By Mark Halpern
So in the first three parts of this feature piece, we touched on the MLB, NBA, NFL, and NHL. Now to take a deeper look into food, we head to the stadiums that players play in so they get recognized and may be drafted. I am talking about College Football. We will take a look at six college stadiums that have a featured dish and another sought-out food item (the second food item will not have a picture).
#5 At North Western University, we find traditional college food but jacked up. Most stadium goers love a good plate of Nachos. However, here at NWU, we get a spicy version called Wildcat Nachos. A heaping order of blue corn tortillas topped with pico de gallo, Beef Barbacoa { A Mexican/Caribbean BBQ} piled on high topped with a bunch of spicy jalapenos and topped off with white queso cheese sauce. If you enjoy a spicy treat, then this is for you.
A secondary dish to try if you go to a game at NWU is Asian/Italian fusion food called the Asian Meatball Sandwich. You get four pork meatballs, a Hoisin glaze BBQ sauce, and topped with Asian slaw on a footlong wedge. It comes with a side of potato wedges. Not your average wedge here.
#7 At the University of Arkansas, home of the Razorbacks, you can get a deep-fried treat called Pork rinds with Pimento Cheese. You have to be in a suite for this fried treat to get them, but I am told it is way worth it. A plate is full of Pork Rinds that are battered and then fried served with a side of Pimento Cheese sauce. This is one of those Lipitor dishes that I mentioned in the first article. They look good, and a plate can feed 2-3 people, and considering suites hold roughly 20-25 people, we might as well get eight plates.
#2 At Oregon State University, home of the Ducks {Not the Disney ones} you can get a Bratwurst with a kick called The Beaver Brat. It starts with a beer-braised Bratwurst served on a Franz outdoor roll, topped with pickled sweet and spicy peppers, honey mustard sauce, and Sauerkraut. More Quack for your bite with this one.
Another trendy dish at the Ducks’ home gets its name for the official animal of Oregon called Beaver Dam Fries. You get about ¾ of a pound of very crisp French fries topped with Caramelized onions, applewood smoked bacon, and a secret sauce they call Fry sauce. This is more of a dish to have later because that much will fill you up or get two and not worry about food the rest of the game.
#4 At Iowa State University, we get a basket of French Fries like no other I have ever seen called Crabmeat Rangoon Fries. Now, if you have not had Crabmeat Rangoon, I will explain. At some Chinese restaurants, you can get Crabmeat Rangoon but in a wonton form. A crispy wonton stuffed with Crab and Cream Cheese mixed with Green onions. Well, they took it one step farther and deconstructed it. It is a basket of French fries, topped off with a spicy chili sauce, Crab Cream Cheese, and topped off with Green Onions and wonton strips. A snack variety of foods on the list but sounds delicious.
Available only in suites at Iowa State is an appetizer that is a must-have. An order of herb Naam bread is cut into toast points, and to dip them, you get a bowl of hot cheese and corn dip. The cheese, however, is mixed with a local beer, and the corn is roasted garlic corn, and they come together to make a yummy dip.
#1 At Purdue University, you can get an enormous sandwich with a hell of a name called Porky’s Pete’s Primetime Player BBQ Sandwich. On an Onion bun, you get an oversized piece of fried pork tenderloin, polish sausage, pulled pork, bacon, coleslaw, and three huge onion rings served with a wicked BBq sauce. This sandwich is a must-have, and come hungry cause; this beast can fill almost anyone.
Now a good burger is hard to find, and a burger with the name the Bacon Double Hammer Burger gives a proper pounding. This tasty burger comes with two ¼ pound burger patties, two slices of American cheese, and four slices of bacon. This makes your everyday burger, but we have also known stadium food just tastes better.
#6 At the University of Alabama {Roll Tide} we get a stuffed stadium delight called Pimento Cheese stuffed Coneuch {which is a southern hickory-smoked sausage.} Take one of these sausage links and stuff them with their homemade Pimento Cheese, then cook and then top it off with a southern BBQ sauce.
Now also at UA, you can get a sandwich in which the state of Pennsylvania made famous called the Philly Cheesesteak. On a fresh Hoagie roll, you get fresh grilled top sirloin, mixed green peppers, and onions, and top it off with a hefty helping of cheese sauce. Made the same way in Pennsylvania but served with southern love.
I hope you all liked this feature. If you go to a stadium or arena and find a new crazy concession, please take a picture and send it to me here on our site, and if anyone around the works reads this and shares it, I would love to do a feature on foods from stadiums of the world. All in all, I believe MLB stadiums have the best unique food to offer, and that is how the old man sees it.
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