With football season gearing up it is time to take inventory of your supplies and get that list together to make the morning pack up as smooth as possible.  Here are fifteen important reminders that can make your tailgate much more enjoyable….

• Freeze the water bottles so they become giant ice cubes for your drink cooler.
  
• Refrigerate your beverages overnight so your ice is not working as hard in the cooler and last longer.
  
• A pop-up canopy tent provides instant shade on hot, sunny days, and protection from a steady downpour if it rains. A standard 10 x 10-foot canopy offers 100 square feet of space. Look for canopies that have weather-resistant, UV-blocking covers and anchors to keep your temporary tailgating home in place.  Tie a balloon or a flag to the top so your friends can find you easily!
  
• Pack a medium plastic bin or tool box with everything you need to enjoy your food and drinks.:  spatulas, bottle/can openers, tongs, toothpicks/wooden skewers, basting brush and small flashlight. Trash bags, paper towels, wet wipes, ponchos, plastic zip bags, condiments, spices and seasonings. 90% of your problems can be solved with hand sanitizer, duct tape and a sharpie.  Stay a step ahead of the next game by replenishing those items you’ve used soon after returning home.
• The night before make sure to shape your patties and place between wax paper and skewer and marinate your kebabs.
  
• Portable wireless speakers keep you and your guests entertained. If it’s enabled with Bluetooth technology, you’ll be able to stream and control your music from any Bluetooth-enabled wireless device. Make sure to keep your devices charged up and ready to go with an on-the-go charger, or extra batteries.
  
• Bring a medal bucket for still glowing coals and make sure the grill is extinguished properly.
  
• A cooler can always be used to keep things warm as well-bring an extra empty one.
  
• Remember to bring a phone charger
  
• Never take out your jumper cables and always pack an extension cord
  
• Clean your grill a few days before the tailgate and remember to oil it to keep things from sticking.
  
• Label your coolers so your guests don’t have to dig through multiple coolers to find their beverage of choice.
  
• Fill a empty six pack holder with your favorite condiments
  
• Pack a mini first aid kit.
  
• Remember to pack your Bellisari’s Gourmet Convenience Spreads and Sauces for easy appetizers and condiments.

What is Sous Vide?

Once limited to the pros, sous vide (pronounced sue-veed) is a cooking technique that utilizes precise temperature control to deliver consistent, restaurant-quality results. High-end restaurants have been using sous vide cooking for years to cook food to the exact level of doneness desired, every time. Sous vide, which means “under vacuum” in French, refers to the process of vacuum-sealing food in a bag, then cooking it to a very precise temperature in a water bath.

Cooking with Sous Vide

Sous vide cooking is much easier than you might think, it and usually involves three simple steps:

1. Attach your precision cooker to a pot of water and set the time and temperature according to your desired level of doneness.

2. Put your food in a sealable bag and clip it to the side of the pot.

3. Finish by searing, grilling, or broiling the food to add a crispy, golden exterior layer.

Why Cook with Sous Vide?

Sous vide cooking utilizes precise temperature control with circulation to produce results that you can’t achieve through any other cooking technique. The reason–when using traditional methods of cooking, you don’t have control over heat and temperature. Consequently, it’s very difficult and time consuming to consistently cook great food. Food ends up overcooked on the outside, with only a small portion in the center that is cooked to the temperature you want. Food loses flavor, overcooks easily, and ends up with a dry, chewy texture.

With precise temperature control in the kitchen, sous vide provides the following benefits:

Consistency. Because you cook your food to a precise temperature for a precise amount of time, you can expect very consistent results.

Taste. Food cooks in its juices. This ensures that the food is moist, juicy and tender.

Waste reduction. Traditionally prepared food dries out and results in waste. For example, on average, traditionally cooked steak loses up to 40% of its volume due to drying out. Steak cooked via precision cooking, loses none of its volume.

Flexibility. Traditional cooking can require your constant attention. Precision cooking brings food to an exact temperature and holds it. There is no worry about overcooking

With school on the horizon, I’m looking forward to the weather cooling down a bit and my garden slowing down. I’ve loved sharing the gardening process with my kids. It’s been rewarding to work alongside them through planning, planting, watering, weeding, growing and harvesting. Our trips to the Farmers’ Market and grocery store have been more meaningful as my kids make the connections between what we’re growing and what the farmers around us are growing. It’s also reaffirmed how important it is for us to use the produce we’ve grown in our garden in our everyday cooking.

To help you use your garden’s bounty, we’ve paired all of our garden treasures with each of our products:

Zucchini - Balsamic, Shallot & Black Garlic Spread

We grilled zucchini and used Bellisari’s Balsamic, Shallot & Black Garlic Spread as a finishing sauce.

Squash - Saigon Street Sauce

Like our zucchini, we grilled our squash and brushed it with Saigon Street Sauce.

Jalapeños - Blue Cheese, Honey & Shallot Spread

We stuffed our jalapeños with Bellisari’s Blue Cheese, Honey & Shallot Spread to offer a creamy balance to the peppers’ spice.

Cucumbers - Calabrian Pepper & Sweet Tomato Fennel Spread

We made a refreshing cucumber salad with our Calabrian Pepper & Sweet Tomato Fennel Spread and topped it off with a bit of feta cheese.

Green Beans - Blistered Jalapeño & Fig Spread

Crisp green beans paired nicely with the sweetness of the figs from our Blistered Jalapeño & Fig Spread.