving up on Indiana, here are the rosters we’re working with:

New Orleans: Gumbo, Jambalaya, Super-Size Muffaletta, No-longer-Po-boys of Fried Oysters and BBQ Shrimp, Bourbon Bananas Foster Bread Pudding

Indianapolis: Hoosier Daddy Turkey-Corn Chowder, State Fair Corn Dogs, Breaded Pork w/ Fried Cabbage Slaw(ter), Manning Corny Commercial Hush-Pups, Hoosier Mama Sugar Pie

Snacks & Drinks: Pickled Irsay (Okra), Super Salsa Bowl & Home Cooked Chips, Pat O’s Hurricane Punch

We’ve got the off-week to prepare starting lineups and finalize game plans. Stay tuned for Super Bowl Food Part III: Game Day.

Comments (5)

Sweet Lew

Jimmy, The Vikings fans believed Brett Favre was the Savior so I don’t think it was St. Jude in the huddle. More likely it was a dude named Judas who betrayed the Second Coming. Thanks for the nod on the we wuz from B’more Crabcakes. Now how about some “Indiana wants me but I can’t go Baby back ribs”? or perhaps some ” Sloppy Joseph Addai for samiches” [Reply]
- Jim
  
  Sweet Lew, you are on the verge of becoming a full-fledged Comfort Brother. CBL? Naming foods is the first step and yours are spot on. The “Indiana wants me…ribs” and the “samiches” have been added to the roster and may get the start. Lew’s back, again!
Shannon

YAY! I made a website besides America’s Most Wanted! tee hee Thanks for the shout out. Can’t wait to see the menu develop. [Reply]
Jaybird

Indianapolis is in Marion County. I’d go with Marion Barber Chops for the entree. It’s the only way any of the Cowboys will ever see Super Bowl Sunday. On the side, I’d feel compelled to force feed one of Indiana’s unique vegetable dishes: Suffering Succotash which, from memory (bad memory) could include a little Austin Collieflower. And to top it off, for dessert you’d have to honor Indiana’s favorite son, Orville Redenbacher, by serving popcorn balls. Speaking of popcorn balls, that may become an adjective used to describe Coach Jim Caldwell after his late season meltdown. Back to the dinner, all of this must be served with your Garcon! apron proudly displayed. Mmmmm that’s a meal! [Reply]
- Jim
  
  CBJB (Comfort Brother JayBird) has nailed an honorary Comfort Brother position right out of the blocks. Sound research and creative food naming to rival Sweet Lew’s. Nice work and keep ‘em coming. Popcorn balls gets a starting nod and “Austin Collieflower” is pure genius!