The nip in the air, the sound of foot hitting pigskin, the perfume of pregame burgers; these are signs of football season.

But of these, the surest sign is the tailgate, where fans gather in the name of good sports and good food.

The pregame tailgate is an optimistic place. Everyone's a winner there. It's a site of anticipated victory and of food to fuel the demands of supporting your team. The tailgate is the 21st-century version of picnicking, where America's obsession with sports and love of good food meet.

Tailgate customs vary around the country. In Hawaii, fans use hibachis to grill fish they caught themselves. The South features crispy fried chicken and elegant accoutrements. At the University of Mississippi in Oxford, fans enjoy the tailgate scene so much that some don't go to the stadium, staying close to the food and watching on big-screen TVs via portable satellite dishes.

Sure, you could hit the nearest drive-through on the way to the stadium. But don't your friends — and your team — deserve better? We all know that the quality of the food at the tailgate affects the outcome of the game, right?

With a little planning, you can put together an easy tailgate feast of do-ahead dishes, or have food prepped and ready to fling on your football-shaped portable grill. You may even save a little money.

Armed with a great game plan, you'll earn the title of tailgate season champ.



Debbie Moose is the author of four cookbooks: "Wings: More Than 50 High-Flying Recipes for America's Favorite Snack" (John Wiley & Sons, $16.95); "Potato Salad: 65 Recipes from Classic to Cool" (John Wiley & Sons, $16.95); "Fan Fare: A Playbook of Great Recipes for Tailgating or Watching the Game at Home" (Harvard Common Press, 2007); and "Deviled Eggs: 50 Recipes from Simple to Sassy (Harvard Common Press, 2004). A freelance writer, she lives in Raleigh, N.C.