TAILGATING WITH THE BRAVES

Spicy Boiled Peanuts with Still Pond Sangria

By Doc Lawrence

ATLANTA. Baseball and the weather are almost in tandem on this holiday weekend. Our Atlanta Braves are beginning to sizzle and the thermometer is climbing. Fans down here call this a perfect combination.

Not so fast!

Still Pond Georgia Sangria

What about food and drinks? Many sports enthusiasts mistakenly think that tailgating is relegated to college football season. “If you have been to a single Braves game here in Atlanta,” says Frank Spence, a former Braves executive, “this myth is exposed.” Grills everywhere with smoke pluming up towards a blue sky. Tables set with plates of food and glasses of good things like burgers, smoked sausage, barbecue, baby back ribs and delightful desserts. And drinks.

TP is a Braves Coach

One of the joys of tailgating before going into Turner Field includes creative snacks and nothing snacks better down here than boiled peanuts, a delicacy that has been around since the Great Flood.

Chef Lara Lyn Carter, whose cooking show on Albany, Georgia’s WALB-TV is as hot as Freddie Freeman’s bat, shares her wonderful recipe. “I named it after Braves’ legend Terry Pendleton, the Braves’ first base coach.” Fans remember “TP” as the National League's most valuable player during the 1991 Miracle Braves season which culminated in one of history’s most exciting World Series. “The spiciness,” says Ms. Carter, “works perfectly with glasses of refreshing Still Pond sangria. And, everything is all-Georgia!”

While waiting on friends to join up for the pre-game feast, it’s o.k. to serve the spicy peanuts and pour some sangria. Remember to open some bottles of Coca-Cola for the kids. (Keep everything Georgia.)

Chef Lara Lyn Carter at the Grill

The tailgating light just turned green and it’s time to celebrate. Go Braves!

TP’S SPICY BOILED PEANUTS
3 lbs. green boiling peanuts
3 large limes
4 large jalapeño peppers cut in half
6 cloves of garlic peeled
1 tbsp. cumin
1 tbsp. celery salt
1 tbsp. onion powder
1 tbsp. garlic powder
1 tbsp. paprika
6 tbsp. chili powder
1 tsp. cayenne pepper
½ cup coarse salt
Put peanuts in a large stock pot and cover them with water. Zest the limes and add the zest, juice and peel to the pot. Add all of the remaining ingredients. Bring the peanuts to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and cook covered for 4 hours. Be sure to stir the peanuts every 30 minutes and add water as needed to keep peanuts covered.
After 4 hours remove the peanuts from the heat and allow them to sit in the pot for 8 hours. Drain the peanuts and remove the remains of the peppers, garlic, and limes. Rinse the peanuts and drain them well. Store them in the refrigerator.


STILL POND GEORGIA SANGRIA
The wine punch originated in Spain, but here, deep in Dixie, we call it our own after having made it even before the Civil War. Few wines make better Sangria than the rich, delicious Muscadine from Still Pond Vineyards in Arlington, Georgia.

4 bottles Still Pond Plantation Red Muscadine Wine
1/2 cup Tupelo Honey
1 tsp. lime zest
1 bottle club soda
2 cups vodka
Juice of 1 lemon

Father’s Day Gift: Southern Thymes Shared (Pelican Publishing 2014) is loaded with original recipes, creative wine pairings plus wonderful stories. Not your ordinary cookbook. Dad will treasure this. Availble now on Amazon.com and bookstores everywhere.