Today at work we’re having the last of this season’s staff tailgate events. It’s a biggie. There are plenty of people in the office who have strong Wisconsin ties (including yours truly, who was born in Madtown lo, those many years ago), so emotions are running high on the eve of the Hawkeyes/Badgers clash.
But for those of us who care not for football, the real news is the food. Wisconsin is often referred to as God’s Country, not — as many people assume — because of its gorgeous landscapes, but because you can’t walk more than 30 yards in any direction without tripping over a block of sharp cheddar or a bratwurst piled with kraut. And so, the culinary theme for today’s tailgate was “Cheese and Bratwurst.” PRAISE!
I’m known in certain circles as possessing a prodigious appetite. I don’t eat a lot all the time, but I occasionally do eat a lot…quite more, in fact, than many unsuspecting waitpersons I’ve known might guess upon looking at me. So you may imagine my glee when I walked down to the tailgate this morning and found an entire steamer tray filled to overflowing with beautifully-cooked bratwurst. And next to it? A giant bowl of sauerkraut. Had our entire staff showed up at the event and every person walked away with three brats, there would still have been dozens left. It was a magnificent sight.
But because tonight is my semi-weekly dinner with my dad and brother, and we’re having my father’s famous “11-pound Lasagna,” I kept myself to only two brats. It wasn’t easy. I’m thinking there’ll be leftover brats for the staff this afternoon, so I might break down and grab a couple more before five. Mmm. Bratwurst. Reminds me of one of my very favorite quotes from The Simpsons:
Homer: Are you saying you’re never going to eat any animal again? What about bacon?
Lisa: No.
Homer: Ham?
Lisa: No.
Homer: Pork chops?
Lisa: Dad, those all come from the same animal.
Homer: Heh heh heh. Ooh, yeah, right, Lisa. A wonderful, magical animal.