Score a touchdown with a successful watch party.
Story by Dave Eckert
So, fall is finally here. The leaves are changing. The temperatures are cooling. And, our sporting attention has moved across the parking lot at The Truman Sports Complex. Yes, The Boys of Summer are gone and the modern day gladiators have entered the arena. Now, if all of that sounds a bit too melodramatic, then how about this? Are you ready for some football?
Kansas City is football crazed, or more specifically, Chiefs crazed. For many in Chiefs Nation, the games aren’t just games, they’re an integral part of their social life. So what is a KC necessity? A great Chiefs watch party! Follow these tips and you’ll be sure to score.
Planning
Like any party, planning with as much detail as you can is a huge factor in the success of the event. For a Chiefs watch party, that includes getting the invitations out, and the rsvps back, early. Knowing how many people you’ll be accommodating will help you with everything that follows from food to beverages to seating.
Organization
A lot of folks might think planning and organization are one and the same. I disagree. You can have everything planned out perfectly with plenty to eat and drink and lots of seating options for the game watchers and the few who don’t, but if your timing is off or your primary food isn’t ready at halftime (the only window you have), you could be left with a lot of food people don’t eat or some unhappy Chiefs crazies being dragged away from the game at an inopportune time.
Know Your Crowd
In other words, don’t bring a knife to a gun fight. I love fine wine, specialty cheeses and trying new recipes. But, if the crowd loves beer, pizza and chicken wings then give them what they love. Except for Moscato and White Zinfandel. That, I cannot and will not serve!
Raise the Bar
I know this sounds contradictory to what I just said, but hear me out. If you’ve got a group that’s looking for pizza and wings, that’s fine, but don’t settle for mediocre carry out fare. If you like to bake, find a pizza dough recipe and make it the night before. For the wings, buy fresh at the store, brine them in some water with salt and sugar for a couple hours, pat them dry, sprinkle them with a good all-purpose dry rub, then grill them up. They’re great just like that, but you can also serve a nice hot sauce on the side. Want to try something different? How about substituting the Louisiana hot sauce for a Primal Cried Thai hot sauces or the Born with Seoul Korean Gochujang sauce. Oh my!
Variety is the Spice of Life
Everybody loves sliders, so why not make up a batch with a couple pounds of fresh ground beef? Mix in some minced onions and garlic, sprinkle them with the same all-purpose rub you used on the chicken wings and throw them on the grill. The same goes for your choice of beverages. Vary them up. A couple types of cold beer, along with chilled white wine should suffice. For those don’t share my enthusiasm for quaffing wine in the middle of a Sunday afternoon I say, how about belini’s, memosas, or sangria?
The possibilities are endless. Put these plans in action or find some ideas of your own. Just have fun, and, of course, GO CHIEFS!
Local Recipes from The Well
Waldo Wings
Ingredients:
2 Lb. jumbo Chicken wings, disjointed | 1/2 stick unsalted butter | 1 cup Franks Buffalo sauce | 1/2 tsp fresh cracked black pepper | 2 Tb. sirracha | peanut oil, for frying
Instructions:
Heat oil in a large pot or fryer to 350F. Pat wings dry with a paper towel and add to fryer (be careful not t get burned, oil will sizzle and pop loudly when added) Fry until crispy on the outside and fully cooked, about 12 minutes. You can tell when the wings are done by cutting into a wing and checking for any pink near the bone. Melt butter and mix with Frank’s sauce, black pepper and sirracha in a large mixing bowl. Gently toss wings in sauce and serve with celery sticks, blue cheese and ranch dressings.
Baked Brie
Ingredients:
1-4oz. wheel baby French Brie cheese | 2Tb. olive oil | 1 loaf French bread or baguette | 1/2 cup toasted pecans | 1 red delicious apple | 1 Anjou pear | 1 small bunch red seedless grapes | 1/4 cup honey | 6 large flatbread crackers
Instructions:
Heat oven to 350 F. Lightly brush a baking sheet, Brie and French bread with olive oil and bake until warm, about 4 to 5 minutes. Slice apple and pear, then plate with grapes. Add brie to plate, top with pecans and honey and serve with bread and crackers on the side.
