The Tailgate Cookbook

April Herbert's The Tailgate Cookbook is subtitled: A Practical Handbook of Delightful Meals for Campers, Travelers and Sports Enthusiasts. I rather like this cookbook, and keep finding torn up copies, book club and ex-library editions, so it must have been quite popular in its day.

It does run the gamut from snails to coq au vin. There is a recipe for pork paté that includes peanut butter and suggests Chinese Fried Rice as an accompaniment. Overall it is a wonderful book -- tons of recipes that would make any tailgate or camp a "delightful" experience. But, as often happens, every cookbook has its misstep. I remind you of this in presenting my favorite recipe from the book, not actually to make but just because it made it into a recipe book. So without further adieu, notes on hot dogs...

FRANKFURTER TREATS

East To Do: use any of the following ideas to embellish hot dogs for a quick, inexpensive, and good dinner.

Can be prepared at home an packed tightly:

Marinated Hot Dogs

MARINATE: 8 frankfurters
1 cup French dressing (p. 189 or bottled)
1/4 cup dry wine

Before serving:

CHARCOAL: Frankfurter Treats until done

Variations: Serve charcoaled frankfurters with bottled Béarnaise Sauce




Nothing screams "TAILGATE" like wine and French dressing marinated hot dogs. Or try this....

Miss Lucinda's Frankfurter Treats

8 hot dogs
1 cup Tab (or Diet Coke if you can tolerate NutraSweet)
1/4 cup Jack Daniels

Mix the Jack Daniels into the Tab

Grill the hot dogs

When the hot dogs are cool enough to eat, grasp by the end (either end works just fine) and dip into the Jack Daniels and Tab. If you drank it all during the cook process, make more.

Variations: For the more traditional cook, use Rum and Coke.

Further Variations: To impress your British friends, make up a big batch of Serena Bass' Pimm's Cup. In lieu of fruit and a big cucumber slice, add a hot dog!