"nascar" news and stories

When I first saw Mario Batali's new paperback Mario Tailgates NASCAR Style on Jessica's Biscuit, I thought it was a joke. I got my hands on a copy at a local bookstore today and, indeed, it's real. Apparently Mario likes NASCAR. At least, that's what the introduction lead me to believe, as he speaks of NASCAR fans in the first person plural. The recipes are a combination of American "cookout" food and some recycled items from Mario's previous books. Ham and cheese biscuits and "Mario's Kick Ass Barbecue Sauce" mingle with pork braciolona and grilled lobster with Limoncello. I just don't know about the logistics of stuffing, trussing and braising a pork shoulder in a tailgait environment. Still, I have to give the man credit for continuing to broaden the palate of the average joe. But with Mario's well-known penchant for using unusual meats, I'm a little surprised that I didn't see any roadkill cookery in here. Maybe I just didn't look hard enough.

Sure, it's March Madness, with the nation seemingly going crazy over four college basketball teams, but don't forget that the loyalty of NASCAR fans just might rival any full-body-painted, foam finger-wagging NCAA fan. NCAA doesn't have their own brand of hot dogs, now does it?

NASCAR has their own officially-branded jumbo hotdogs, bacon, deli-thin-sliced meats and sausages that are available in grocery stores, meant for cooking at home or "in the infield," which I assume is akin to tailgating at a football game. Can you taste the excitement? NASCAR sure hopes so. Too bad the word "NASCAR" isn't branded right into the dog itself. Now that would be tasting the excitement.

[via: Autoblog]